Antique Style Engagement Rings

When choosing a wedding ring there are some things to be considered in relation to the engagement ring. It’s always best to have the wedding ring and the engagement ring look like they were meant to fit together and, this way, there are two different situations.

1. The engagement ring is designed with a straight edged band, which can accomodate a straight edged wedding ring next to it;
2. The engagement rings has an unique, curved shape, or has a gemstone setting that prevents a straight edged wedding ring to fit next to it.

In this second case, a curved wedding band is a solution. These curved wedding bands are designed to fit evenly with the engagement ring.

An often overlooked aspect when people buy diamond jewelry is the diamond cut. When choosing a dazzling diamond ring or other kinds of jewelry, the cut of the stone is extremely important to guide your decision.

A big part of the quality of a diamond, or even other precious gems, is the cut. Even a faultless diamond can look less brilliant if cut in a wrong way. A good cut can even help to minimize small defects of the stone.

There are three types of cuts you can find. Shallow, deep and ideal. The shallow and deep cuts are less than perfect because they are not well balanced and will make the diamond less brilliant than it could be. A shallow cut will make the stone reflect a very low portion of light, which will make the stone look murky. A deep cut, even making the stone appear larger than it really is, will also make it look flat because the light won’t be reflected off the top of the stone, it will be lost from the sides.

The ideal cut, because of its proportions, not too deep nor too shallow, will have a perfect balance of the angles and will provide a brilliant, vivid sparkling diamond.

Modern jewelers use advanced computer software to help them achieve the perfect cuts that will create the most shining diamonds. The quality of the diamond depends on the perfect balance between the width and depth of the cut. They need to be well balanced for a quality brilliant diamond. Keep this in mind when shopping for diamonds to make a well-informed purchase and get the brightest diamond for your money.

The Post-Retro period of jewelry, between 1950 and 1969, saw the United States rising as the world’s most powerful economic nation. Americans were exuberant with the growing economy and could afford to be more romantic than they were a decade or so ago. Engagement rings were more popular than ever, with sales reaching historic highs. By 1965, eighty percent of American women received an engagement ring when their lover proposed.

Ring styles changed, too. Gone were the stark and angular lines of previous years, replaced with streamlined, aerodynamic shapes. Scroll work and curved mounts reappeared, accentuated with lattice work and gold mesh. There was no main style that characterized this particular era but as the nation looked to a brighter, modern future jewelry and engagement rings in particular tended to be futuristic.

Gold regained its popularity and jewelers took full advantage of all its rich colors. Engagement rings were fashioned from white, yellow, green, pink and red gold as well as silver and platinum but gold was the favored precious metal. The idea of matching wedding bands also caught on; in past decades, it wasn’t considered very important for a man to wear a wedding band but in the Post-Retro era men often wore a band that matched the bride’s design. Shopping for bridal jewelry became a search for “couple jewelry”.

Smaller diamonds were more accepted and no longer looked down upon because of the creative settings. One of the most popular settings of this era was the box setting which featured a relatively small diamond in square setting that was tooled in such a way as to make the diamond appear much larger than it actually was. The solitaire diamond with a round brilliant cut set in yellow gold was a very popular style. The square cut was second only to the round brilliant but the princess and pear cut were also gaining ground.

The Retro period lasted from 1935 to around 1949, signaling a romantic revival in jewelry influenced in large part by Hollywood with its romantic movies and larger than life actors and actresses. Since the world was dealing with war for many of these years, the need for more feminine and softer lines expressed itself in the jewelry of the time. Money was tight, as were materials, so jewelers used more semi-precious and synthetic stones rather than real gems.

Diamonds weren’t as prevalent during these years since few could afford them. Those that were used tended to be smaller and put into elaborate settings to make them appear larger than they were. Since platinum was being used in various war functions, the many colors of gold were being explored. Creative jewelers combined rose, green and yellow gold to create beautiful medleys of color, set with stones like square-cut citrines and aquamarines.

Hollywood glamour and sparkle inspired bold, colorful jewelry with romantic and whimsical designs. Cocktail rings and large bracelets were all the rage, scattered with synthetic sapphires and rubies as well as other stones. Pearl engagement rings were popular, accented with diamond chips with settings of silver or white gold. Aquamarines also gained in the jewel market, their beautiful blue offset in yellow gold or silver. Cabochon sapphires were also used in much of the jewelry of the time, even in bridal jewelry. Their smoky color made them the ideal centerpiece for arrangements of tiny accompanying stones and lovely engraving and filagree craftsmanship.

After the end of WWII people who were weary of frugality and rationing began to wear larger, more opulent jewelry and engagement rings, while still in the Retro style, also became more elaborate. A new era of prosperity slowly replaced semi-precious stones with diamonds once again, the bigger the better.

Art Deco was the prevailing style of engagement rings between 1920 and 1935. Elegant and sophisticated, these rings used both synthetic and genuine precious stones. Rubies and sapphires from Burma and emeralds from Columbia were used, as well as diamonds. Usually there were tiered stones on either side of the central gem creating sparkle not seen in any other style of ring.

Platinum was very much in demand in these rings both for its beauty and its strength. The designs were like nothing ever seen before with their stark geometric shapes and bold lines. Jewelers made bold new cuts in the stones, leaving many traditional cutting techniques in the dust. But the millegrain setting, sometimes called the invisible setting, continued to be preferred by jewelers who fashioned the fabulous creations.

The Art Deco style was inspired by The Exposition of Decorative Arts and Modern Manufacturers that was held in Paris in 1925.  Strong symmetry and vivid colors were hallmarks of Art Deco jewelry.  Its particular beauty was in the contrast of metals, gems and colors. Cubism is prevalent in this type of jewelry and the style was also influenced by Egyptian and Indian designs, using coral and turquoise as well as more standard gems.

Jewelry wasn’t completed transformed, however. Subtle changes were made to favorite styles, such as including onyx or sapphires in an engagement ring on either side of the traditional diamond. The contrast as well as the cut of the contrasting stones lent an air of exuberance and freedom to the conventional engagement ring. Many engagement rings were elaborate conglomerations of contrasting stones, beautifully arranged and larger than other styles of bridal rings. In the depths of the Depression, attention was centered on the overall design instead of a large focal stone. Jewelers designed the rings with smaller and less expensive gems than diamonds whenever possible since the nation’s purse strings were tight.

Art Deco engagement rings are still popular, nearly nine decades after its inception.

Jewelry from the Edwardian era (1901-1914) reflected the tastes of the upper classes; King Edward VII and his Danish wife, Alexandria, inspired a style of cosmopolitan flair that reflected the aristocratic tastes of the wealthy.  However, technology had advanced so much and costs were substantially reduced so that jewelry was available not only to the upper classes but to nearly everyone.

New techniques appeared, most notably invisible diamond settings, which was quite a novelty then.  Also called a millegrained setting, it employed a thin bead of metal textured and ridged to form a nearly invisible ring around the stone to secure it.  Diamonds were cut to be as delicate and feminine as possible and often accent stones completely encrusted every surface of the ring.

During this short period, rings and other jewelry featured designs of bows, flower garlands, tassels and ribbons as well as stars, snakes and crescent moons.  Heavily influenced by the rococo and neo-classical eras and the culture of India, these popular motifs inspired great creativity.  Platinum, previously so difficult to work with, was used more often thanks to new tools that had been developed. Jewelers used diamonds with platinum to design elegant filigree patterns resembling lace in elaborate rings and tiaras.  These designs were created to go with the delicate silks and laces in fashion at the time. The beautiful and brilliant peridot became very popular, as it was the good luck stone of King Edward.  Pearls were also treasured, affordable to only the wealthiest.

Edwardian engagement rings frequently had small hearts engraved on them to signify the love that had brought two people together.  The diamond-encrusted swirls, filigree and curves of the Edwardian style make beautiful engagement rings.  The white-on-white look that was popular in that era is lovely when your jeweler pairs platinum with diamonds and creates a look not soon forgotten by all who admire it.

The Georgian period, so called because it occurred 1714-1830 during the reigns of Kings George I-III, was a time of opulence, self-indulgence and quirkiness.  The jewelry of the time was a very good reflection of these societal characteristics.  The styles were very elaborate and intricate; jewelry was worn in the hair and well as nearly every visible part of the body, copying the ancient Greek fashions.

Rings of this era were created using cameos, intaglios, mosaics, acorns, Greek keys, urns, doves, wheat and plumage.  These elaborate designs were seen in the bands of rings as well as their stones.  Cannetille, tightly wound wirework, was a feature of many rings, surrounding precious stones or by itself.

Gold and silver were often used together to stunning effect.  It was thought that the white of the silver would accentuate the brilliance of the diamonds, the gem of choice in those years.  To further enhance the sparkle, foil was sometimes laid in the setting before inserting the diamond.

Engagement rings often had two hands on either side of a crown, signifying love as a ruler in the couples’ lives.  You can imagine the possibilities of such a design for a society that loved opulence!  Floral designs were also prevalent, either a single stem or a bouquet encrusted with diamonds and other precious gems.  Marcasite was used during this time to surround the diamonds or other stones in engagement rings.

Diamonds were usually Mine cuts or Rose cuts.  Since jewelers had rather crude tools, they found these two methods of cutting a diamond weren’t as wasteful as others.  Mine cut diamond had flat tops while Rose cuts were pointed. Since all jewelry was hand made, there were imperfections in every ring and no one had a ring quite like anyone else.

