During the early nineteenth century it was common for women to adorn themselves with multiple rings of every shape and style, from amatory rings to mourning rings. As such, a rich diversity of rings from this time period can be observed including rings set with every possible gemstone, typically with stones set closed-back and foiled to enhance the properties of the material. Rings were commonly set in gold, with cut-down collet or rubover settings and often featured heavily engraved and elaborate shoulders. As the century progressed, gemstone quality improved and open-backed settings were used to draw attention to the quality of the cut and color of the stones on display. By the end of the nineteenth century, silver-topped gold was in prominent use and served as a pre-cursor to the use of platinum and white gold in jewelry in the early part of the twentieth century.