Vintage Engagement Rings

An engagement is a most exciting time - and these days when the vogue is for all things vintage, many newly engaged girls are opting for a beautiful vintage engagment ring.

What is the difference between vintage engagement rings and antique engagement rings ?

Well, technically, an antique is something that is over 100 years old, and vintage is a term applied to items dating roughly from 1920 onwards. So vintage can mean anything made within the last 90 years that has been pre-worn or pre-owned. As rings which are vintage are not as old as antique items they are often in better condition, and therefore more wearable and robust than a ring say, 100 years older.

So, what are looking for if you'd like a vintage engagement ring?

Well, the 1920's heralded the beginning of the craze for all things modern, and you may well find pretty diamond and platinum rings covering what is called a "transitional period" between the florid excess of art nouveau and the sharp lines of art deco. These rings were made for the growing mass market in a "modern style" and so there are plenty of them out there. Often they feature small diamonds or rubies which were popular stones at this time.

Moving on; in 1925 the Exposition Des Arts Decoratifs in Paris gave birth to the style which would be known as Art Deco. The Art Deco Style quickly made its way into jewellery. You can find many beautiful vintage engagment rings which utilise this style, ranging from diamonds set within sqaure panels of platinum to large rectangular aquamarines set within stepped geometric mounts - these styles of vintage engagement ring are easy to wear and Art Deco has become rather a timeless style which means that the jewellery looks good with modern styles and fashions.

After Art Deco, came the 1930s which led to a softening of the hard geometric elements which had defined Art Deco. 1930s style vintage engagment rings are often larger than those of the 1920s and have a more "cocktail" style about them, using large stones. The use of white sapphires and synthetic or treated rubies became widespread in the 1930s, so if this style appeals to you, then its worth ascertaining that the stones used in a ring are actually what they purport to be. Many 1930s vintage engagement rings also use "gold wash" over silver (a fine coating of gold plating) so make sure that if you want gold, you are actually buying that.

During the second world war very few rings were made, the exception being in the USA where jewellery production did continue. After world war 2 jewellery production the UK was slow to take off due to the large tax levied on metal. When production did resume many rings were very much in a traditional idiom and indeed Victorian style was popular and you will find rings styled in a victorian idiom made in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

The 1950s and 1960s produced both "pretty" dainty rings and also large chunky rings by artists such as Andrew Grima and Stuart Devlin. Some of the styling from these designers filtered down onto the high street and you will find some vintage engagement rings in a 1960's style, but on a smaller scale by mainstream desgners - often these rings feature things like sputnik or starburst designs in 9ct gold, claw set with tiny diamonds, rubies or emeralds.

Vintage Engagement Rings - the final piece of advice

Do your research into vintage jewellery design before you set out to choose a ring - identify the style you like and if you need to, print pictures from the web to help you choose whats right for you. There are a weath of vintage engagement rings out there to choose from and with some research and a little hard work you will find one that is just right for you !