The styles and elaborate characteristics of the Georgian era lend modern engagement rings a unique beauty and the individuality that most brides will treasure.

Victorian era (1837-1900) style engagement rings are making a comeback, in large part because those designs were meant to reflect the feelings of the groom-to-be.  Queen Victoria chose a Greek snake design for her own ring that symbolized eternal love and that style became very popular.

One type of Victorian engagement ring was called a “regard ring”.  No matter the shape the gems took, whether circular or in a linear display, the first letter of each stone represented the letters in the word “regards” or “dearest”.  Along with the usual diamonds, rubies and sapphires jewelers also used aquamarine, topaz, amethyst and garnet.  These rings are enjoying a new popularity as modern engagement rings because of their beautiful stone arrangements as well as the styles and techniques used to create them.

Half Hoop rings are also making a return to the engagement ring market.  These beautiful rings had precious stones and engravings covering half of the ring, hence the name “half-hoop”.  There are several styles, from two alternating stones to clusters to a central stone surrounded by contrasting gems.  The engraving and filigree on these rings were-and are-stunning. The rings were made with open backs and small setting edges to better display the stones in the ring.

Not all engagement rings were so elaborate, though.  Diamonds were usually only affordable to the wealthy so the middle class favored aquamarine, garnet, topaz and other stones equally as beautiful but not nearly as expensive.  Modern brides-to-be are beginning to break the tradition of diamonds and moving toward such stones that were popular with the middle class in the Victorian era.  They love the delicate filigrees and scrolling, or cannetille technique used in reproducing Victorian style engagement rings.  The Japanese and Indian influences also contribute to the appeal of the Victorian style, along with its innate femininity.

The Art Nouveau, or “new art” style of jewelry reigned from 1890 to around 1915.  The pieces made then were influenced by designs of the past, reinvented and modernized.  This was an era that emphasized craftsmanship and creativity above materials, which opened the door to using all sorts of precious metals and gems.

Rings in particular were very different from past styles.  Clean, soft curved lines and pale colors predominated, lending a distinctively feminine cast to the delicate and graceful jewelry.  Motifs were drawn from nature and featured peacocks, dragonflies, snakes, flowers and even nymphs with flowers wound in their long hair.  Art Nouveau was a style that allowed for nearly unlimited creativity and the era produced some stunning designs in ivory, copper and tortoise shell jewelry.  The Celtic, Persian and Roman influences produced some fascinating styles with clean curved lines setting off stones of amethyst, aquamarine, mother of pearl, topaz and, of course, diamond.

Pearls were very much in demand as engagement rings and the Art Nouveau style fit perfectly with their luminous beauty.  Many rings combined the pearls with diamonds or other precious stones surrounded by sinuous lines of gold or silver, creating an elegant flow almost like that of moving water in a stream.

Gold and silver were sometimes combined in these rings, accenting each other or even twined about one another and the stones in the ring.  The nymph was one of the most popular motifs for engagement rings, with jewels sprinkled in her long hair.  This particular style lent itself to creativity and imaginative use of metals and gems.  Many of the rings from this era featured beautiful enamel work by itself or as an accent to the design of a gemstone ring.

Finding authentic Art Nouveau engagement rings can be difficult but reproduction items faithful to the designs make beautiful and unique
Bridal jewelry.

The Aesthetic period from 1885 to 1901 saw a major shift in society.  Women began attending universities; they began to work outside the home and sought more of the rights that men had enjoyed for so long.  As Queen Victoria began to relax her constraining rules of mourning, fashions began to change and fabrics were lighter weight; women’s clothing featured simpler lines.

Diamonds became more popular than they had ever been due to the invention of the electric light in 1879.  The new lighting really let gems shine, reflecting off their many facets with dazzling effect.  Now a woman could show off her treasured gems at night as well as in the daytime!  Under Queen Victoria’s rule, however, only married women were permitted to wear diamonds since they were generally gifts from men.  A single woman wearing diamonds meant one of two things, that they were inherited or they were a gift from a lover.  Displaying inherited wealth was considered the height of vulgarity and since women were supposed to be chaste and pure, no respectable single woman wore diamonds, at least not in public!

Large, heavy rings gave way to light and delicate styles.  Diamond engagement rings were often accented with seed pearls and the bands were engraved with twining vines or forget-me-not flowers that symbolized true love.  Many of the rings also included sapphires or emeralds and garnets were also popular.

Navette rings were often given as engagement rings, a style that was both eye-catching and stunning.  The navette shape is oval with pointed ends, and very flattering for the finger.  They were often encrusted with diamonds or featured a central colored stone accented with small diamonds or seed pearls.  When made with rose gold the effect was even more dramatic.  Some of the most beautiful engagement rings from the Aesthetic period featured blue or yellow diamonds.