Ring Wraps 12 Ct Diamond Solitaire

When Alex Jona joined the Italian jewelry purveyor that his father, Giorgio Jona, had founded in 1961, the Jona brand began to offer elegant bracelets, cufflinks, necklaces and other accessories subdued enough for daily wear yet visually splendid and skillfully handcrafted using precious metals and stones.

Tucked in a 1690 Baroque building on Torino’s Palazzo Balbo di Vinadio is a 3,000-square-foot showroom. This is the headquarters of Jona, home to luxury jewelry designs that are complex, yet often understated. For example, a slender pair of yellow tourmaline drop earrings set into 18-carat gold has a juxtaposition creating just the slightest contrast, which might be noticed only upon close inspection.

Alex travels frequently, and precious stones collected from around the world are a common fixture in Jona jewelry — he personally designs pieces with stones like lapis lazuli shaped into eye-like cufflinks, sapphires caged in 14-carat-gold rings and quartz crystals stacked into modern beaded necklaces. Enamel, which is one of the oldest forms of surface decoration, is often arranged to create graphic, abstract patterns or cheekier winks, like miniature tennis balls on cufflinks. Even sparklier pieces, like diamond-encrusted earrings, bear an organic quality when arranged in the shape of a blooming daisy.

An innovative spirit can also be found in Jona’s collaborations, such as the partnership with Italian architect and jewelry designer Tiziana Redavid that yielded radical bracelets and necklaces made with stainless-steel springs. The result is a brand whose modern shapes and precious stones ride the line between traditional elegance and modern daring.

Find a wide range of Alex Jona jewelry on 1stDibs today.

Even as jewelry trends have come and gone, antique and vintage diamond solitaire rings are a classic fashion piece. Although enduringly popular as an engagement ring style, a solitaire ring — whether it's an emerald solitaire ring, a sapphire solitaire ring or another iteration — makes a fantastic addition to any outfit with a variety of shapes and settings to explore.

Solitaire rings have a single stone setting and a minimalistic band in which pressure, bezel or prongs hold the stone in place. They have a long history in jewelry, such as an example discovered in Israel with a single amethyst that could be as old as the third century A.D.

Simple gold rings with single diamonds were prized possessions in Ancient Rome. However, it was not until the 1940s that engagement rings with a solitaire diamond setting became widely popular.

After the turmoil of the Great Depression and World War II led to a decline in diamond prices, De Beers saw an opportunity. The diamond magnate teamed up with the ad agency N.W. Ayer for the “A Diamond Is Forever” campaign. It was a sensation and cemented the solitaire diamond as the leading engagement ring. Statistics show that diamonds are the most common gemstones for engagement rings, preferred by 87 percent of people. (On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.) 

Today, the design of solitaire rings takes many forms, and those created by Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and other internationally celebrated jewelry houses are particularly sought-after accessories. Though the single-stone setting remains the same, bands have become more detailed, with some containing other stones or even multiple diamonds. Art Deco, Art Nouveau and other art movements have influenced the design of solitaire rings over the years. However, the simplicity of this accessory remains timeless.

Browse 1stDibs for a unique selection of antique and vintage solitaire rings to accent any fashion choice.