Vintage Diamond Engagement Rings
Vintage diamond engagement rings usually refer to rings made at least 50 years ago. You do have to be careful though as what one person considers vintage another might see as just second hand. It has been known for some rings to be sold on sites such as EBay under a “vintage” classification and they were bought in a high street jeweler five years ago.
Personally I think a vintage diamond engagement ring is an antique ring. Buying antique engagement rings means that it will be highly unlikely that anyone else will have the same engagement ring. The same can’t be said if you chose a Tiffany diamond solitaire. Your engagement and wedding is a special occasion and I believe it makes it extra special when the ring is unique. White gold is very popular these days but Victorian engagement rings are generally made of yellow or rose gold so again your ring will be different.
It was in the Victorian era (1830’s to 1901) that diamond mines were found in South Africa. The industrial revolution created a new generation of wealthy people. The wives and girlfriends of these industrialists were encouraged to flaunt their jewelry and diamonds. Dressing in diamonds including tiaras was not uncommon at dinner when the diamonds glistened in the candlelight. The ladies probably looked fabulous too as candlelight is so much more forgiving than our modern lighting.
Pearls were often used as the centre stone with diamonds surrounding it. In the Victorian days, the lady of the house wouldn’t have been doing much housework as she would have servants to carry out those tasks. Pearls are not really suitable for every day wear so you should bear that in mind when buying a vintage engagement ring. Queen Victoria had a serpent ring as it represented eternity. These rings were made of two separate but intertwined designs, one of the groom and one for his bride. They were usually yellow or rose gold accented with rubies, diamonds or sapphires. Pink sapphires were particularly cherished.
Edwardian engagement rings tend to have very intricate detailing resembling lace. Very skilled craftsmen created delicate filigree effects on the sides and bands of these beautiful rings. Often romantic imagery such as birds, hearts, bows and flowers were woven into the gold filigree work. Pave setting engagement rings were quite popular as were prong settings. White gold was commonly used as was Platinum in the 1920s when engagement rings were often either all diamonds or else had a small burst of color from sapphires or rubies surrounded by sparkling diamonds.
It is almost impossible to find a yellow gold Edwardian wedding ring. Vintage engagement rings from this period are quite rare and can also be expensive so a lot of jewelers have begun to produce modern replicas of this genre. They have the advantage of using more sophisticated machinery to give a more precise cut on the diamond. You will still find that the craftsman gives a lot of attention to detail but the diamonds used are more likely to be as colorless as possible rather than the yellow tints preferred by the Edwardians.