Antique style engagement rings are popular with many brides, but not simply because they look “old.” High-quality antiques are marked by romantic, often highly detailed design elements that are rarely found in modern rings from traditional jewelry stores.
Diamond antique engagement rings are highly sought-after for their timeless beauty and unique character. Styles that were popular decades ago remain some of the most beautiful options for engagement rings, especially when compared to the cheaply made, mass-produced rings found in most jewelry stores today.
As you might expect, the huge demand for such rings makes them increasingly hard to find. If you’ve tried searching for diamond antique engagement rings, then you’ve probably already discovered that finding the perfect ring is not so easy – especially if you have a specific style or design you’re looking for.
Finding the Perfect Antique Style Engagement Ringa
Finding the perfect ring can be difficult when you have a very specific design in mind. And if you’re looking for an antique, you can imagine how much more time and energy will be added to your search. But when you have your engagement ring custom-made, you know it will be perfect because you have complete control over the design.
Unlike a pre-made ring designed for the masses, a custom ring is based entirely on your vision and it’s designed exclusively for you.
Designs can be made to honor the past while also incorporating an updated look. With their intricate details, timeless appeal, and meticulous craftsmanship, you can understand why recreating antique engagement rings is such a popular trend right now.
Antique Engagement Rings Don’t Have To Be “Antique”
Even if you’ve tried some antique jewelry shops, you’ve probably discovered how difficult it is to find the exact style you’re looking for. Since this is a ring that will be worn every day for the rest of her life, don't settle for something close. There's a way to get exactly what you're looking for, but with even better quality by recreating the look of an antique ring by having it custom made.
Why Recreate the Look of Antique Engagement Rings?
Durability of Antique Engagement Rings
One of the biggest disadvantages of antique engagement rings (and why many women ultimately choose not to request them from their partners) is that these rings often show a lot of wear and damage after being passed down through the generations. Some are even missing their diamonds.
Aging antique engagement rings tend to need a fair amount of restoration to get them looking brilliant again. And if there’s too much wear to the setting, it may no longer be able to keep the diamond secure.
One of the biggest complaints amongst brides when it comes to original antique engagement rings created around 50 years ago is that the small diamonds fall out of the setting. "I’ve heard too many horror stories from women who have purchased their antique ring setting online, from a mall jeweler, or a big box store. They either say the craftsmanship is poor quality or it’s simply aged over time to a point that it’s no longer safe to wear," says Vanessa.
Going “custom” allows you to recreate the look of any diamond antique engagement ring, so you can get the exact style you’ve been searching for.
A custom-made ring is truly one of a kind. Even if it’s a replica of a ring made a hundred years ago, it’s still unique and created just for you, instead of being made along an assembly line.
It’s a much better option to create an entirely new ring using the design elements of the past. True antique engagement rings were typically made using very thin precious metal, which is evident in the wear and tear all these years later. Newer models are re-created to look the same, but they are built more durably to last even longer.
Plus, there’s the fact that these rings have already been worn by who-knows-how-many other women. For these reasons and many others, it makes lot more sense to create an entirely new ring incorporating design elements of the past. Additionally, newer rings are made with even stronger, more durable materials that will ensure the ring will last a lifetime.
Antique Rings From Mall Jewelers
Even when you choose an antique-looking ring at one of the major mall jewelers, you’re still getting a mass-produced piece of jewelry, likely manufactured overseas. Customized antique engagement rings, on the other hand, are truly one of a kind. Sure, you can choose to make it look exactly like an antique you’ve seen in a picture or a magazine, but you’ll love the fact that it’s yours and yours alone.
Vintage, Victorian, Antique Engagement Rings – What’s the Difference?
When talking about antique engagement rings, you may hear a number of terms being tossed around, like “vintage,” “classic,” and so on. Depending on who you talk to, these terms can be attached to various time periods, such as Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco and others.
For example, some people consider “vintage” antique engagement rings to be exclusively from the 1950s to 1980s, while others may attach the word “vintage” to earlier periods, prior to the 1940s.
“Art deco” is a little more precise, generally referring to the period of the 1920s to the 1930s. This style is characterized by delicate filigree and/or hand engraving.
Historically speaking, the “Victorian” period refers to 1837 to 1901, the time of Queen Victoria’s reign. “Edwardian” refers to the early 1900s, when King Edward VII reigned from 1901 to 1910.
