When choosing a vintage engagement ring setting, there are many different styles and eras to choose from. The most popular is the vintage diamond engagement ring, since diamond engagement rings are typically what is thought of when a couple is thinking about becoming engaged to be married. Although the vintage diamond engagement ring is the most popular, there are still many different variations of the ring, such as the cut and clarity of the diamond, the type of metal used for the band and setting, and whether other stones will be used with the diamond such as in more of an art deco look.
Choices
One choice in designing a vintage diamond engagement ring is whether the diamond will be chosen for its clarity and cut, like stones are typically chosen for today, or if the stone will be chosen for its unique color or small flaws in it, making it more unique and special. Older styles of engagement rings would typically use stones that had some sort of flaw or discoloration in it. Then the jeweler would work to cut the stone around the flaw so that it became a centerpiece encased in the rest of the stone. Sometimes the diamonds would be chosen for the yellow or rose color to it, which also made the stone unique so that no other bride would have quite the same ring. With an art deco style of vintage diamond engagement ring, the diamond will typically be the centerpiece of the ring with other colored stones set around it forming a pattern, such as a flower. Sometimes the other stones will also be diamonds, but in a yellow or pink color to accentuate the center stone.
In addition to the stones, the vintage diamond engagement rings can also be very simple in the band design or ornate. Many of the diamond solitaire engagement rings will only have a simple yellow or white gold band with the diamond set into it. Others will use platinum, which was a metal used in later eras as technology advanced, and will often have more of a scrollwork design in the band itself, helping to accent the diamond as the centerpiece. The harder metal such as platinum also gave jewelers the ability to make holes in the band so that the band can seem to twist together, such as three cords of the metal braiding together with the diamond or diamonds set into it. In addition, there are some vintage diamond engagement ring sets that are available that allow the engagement ring and wedding ring to be bought at the same time so that the entire set fits together like on piece of art once the couple is married.