When choosing a vintage style engagement ring, whether one that is already made or designing one from scratch, it is important to decide what era the ring is going to be taken from so that the stones and the design concepts can begin to come into one unique picture. One of the fun features of a vintage style engagement ring is that individuals are not locked into creating a vintage diamond engagement ring since some eras did not choose diamonds as the stone of choice in the rings. These rings can range from very simple to very complex and ornate, depending on the tastes of the individual. If the groom is choosing the ring on his own, he should be sure to research his bride’s tastes in rings, especially if going with a vintage style engagement ring that uses stones besides a diamond.
Simple or Ornate
Some of the older styles of vintage style engagement rings are more simplistic since the technology of the time was not sophisticated enough to create some of the settings and variations that are available today. Some of the older styles used gold bands and sometimes a pink gold band for a variation in the ring. Often there was only a diamond solitaire set in the ring, but cut in a much more plain way than they are today. Often the diamonds were chosen for their flaws rather than their clarity and perfection which are valued today, since the flaws were what made the stone unique and it could be cut to accentuate the beauty of the flaw in the stone. In addition, other stones were used in some of the older rings such as rubies, emeralds and also pearls.
As technology advanced, so did the metals and settings that could be used in the engagement rings that vintage style engagement rings imitate. Instead of yellow or pink gold, white gold and platinum began to be used as the metals of choice. In addition, there was more scroll work and different settings that were in used as well as different cuts in the stones to give them the most sparkle in the setting. There also were other changes in design of the rings, such as the art deco movement in which multiple stones and designs were created, which can be used in vintage style engagement rings. For instance, there is often one main stone that is not always a diamond, which is surrounded by other colored stones to accentuate its beauty and often form a design such as a flower.