Victorian Signet Rings
The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.
Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.
The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.
Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.
Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of other accessories — on 1stDibs.
1860s Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Quartz, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Black Diamond, Bronze
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1860s British Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Carnelian, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Signet Rings
Fire Opal, Ruby, Opal, Emerald, Diamond, Silver, 18k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, Bronze
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Black Diamond, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Carnelian, Silver
Late 19th Century American Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Signet Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-19th Century English Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Agate, 18k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Sapphire, Silver, Sterling Silver, Bronze
19th Century Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Agate, 14k Gold
1870s English Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Agate, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, Ruby, Silver
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Bronze
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
White Diamond, Yellow Gold, White Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
1880s English Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Jasper, Gold, 9k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Silver, Gold, Sterling Silver
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, Ruby, Silver
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
White Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Carnelian, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Bronze
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Black Diamond, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
1880s British Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Carnelian, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
White Diamond, Bronze, Sterling Silver, Silver
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, White Diamond, Sterling Silver, Silver
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Bronze
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Emerald, Sterling Silver, Silver
Late 20th Century American Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Silver
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Silver, Vermeil
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Aquamarine, Vermeil, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, Vermeil, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, Black Diamond, Sterling Silver, Silver
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
White Diamond, Vermeil
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Bronze
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Black Diamond, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
White Diamond, Black Diamond, Vermeil
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Vermeil, Yellow Gold, 10k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Black Diamond, Vermeil, Yellow Gold, 10k Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
White Diamond, Bronze, Sterling Silver, Silver
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
White Diamond, Vermeil
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Bronze
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, Bronze
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Ruby, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Emerald, Bronze
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Signet Rings
10k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Black Diamond
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
Black Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold