A Guide to Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings
The vintage aesthetic is coming back to fashion in a big way. This resurrection has seen thrift-store. That’s right – it isn’t uncommon to see young people clad in tasteful old hats, gloves, and seamed stockings.
With this in mind, it should not come as a supposed that vintage-inspired rings are also trending. Is your to-be spouse a fan of the Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, or Retro periods? Or are you on the hunt for a ring with more character than the minimalist pieces available currently?
Well, you have come to the right place! Read on for guidance on how to select the perfect vintage inspired engagement rings.
What Is A Vintage-Inspired Engagement Ring?
Vintage fashion enthusiasts mostly define vintage garments as those that originated from an older era. Some others prefer referring to it as old clothing that is being revived and loved once more.
That said, the term ‘vintage-inspired’ is a reasonably broad umbrella term given to any piece of jewelry that looks old but is actually brand new. Numerous eras have contributed to this umbrella term, each with a distinctive aesthetic. Without further ado, let us dive in and learn about them.
Timeless Styles Of Vintage-Inspired Engagement Ring
- The Victorian Era
Victorian jewelry refers to pieces that were produced during the reign of Queen Victoria, who, amongst many other accomplishments, was also an influential figure who established various fashion trends.
‘Victorian era’ brings to mind images of large brooches with matching hand jewelry such as bracelets and rings. Jewelry inspired by this period featured specific elements, such as the following:
Motifs: The Victorian era was popular for its frequent use of motifs such as hearts, hands, anchors, crosses, love knots, vines, and leaves.
Gems: Perhaps the most endearing form of jewelry from the time was acrostic jewelry. This technique involved arranging gemstones in such a way that the first letter of each gem spelled out an affectionate word.
For example, victorian rings could contain a ruby, emerald, garnet, amethyst, another ruby, and a diamond to spell out REGARD. This aptly captures the sentimentality of gestures and jewelry of the Romantic Period of the Victorian Era. A meaningful and unique idea for your special someone!
- The Edwardian Era
The Edwardian Era was the period between 1901 and 1915. The English King Edward VII reigned during a time when society placed a great deal of importance on elegance, sophistication, and status. The time saw many high-class women complementing their outfits with Edwardian jewelry that bore the following elements:
Filigree-work: Filigree involves intricate designs that take metal threads. These are ductile and can be twisted into pretty braids, knots, and curls. Reportedly inspired by the feeling of detailed lace and translated to metal, this metal molding technique can be applied to all forms of jewelry.
The Color White: Jewelry from the time is distinctly known for representing femininity while incorporating a lot of the color white. Authentic vintage pieces and high-quality productions of these pieces also include other white metals like sterling silver, mixture using silver-plated base metal, nickel silver, and other similar white base metals.
- The Art Deco Period
The era we now know as “Art Deco” received its unique name from the Exposition International des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, which was a significant public exhibition that took place in Paris in 1925.
The exhibition had a noted emphasis on the jewelry arts and that is how the Art Deco movement came into being. This period of the 1920s and 30s (or the period between the wars) often sees the use of platinum and white gold in stunning diamond rings.
Besides this, the Art Deco period pieces also include distinctive elements such as:
Enamel: By combining molten-colored glass with metal, jewelry items are coated with colorful enamel of black, blue, green, or deep red hues.
Geometric Motifs: In moderate contrast to the intricate filigree work that these pieces also used, jewelry also includes a mix of geometric shapes that are combined to make bold, complicated, and eye-catching statement pieces. These are used symmetrically and use rectangles, triangles, and symbols with other straight cutting lines.
Opaque stones: Statement pieces placed a central focus on aquamarine, moonstones, onyx, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, as these were wildly popular for their deep hues.
Movement: Experts from the period also state that many jewelry items included elements that would swing, dangle or hang with movement. Think beads and pearls that swayed with every turn of the head.
- The Retro Period
The word “Retro” conjures to mind large and futuristic elements. Most commonly, Retro jewelry refers to pieces created in the late 1930s and 1940s. This period, as we all know was a time when the world was changing with the wartime efforts.
This period saw jewelry designers primarily influenced by the changes accompanying World War II and contained particular elements captured below:
Bold and feminine elements: Pieces from the authentic retro period saw many gem-set flowers and butterflies to soften the harsh and aggressive wartime effect on life.
Dramatic to geometric elements: Similar to the art deco period, jewelry from the retro age also featured geometric elements. However, these elements took a more three-dimensional form in their retro avatar. These bold pieces are embraced today.
Finding The Perfect Vintage-Inspired Engagement Ring
- Metal Choices For A Vintage Engagement Ring
Vintage-Inspired rings have different takes on the kinds of metal that can be used. This depends entirely on you and your taste. For example, timeless gold rings are symbolic of strength and enduring relationships.
If you wish to choose the less conventional path, you could opt for a white metal instead such as platinum, or a mixture using silver-plated base metal, nickel silver, and other similar white base metals.
- Diamond Quality In Vintage Rings
The classic solitaire engagement ring has withstood the test of time and the gemstone found itself featured in vintage jewelry frequently. Vintage rings featuring diamonds come in an array of designs and shapes. Most commonly, these included a central large diamond-shaped much like a pear, cushion, or with a princess cut.
Vintage Looking Engagement Ring Vs. Modern Engagement Rings
Do you think that the contemporary and more modern engagement ring options available today are far too simple for the likes of the unique relationship you share with your to-be spouse? Then a vintage-inspired engagement ring is perfect for you!
Owing to their classic style and gorgeous design elements, vintage-inspired jewelry is genuinely timeless. They evoke a sense of nostalgia and familiarity and, as a bonus, work well with diverse wardrobes.
Still not sure what stone to choose for your engagement rings? Know that whatever metal, stone, gem shape, or size that you decide on, your proposal will be as special as your relationship, and the moment will be one that you both cherish dearly.
Each vintage style listed above has its own distinct symbolism, and it is up to you to choose what your heart feels is the best choice – You and your partner are sure to lead extraordinary married lives whatever you choose!