Vintage Ilias Lalaounis Bull's Heads Bypass Ring

A poetic, vintage bypass ring, modeled in 22k yellow gold by the beloved Greek designer Ilias Lalaounis. This ring is bold and glamorous, featuring a pair of stylized bull’s head finials, that lean sweetly together where its bypass overlaps. The ring's shank is fully round and weighty, with a twisted wire decor that tightens at the base. Traditionally, bulls are symbolic of the sun and of the power of light, in Greece, but they always remind us of the Minotaur, and his tragic origin story. We think these little bulls have a gentle, dreamy look about them— each is crowned with a six petaled flower and a patch of "fur" represented by five rows of five beads of granulation. Both bulls wear a round, cabochon ruby at the base of their necks, above their vandyked collars. This ring is fully marked with "Lalounis," a pictographic signature, "A.21," and "K22."

Materials

22k gold
Ruby

Age

c. 1950 - 1960

Size

Fits like a US 7 - 7 1/2

Dimensions

Ring head measures approx 17.52 x 20.5 mm; fully-round shank measures approx 5.2 mm at the shoulder and tapers to approx 3.9 mm at the base; rise is approx 10.5 mm.