Viking Coiled Dragon Ring Brooch
Specifications
| Color | Bronze |
| Material | Alloy, bronze or antique silver finish |
- For: men & women (adults)
- Alloy, openwork dragon forming a ring, pin on the back
- Free shipping from 49€ · secure payment
A Dragon Closing the Circle
This Viking brooch is a coiled dragon: its body curls to close into a ring, the head turns inward, the wing rises, and the scaly tail completes the design. The piece is openwork, with the voids revealing the fabric underneath. Find it in our collection of Viking fibulae and brooches.
For a dragon rendered in interlace rather than a clear figure, see the Urnes beast.
What Sets This Brooch Apart
It chooses readability where Norse art often prefers enigma.
- A recognizable beast: head, wing, paws, and tail are distinct, without needing to trace the ribbon with your gaze.
- Form follows the animal: the ring is not an added frame; it is the body of the dragon itself.
- Openwork: the voids are part of the design and change appearance depending on the fabric worn underneath.
- Two finishes: warm bronze or antique silver.
To stay with the dragon theme but in a free-form piece rather than a disc, the dragon in flight spreads its wings outside of any frame.
Specifications
- Material: Alloy, bronze or antique silver finish
- Motif: Coiled dragon closing into a ring
- Fastening: Straight pin with clasp on the back
- Structure: Openwork
- Worn on: Cape, shawl, wool coat
- Care: Dry cloth, avoid water and perfumes
Did you know?
The beast biting its own tail or closing in on itself is a motif that the Scandinavians did not invent, but pushed further than anyone else. In the Urnes style, the final phase of Viking art, around 1050-1125, animals became ribbons so fine that one could no longer distinguish the head from the body without tracing the line with a finger. It is called the Urnes style after the carved wooden planks of the Urnes Stave Church in Norway, a World Heritage site—a Christian building covered in entirely pagan-derived decoration.
📖 To learn more: Discover our guide to Norse creatures.
♦ Complete Your Viking Collection
Discover other pieces you might like:
Brooch or hair barrette: which one to choose?
| Type | Where it is worn | What you need to know |
|---|---|---|
| Garment brooch (fibula) this product | On a cloak, a shawl, a coat or a jacket lapel. | These are the largest pieces in the range. Six close with a straight pin and a clasp; two are penannular: an open ring locked by the tension of the fabric, with no spring to wear out. |
| Barrette with a hair stick | In a bun, a braid or a half-up ponytail. | Two pieces: the plate sits on the hair, the stick goes through the lock and holds everything in place. You need enough hair for the stick to go through: with hair shorter than shoulder length, the hold becomes uncertain. |
| Light barrette or clip | On medium-length hair, including fine hair. | The filigree models have a small chain that holds the stick; the flat barrettes close with a clip and need no minimum length. These are the most discreet pieces and the easiest to put in. |
| Medallion barrette | Flat on a half-up ponytail or a low bun. | A solid disc that sits on the gathered lock instead of going through it. It is the shape that needs the least hair length, and the only one that shows a scene rather than an ornament. |
How to wear it
There is no size to choose. A brooch (fibula) is fastened to the fabric, not to the body: the only question is the cloth.
The six straight-pin models are worn like a classic brooch: push the pin through the fabric and close the clasp. They suit a jacket lapel, a shawl or a thick scarf.
The two penannular models (the open ring crossed by a long pin) work differently: pass the pin through the cloth, turn it a quarter turn, and the tension of the garment locks it against the ring. The more the cloak pulls, the tighter it holds. It is the most secure fastening on heavy wool, and the one with no mechanical part to break.
On thin fabric, any pin leaves a mark. These pieces are made for broadcloth, wool and thick linen, not for silk or fine knits.
Care: dry cloth. Avoid water, perfume and silver polish, which remove the patina lodged in the hollows: it is what gives the design all its relief.
Can you make out the dragon from a distance?
Yes. Unlike knotwork, where the beast can only be glimpsed within the knot, here the head, the wing and the tail are clearly separate. It is the most figurative piece in the section.
Is the piece openwork?
Yes. The dragon's body forms the ring and the gaps are left open, so the fabric shows through. On light-colored wool, the contrast is stronger than on dark fabric.
Which finish should I choose?
Bronze adds warmth and goes with brown and green wools; antique silver stands out against grays and blacks. Same relief, same weight; only the plating differs.
Does the raised wing snag?
No. It is folded toward the body and its edge is rounded. Nothing sticks out freely, unlike a piece with open points.
Delivery — Allow 7 to 15 business days for mainland France, 10 to 20 days for the European Union. Free delivery on orders over €49.
Delivery guarantee — If your parcel is not delivered within 60 business days, we will provide an immediate reshipment or a full refund.
14-day returns — You have 14 calendar days from receipt to request an exchange or refund. The item must be returned within this period, in its original packaging.
Legal guarantees — All our products are covered by the legal guarantee of conformity and the guarantee against hidden defects, in accordance with the Consumer Code and the Civil Code.
