During the 16th to 18th centuries, nowhere was this message more apparent than on the memento mori jewellery that adorned everyone from wealthy middle-class merchants to royalty. But contrary to popular belief, the symbolism behind these fascinating pieces owes less to the macabre and more to the celebration and veneration of life.

Looking back to the early 1600s, contemplation of mortality was a prominent theme across art and literature. It was the age of Shakespeare's Hamlet soliloquising over the skull of Yoric, and of vanitas paintings - depicting skulls, melting candles, and rotting fruit - making their mark across the Netherlands and other European nations. With the average life expectancy a sobering 43 years of age, it's no wonder that this obsession with death took hold.

At this time, memento mori jewellery becomes de rigueur. Translated from the Latin as 'remember you must die', rings, pendants and brooches bearing skull and crossbone

Known as the ‘gentleman’s ring’, the signet ring is traditionally seen as a symbol of family heritage. However, it has been around longer than heraldry. For many centuries, the signet ring bore the family crest or coat of arms - see our Alternative Guide to Engraving for other ideas – engraved in reverse so that it could be pressed into soft clay or wax and used as a seal on a document.

Sealing in this way was official, authentic and could not be forged. It was seen as a form of identification. Because of this, signet rings are often referred to as ‘seal rings’. The name comes from the Latin ‘Signum’ which means ‘sign’.

Now, signet rings are worn by men and women from all walks of life who wish to exhibit style, or a sentimental connection with something or someone.

Pre-1792, British banknotes were printed from hand-engraved copperplates. In 1706, Sir Isaac Newton pointed out to the Treasury that ‘good graving is the best security…’, at the time, he was talking in support of medal engravers at the Royal Mint, but the same could be said some 100 years later of techniques required for security printing of banknotes, the design of which owe their early origins to the engravers who had the skill to engrave extremely intricate, figurative work, patterns and lettering onto copper printing plates.

The relative simplicity of early British banknotes notes meant that forgeries soon became problematic. The penalty for forgery or even unknowingly having them in your possession was severe - the sentence commonly being death by hanging or transportation.

The identical reproduction of banknotes was essential in preventing this crime. At the beginning of the 19^th century, banks were plagued with forgeries and preventative measures such

Collector and author Michael Estorick on his signet ring with a Roman-engraved stone and a 13th-century inscription, unearthed in the north of England in 1760