STUNNING 16TH CENTURY DIAMOND RING DISCOVERED IN WORMINGTON (GLOUCESTERSHIRE) BY A METAL DETECTORIST FETCHES A HAMMER PRICE OF £17,000 AT NOONANS

A late 16th-early 17th century diamond cluster gold ring, that was discovered in Wormington in Gloucestershire – just four miles from Broadway, in November 2024 by 42-year-old Stuart Jones, a metal detectorist from Solihull sold for a hammer price of £17,000 at Noonans in an auction of Jewellery today (Tuesday, June 23, 2026). It was bought by an UK phone bidder [lot 106].

Following the sale, Stuart, who works as a welder fabricator at Jaguar Land Rover in Solihull, is engaged to Iren, and they have a two-year-old son called Leonardo, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the Tudor diamond and enamel ring I discovered while metal detecting near Wormington, Gloucestershire, has sold at Noonans Mayfair.”

He continued: “Finding the ring in November 2024 was already a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but seeing it achieve such a fantastic result at auction is beyond anything I could have imagined. From the moment the signal came through on my detector, I knew I had found something special, but I never expected the journey that would follow through the Portable Antiquities Scheme, the Treasure process, and eventually to auction.”

He finished: “The sale is not just about the value of the ring; it is about the history behind it and the privilege of being the person who helped bring an important piece of the past back into the public eye. Knowing that a beautiful piece of Tudor jewellery, lost for centuries, has now been appreciated by collectors and enthusiasts is incredibly rewarding. I would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout the process, including the landowner, the Portable Antiquities Scheme, the specialists at Noonans Mayfair, and all those who shared an interest in the story. It has been an unforgettable journey and one that I will treasure for the rest of my life.”

The auction featured 14 metal detectorist finds and also included a gold memorial ring with a memento mori skull motif inscribed to Dr Richard Busby (1606-1695) which fetched a hammer price of £3,200 and was purchased via a commission bid.

Busby was the headmaster of Westminster School from 1638 until his death; and described as “the most celebrated schoolmaster of his time.” He is buried in Westminster Abbey and among his many notable pupils were philosopher John Locke, architect Christopher Wren, playwright Robert Dryden, diplomat Matthew Prior, composer Henry Purcell and physicist Robert Hooke. It was discovered by metal detectorist Amanda Parker in Catforth, near Preston (Lancashire) [lot 110].

Amanda watched the auction online, as did the landowner. After the sale, she said: “I'm very happy with the result, it went for just above the top estimate. I had never watched an auction before, it was very exciting, however I am not sure what I will do with the money, maybe go on a holiday!”