Circa 1700, this high-karat gold skeletal band ring is an example of “Memento Mori” jewelry, which dates back to the 16th through the 18th centuries. It was intended to remind the wearer of his or her mortality (memento mori translates to “remember you must die”), and of the fleeting nature of time. The interior of this particular ring is engraved with the phrase “I am gone follow after” and the initials AWI.