$1,021Sale Price / item|20% Off
14k Yellow Gold Valence Milgrain Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This diamond band features an infinity pattern of round brilliant diamonds bordered in milgrain on the top half of the ring. Experience the Difference! Product details: Center Gem...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
$1,021Sale Price / item|20% Off
14k White Gold Valence Milgrain Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This diamond band features an infinity pattern of round brilliant diamonds bordered in milgrain on the top half of the ring. Experience the Difference! Product details: Center Gem...
Diamond, White Gold
Platinum Gold Frances Petite Curve Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Petite curve ring features perfectly matched round brilliant diamonds Micro-Prong-Set. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone ...
Diamond, Platinum, Gold
14K White Gold Caterina Eternity Diamond Ring '4/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This unique ring features an 18 round brilliant diamonds prong-set in a crown design. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone Type: ...
Diamond, White Gold
14K Rose Gold Caterina Eternity Diamond Ring '4/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This unique ring features an 18 round brilliant diamonds prong-set in a crown design. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone Type: ...
Diamond, Rose Gold
14K White Gold Marne 5 Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, White Gold
14K Rose Gold Marne 5-Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, Rose Gold
18K White Gold Marne 5 Stone Diamond Ring '2 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 2-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, White Gold
18K White Gold Marne 5 Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, White Gold
14K Rose Gold Marne 5-Stone Diamond Ring '2 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 2-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, Rose Gold
14K Yellow Gold Caterina Eternity Diamond Ring '4/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This unique ring features an 18 round brilliant diamonds prong-set in a crown design. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone Type: ...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
18K White Gold Caterina Eternity Diamond Ring '4/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This unique ring features an 18 round brilliant diamonds prong-set in a crown design. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone Type: ...
Diamond, White Gold
18K Rose Gold Caterina Eternity Diamond Ring '4/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This unique ring features an 18 round brilliant diamonds prong-set in a crown design. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone Type: ...
Diamond, Rose Gold
18K Yellow Gold Caterina Eternity Diamond Ring '4/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This unique ring features an 18 round brilliant diamonds prong-set in a crown design. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone Type: ...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
14K White Gold Marne 5-Stone Diamond Ring '2 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 2-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, White Gold
18K Rose Gold Marne 5-Stone Diamond Ring '2 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 2-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, Rose Gold
18K Rose Gold Marne 5-Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, Rose Gold
18K Yellow Gold Marne 5-Stone Diamond Ring '2 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 2-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
14K Yellow Gold Marne 5-Stone Diamond Ring '2 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 2-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
18K Yellow Gold Marne 5-Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
14K Yellow Gold Marne 5 Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gems...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
18k White Gold Petite Apulia Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This ring features petite micro prong set round brilliant diamonds halfway down, curving at the center of it. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WH...
Diamond, White Gold
18k Rose Gold Petite Apulia Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This ring features petite micro prong set round brilliant diamonds halfway down, curving at the center of it. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WH...
Diamond, Rose Gold
18k Yellow Gold Petite Apulia Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This ring features petite micro prong set round brilliant diamonds halfway down, curving at the center of it. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WH...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
14k White Gold Delicate Orim Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This organically designed ring features a 4.5 mm center diamond ( 0.35 carat) prong set. Two (2) small diamond prong- set along with two layers of wavey delicate metals. We love it! ...
Diamond, White Gold
18K White Gold Delicate Orim Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This organically designed ring features a 4.5 mm center diamond ( 0.35 carat) prong set. Two (2) small diamond prong- set along with two layers of wavey delicate metals. We love it! ...
Diamond, White Gold
14k Rose Gold Delicate Orim Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This organically designed ring features a 4.5 mm center diamond ( 0.35 carat) prong set. Two (2) small diamond prong- set along with two layers of wavey delicate metals. We love it! ...
Diamond, Rose Gold
18K Yellow Gold Delicate Orim Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This organically designed ring features a 4.5 mm center diamond ( 0.35 carat) prong set. Two (2) small diamond prong- set along with two layers of wavey delicate metals. We love it! ...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
14K Yellow Gold Delicate Orim Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This organically designed ring features a 4.5 mm center diamond ( 0.35 carat) prong set. Two (2) small diamond prong- set along with two layers of wavey delicate metals. We love it! ...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
18K Rose Gold Delicate Orim Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This organically designed ring features a 4.5 mm center diamond ( 0.35 carat) prong set. Two (2) small diamond prong- set along with two layers of wavey delicate metals. We love it! ...
Diamond, Rose Gold
14K White Gold Helena 5 stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds set in a low single gallery prong. Experience the difference! Product details: Cent...
Diamond, White Gold
14K Yellow Gold Helena 5-Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds set in a low single gallery prong. Experience the difference! Product details: Cent...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
18K Yellow Gold Helena 5 Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds set in a low single gallery prong. Experience the difference! Product details: Cent...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
14k Rose Gold Helena 5 Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds set in a low single gallery prong. Experience the difference! Product details: Cent...
Diamond, Rose Gold
18 Karat White Gold Artemis Diamond Ring '4/5 ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This ring features two perfectly matched 0.40 each ( 0.80 ct. tw) round diamonds that symbolize the deep connection between two soulmates. Experience the difference! Product details...
Diamond, White Gold
18K White Gold Helena 5 stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds set in a low single gallery prong. Experience the difference! Product details: Cent...
Diamond, White Gold
18K Rose Gold Helena 5-Stone Diamond Ring '1 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This classic ring features 5 perfectly matched 1-carat total weight of round brilliant diamonds set in a low single gallery prong. Experience the difference! Product details: Cent...
