Jane Austen Ring Sells at Sotheby's

A gold and cabochon blue stone ring, once belonging to Jane Austen, sold for £152,450 (about $241,800 CDN) at Sotheby's. A real deal, right? Evidently the winning 6-digit bid was more than 5x the estimated pre-sale value of the ring. 

Simple and beautiful, the yellow gold ring features a large cabochon blue gem stone in a classic setting. While items belonging to famous writers and historical figures are typically sought-after, many Austen fans have taken particular interest in this piece of jewelry, perhaps because they're imagining who gifted Jane the ring, or how she came to own it. 

An article on the Sotheby's website gives a couple of suggestions to who could have given Jane Austen the ring, but the truth remains a mystery.

One thing that's not a mystery? Jane Austen had impeccable taste when to came to jewelry: Classic and colourful, just like her writing.