What you need to know about Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings
When I first got engaged I hadn’t heard of Vintage Engagement Rings. While shopping around for the ring that was just right, at first I thought: ‘Antique rings – they’re going to look old’. But there’s a big difference between an antique ring passed down for generations, that may have stones coming loose from the settings, and vintage-inspired engagement rings. I soon found out that these kinds of rings are a perfect combination of antique features and modern elements, making them both timeless and durable. They are beautiful, delicate and original – and can also be cost-effective and the ecologically sound. For more on this, see my article ‘Why Vintage Wedding Rings are So Popular Right Now’. There are a lot of styles to choose from, so have a look at my list to get a feel for what works for you.
Different Periods of Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings
The ‘platinum’ style from the Art Deco Period is popular now (1920?s – 1930?s). These vintage-inspired engagement rings have delicate filigree and are often hand engraved. There are also older styles, for example, Victorian and Edwardian rings. Have a look at some pictures online and get a sense of what suits your personality and style.
Type of Metal used for Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings
The metal of your Vintage Style Engagement Ring is important – it affects the overall appearance and feel of your entire ring. If you’re going for an antique, classic feel, traditional yellow gold is great. Platinum is a good alternative – inspired by the 1920s art deco period, it’s hypoallergenic and more durable.
Stone Settings of Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings
It’s very important to check that each stone is held in place firmly. Use your fingernail to probe at each stone and make sure it doesn’t move. The ring also shouldn’t make a noise when you shake it. There are a few different kinds of stone settings, creating a variety of effects from sparkly to sleek and understated. For more on this, see my article ‘Engagement Ring Settings: Which One is Right for You? ’Durability of Unique Vintage Engagement Rings How do you know your vintage engagement ring will stand the test of time? If you like light and flowery styles, you can expect the rings to be more delicate. This is fine if you’re only going to wear your ring on special occasions, or your everyday life is quite sedentary. But if your work is pretty physical, and/or you want to wear the ring all the time, you might want to reconsider and get something a bit more sturdy.
Wedding Bands and Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings
The Designs Of Vintage Engagement Rings are distinctive and beautiful to see on their own; the effect could be diluted by wearing one on the same finger a wedding band. Another option is to choose the two rings at the same time, to ensure they’re compatible. That way, you can test whether the wedding band is likely to create a lot of wear on the engagement ring. Sizing Go for a vintage-inspired engagement ring size that is no more than two (American) sizes larger or smaller than your ring size. It can be very expensive to re-size a ring, so try to reduce the need for that.
Stone size and quality Look at the visual impression the Vintage-Inspired Engagement Ring makes overall. Don’t get too stuck on the 4Cs – cut, color, clarity, and carat weight – that are usually used to select stones for a new ring. This is because most vintage ring diamonds were cut back when the diamond trade was less sophisticated than it is now.
The brightness of the diamonds tends to be more subtle, which I think is lovely: the rings look beautiful in an understated, sophisticated way rather than too ostentatious. If you’re going on carat weight alone, you’ll find some vintage stones to look a lot bigger than you’d expect, because the diameter is emphasized over depth.
Usually, the cut, clarity, and color are all estimated because it’s unusual for a jeweler to take apart an intact vintage ring to evaluate the stone unless it’s worth over about $5,000. You may want to get an independent appraisal so that you can feel confident in the value of the vintage-inspired engagement ring because often a laboratory certificate won’t be available for the stone in a vintage ring.
Appraisal of Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings
It costs between $50 to $100 to have your Vintage Ring For Women appraised, so depending on the price of your ring, this may or may not be worthwhile for you. But if you’re looking at a high-end ring, having it independently assessed is a good idea – that way you can find out what materials it is made of, the size and characteristics of the stones, and get an estimate of the date it was created. An appraiser uses sophisticated tools to evaluate and estimate the weight and quality of the stones. Once you get the appraisal, you are better informed to make a decision: you won’t want to buy a ring that’s priced above its appraised value.
Return Policy
If you are ordering a vintage-inspired engagement ring online, make sure you can return it if it turns out to be different from what you expected. Of course, you can’t return it if you have had it resized or changed in any other way.
Consider the Impact of your Vintage-Inspired Engagement Ring
If you’re the kind of person, like me, who doesn’t want to look like a show-off, vintage-inspired engagement rings are a great bet, because even if they are of high retail value, it’s harder for people to judge their value than it is with a contemporary ring – they are so unique. Think about how your ring will come across in the different settings of your life: your work and social life. If it feels appropriate in all of those places – and if it doesn’t, you can always for example just wear it at home – go for it! Enjoy shopping for your vintage-inspired engagement ring!