There are many styles for antique engagement rings, which were usually set with Old Mine, Old European, or Transitional cut diamonds. Antique engagement rings are inspired by rings that were created during various historic periods such as Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco. Today’s antique engagement rings beautifully retain the classic, handcrafted quality of your grandmother’s generation yet add a gorgeous modern element.
You don’t have to be a history buff to recreate the beauty of an antique ring. You just need to have a general idea of the style or details you want to include, or a picture of a ring you want to copy.
Vintage Engagement Ring Design
Antique engagement rings really shouldn’t look “old”. The charming properties that create the uniqueness of modern antique engagement rings have been remodeled to exhibit the qualities this generation of ladies love.
These features still display the old-type look while incorporating a more resilient, updated appearance. With elaborate designs, incredible detail, and delicate craftsmanship, you can completely understand why recreating antique engagement rings is a famous alternative for modern wives to be.
Micro Pavé
Micro pavé is a specialized diamond setting skill that is performed under a microscope. It is a highly sought-after design element for antique rings. Learn more about the beauty and technique of micro pave in engagement rings.
Diamonds for Modern Antique Engagement Rings
If you’re looking for inspiration, older rings were typically set with Old Mine, Old European, or Transitional cut diamonds.
Celebrities LOVE Antique Rings
Customization of Antique Engagement Rings
If you already have an antique, Vanessa Nicole can incorporate the diamond into the new ring, along with any other details you’d like to see. Whether you choose a grandmother’s diamond or a new diamond, you can be sure that your ring be absolutely gorgeous, while retaining all the qualities of an antique.
Design Your Antique Engagement Ring – Step 1: Material
The first step in designing antique rings with Vanessa Nicole is selecting the material for the setting. There are several choices including the examples below: White Gold, Yellow Gold and Platinum.
Design Your Antique Engagement Ring – Step 2: Ring Setting
The second step in designing rings with Vanessa Nicole is selecting your antique engagement ring setting. Antique engagement rings encompass Early Victorian, Art Nouveau, & Art Deco styles. Antique rings have specific design elements that provide that romantic, vintage look.
Here are some examples:
Design Your Antique Engagement Ring – Step 3: Cut
Rose-cut Diamonds, Old Mine-cut Diamonds & European-cut Diamonds were used as the center diamond rather than the Round Brilliant cut we use today in antique engagement rings.
Design Your Antique Engagement Ring – Step 4: Size
Below is a private video I created for a client showing what a .70ct I-SI1 cushion cut diamond looks like in a Vanessa Nicole Jewels custom designed antique ring setting.You’ll see that a diamond under 1ct with two halos covers the finger with a lot of bling! Because halos are a great element on antique rings, they allow you to get more sparkle for less money invested in the center diamond.
Another way to lower the investment of your antique engagement ring is by choosing a blue sapphire rather than a diamond. Blue sapphires are the 2nd most popular center stone alternative and were quite popular back in the day
There are many options when it comes to the design of your ring. You may decide to infuse contemporary elements such as a thick, clean diamond bezel into your antique design.
People may think the engagement ring design process could be overwhelming since there are so many options to choose from, but Vanessa Nicole Jewels has mastered a proven process to ensure that you receive your DREAM engagement ring.
Ready to Get Started on Your Custom Antique Engagement Ring?
In many ways, having her engagement ring custom-made is a lot easier than searching endlessly for an antique you will probably never find. Instead of dealing with often pushy jewelry salespeople, you’ll work with a designer who truly cares about you, your woman and about creating the perfect ring.
When you use an experienced, award-winning designer like Vanessa Nicole, the process of creating your ring is simple and straightforward:
First, you’ll set up an appointment at Vanessa’s studio to share some basic details about the ring you’re looking for. If you can’t visit Vanessa’s jewelry studio in San Diego, you and Vanessa can communicate by email or phone. VNJ helps clients all over the world.
Next, you’ll fill out the “Dream Ring Questionnaire,” enabling you to provide more specific information about the exact ring you’re looking for (don’t worry if you’re not sure or know nothing about rings!). You can even provide pictures of other rings you like to help design the setting for your ring.
Based on your questionnaire answers, Vanessa will visit multiple diamond dealers to create a selection of diamonds for you to choose from. You’ll receive a computer rendering of your ring before it’s made, so that you can give the final approval or make any adjustments. Once you’ve approved the model, it will be just a few weeks before it is ready!
Contact Vanessa today to see how easy it is to get a beautiful, custom-made engagement ring in the style of virtually any antique – but even more special and stunning!
