Antique rings tend to have a certain charm about them. Whether you’re looking at Art Deco rings from the 1920s and 1930s, Victorian rings from the late 1800s, or Edwardian designs from the early 1900s, they all possess unique characteristics that make them stand out from contemporary jewelry. The designs of the past were far more intricate and involved with shapes and details you just don’t see today. Unless you have a custom ring made, the only way to get one of these designs is to look for antique rings until you find one you like.
If you love antique rings, including wedding and engagement rings, you’re not alone. There’s a huge market for these rings and it doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. One faction of people like the idea of buying jewelry that already exists in order to cut down on the amount of waste and pollution from manufacturing new rings. Another faction is into antique rings purely for the aesthetics. While it’s nice to know that your jewelry is sustainable, realistically, if it’s not aesthetically pleasing, that defeats the purpose. Thankfully, vintage rings and other antique jewelry pieces are highly attractive, making them both sustainable and practical accessories.
What do people love about antique rings?
People have different tastes in jewelry and don’t always like the same styles for the same reasons, but antique rings have something special a lot of people appreciate for similar reasons. Put simply, antique rings look like they came from a time when details mattered and no expense was spared when considering a design.
Today’s rings might be equally expensive, but they don’t look like they’ve been crafted with details in mind. At least, not to the same degree. What passes for ‘detail’ today is quite different than in the past.
Antique rings stand out in a sea of standard rings
If you’re looking for something that will stand out, vintage rings are probably what you want. For instance, many older rings are made with rubies instead of diamonds, which gives them a bold and unique look. Antique jewelry makes it possible to find rings that look like they’ve been custom-made but without the exorbitant price tag. Depending on the ring, you could pay thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars, but it’s nowhere near what you’d pay to have an identical ring special made today. In fact, since many rings contain elements and features today’s jewelers don’t produce, sometimes antique rings can’t even be replicated, no matter how much money you’re willing to pay.
Compared to today’s rings, which are pretty flat and plain, antique rings have some serious flair. For example, it’s common to find diamonds in clusters and cuts that just aren’t used much (if at all) today. They also tend to have multiple jewels for accents and bands can be highly detailed. Some rings even have carvings in place of a gemstone. All of these elements create a multi-dimensional look and feel that is unique to rings of the past.
Sustainability is a big draw, too
Coming back to the sustainability factor, it’s true that sourcing wedding and engagement rings from existing pieces of jewelry is more sustainable, and for many people, it’s the main reason they go for vintage rings. Many people who prioritize sustainability are willing to buy a ring that isn’t exactly what they want if it’s good enough, as long as it’s antique.
However, not everyone shares that same sentiment. Many people will look for vintage rings to see if anything strikes their fancy, but aren’t committed to finding their desired ring inside that category. They might have a big appreciation for the most popular styles, but prefer a more contemporary design.
Antique rings have a history
There are also groups of people who love the idea of wearing rings with a history as opposed to a random ring they found online or at a jewelry store. It feels intriguing to wear jewelry from a time when kings and queens reigned, and fancy rings were only something people belonging to high classes could afford.
There’s an antique ring for every style preference
The reasons people love vintage rings are as vast as ring styles, which means there’s a ring for everyone. If you’re just starting your journey to find an antique ring for an engagement or wedding, try looking at styles from different time periods to get an idea of what you like.
Once you find your era, it won’t take long for you to find the perfect ring.
