Antique style engagement rings are bound to bring a touch of nostalgia for the past to your relationship, many are splendid and some absolutely stunning. The great thing about antique engagement rings is their uniqueness, something which many other rings just don’t have.
What is Antique?
According to Wikipedia antique is “is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age (see definition), beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features. It is an object that represents a previous era or time period in human society.” When it comes to engagement rings or wedding rings we define antique as one which is over 50 years old in age. It is quite easy to understand, a ring which is over 50 years old is antique, ones which younger are not antique.
What about estate and vintage?
When people first get acquainted with the topic of antique style engagement rings they often get confused by the difference between estate style engagement rings, vintage style engagement rings and antique ones. Well it is actually quite simple! Estate engagement rings are rings which have aged some years (20+ maybe), but have not reached the 50 year mark to be called antique. As time passes they will eventually get there. Vintage engagement rings on the other hand can be antique, estate or replica antique rings, they denote a a by-gone style of ring making from the Edwardian, Victorian and art deco etc eras. A replica antique engagement ring is not a fake or anything like that, it is a ring made in that sort of antique style, but completely new.
What types of Antique Style Engagement Rings are most popular?
When choosing a style of engagement ring the only thing you should really care about is your personal preference. Does the ring suit your personality? Does the ring compliment your skin? Does it match colors you most commonly wear? Those are the questions you should be asking yourself before buying a ring. However there are a few styles of antique engagement rings which are considered to be the most popular, let me give a short introduction of each one.
Art Deco
A beautiful style which was born in 1920s Paris and was trendy up until the outbreak of World War II. This style not only influenced jewelry, but everything from architecture to art. Art deco engagement rings emphasis the use of gemstones such as emeralds, rubies and sapphires in their designs.
Edwardian
During the reign of Edward during the early 1900s this period emphasized the extravagant in everything from Jewelry to life. These rings were extremely luxurious, however they were still traditional, unlike art deco which could be considered more modern.
Victorian
Victorian antique style engagement rings are from the period when the British empire was at its height and British power was all encompassing. If you drawn to the stunning and lavish, this style may be for you.
Where to buy?
Antique style engagement rings can be bought in specialty jewelers online and locally. If you are looking for a replica this should be easy enough, however if you are looking for the real thing, then you may have to search a bit. I suggest having a look online first before making a decision.