Diamond, Rose Gold
Rare Colors - 5ct Yellow Elongated Radiant Cut Diamond Halo Engagement Ring
By Rare Colors
Located in New York, NY
This elegant 5.01 carat light yellow diamond ring features a beautifully elongated radiant cut in the Y-Z color range, offering a soft, warm glow with exceptional brilliance. With VS...
Diamond, Yellow Diamond
Platinum Eternity Milgrain Organic Design Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Delicate and unique eternity band features sixteen round melee diamonds set in alternating shapes of round and pear crowns. The delicate Milgrain around the edges enhances the v...
Diamond, Platinum
Platinum Christa Three Row Eternity Diamond Ring '4/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This stunning eternity band features three rows of 130 perfectly matched round brilliant diamonds micro-prong set. Experience the difference in person! Product details: Center Gem...
Diamond, Platinum
5 CT Significant Emerald Solitaire (Pear Shape) and brilliant cut diamond ring
By Ri Noor
Located in Houston, TX
Make a statement with this significant Emerald of almost 5 cts featured in a grid halo of approximately 2 ctw large brilliant cut diamonds. Renowned for our one of a kind precious ge...
Diamond, Emerald
5 CT Significant Emerald Solitaire (Oval Shape) and brilliant cut diamond ring
By Ri Noor
Located in Houston, TX
Make a statement with this significant Emerald of almost 5 cts featured in a halo of 3ctw large brilliant cut pave set diamonds. Renowned for our one of a kind precious gemstone coll...
Diamond, Emerald
Antique Portuguese 5ct Unheated Burmese Raspberry Spinel & Old-Mine Diamond Ring
Located in New York, NY
An extraordinary, investment-grade heirloom centred on an approximately 5.00-carat natural, unheated Burmese spinel of exceptional museum quality, originating from Mogok, Burma (Myan...
Diamond, Spinel
Croc Tail Ring with 5ct Oval Cut Amethyst with Diamond Spikes
Located in Brisbane, AU
A 5ct oval-cut amethyst is held within OHLIGUER's signature talons, while brilliant white diamonds trace the sculptural spikes.
Amethyst, Diamond, 18k Gold
IGI-Certified 5ct Natural Oval-Cut Rubellite Tourmaline & Diamond Cocktail Ring
By VimleshBadaya
Located in Jaipur, RJ
. ✨ Diamond & Certification Details: Main Stone Weight: Approx. 5ct Main Stone Type: Natural Oval-Cut Rubellite Tourmaline Side Stones: Approx. 0.66ct Natural Round-Cut Diamond...
Tourmaline, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2.5 Ct Emerald Cut Treated Ruby & 0.15 ct Diamond Ring 14 Kt White Gold Size 5
Located in New York, NY
2.5 Ct Emerald Cut Treated Ruby & 0.15 ct Diamond Ring 14 Kt White Gold Size 5 Introducing a truly stunning piece, behold the 2.5 Carat Emerald cut Treated Ruby & 0.15 ct Diamond Rin...
Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, 14k Gold, White Gold
Beauvince 5 Stone Oval Diamond Ring (2.55 ct HI SI Diamonds GIA) in White Gold
By Beauvince Jewelry
Located in New York, NY
The diamonds are hand selected with slightly shallow depths to create the appearance of a 3 ct diamond ring.
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Ring Enamel Round Opalescent Purple 18k White Gold 5 Diamonds 0.03 ct
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
As a natural scientist she used her talent as a graphic artist and her special style inspired us to create this collection, in which we translated her own style into finely structure...
Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold
Platinum Petite Marquise & Round Organic Design Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Delicate ring features sixteen (16) Round brilliant diamonds and eight (8) Marquise shape diamonds set on a 1.2 mm wide band. This organically designed ring is sparkly and stack...
Diamond, Platinum
14K Rose Gold Shila Petite Stackable Diamond Ring ( 2/5 ct. tw)
Located in San Francisco, CA
These stackable trios of ring bands feature Micro Prongs set round brilliant diamonds in a wave design. You can wear each ring separately or as a stack. For maximum comfort, we recom...
Diamond, Rose Gold
$1,040Sale Price / item|20% Off
14K Rose Gold Augusta Bezel Milgrain Diamond Ring '2/5 ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
Five sparkling round bezel-set diamonds with a touch of a timeless milgrain around the edges, to enhance the classic look of this diamond ring. Experience the difference! Product de...
Diamond, Rose Gold
$872Sale Price / item|20% Off
18K Yellow Gold Valerie Micro-Prong Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
From our signature Micro-Prong wedding band collection, this ring features perfectly matched round brilliant diamonds throughout 50% of the shank. Experience the Difference! Product...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
$872Sale Price / item|20% Off
18k Rose Gold Valerie Micro-Prong Diamond Ring '2/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
From our signature Micro-Prong wedding band collection, this ring features perfectly matched round brilliant diamonds throughout 50% of the shank. Experience the Difference! Product...
Diamond, Rose Gold
14K White Gold Frances Petite Curve Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Petite curve ring features perfectly matched round brilliant diamonds Micro-Prong-Set. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone ...
Diamond, White Gold
14K Rose Gold Frances Petite Curve Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Petite curve ring features perfectly matched round brilliant diamonds Micro-Prong-Set. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone ...
Diamond, Rose Gold
18K Yellow Gold Frances Petite Curve Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Petite curve ring features perfectly matched round brilliant diamonds Micro-Prong-Set. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone ...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
14K Yellow Gold Frances Petite Curve Diamond Ring '1/5 Ct. Tw'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Petite curve ring features perfectly matched round brilliant diamonds Micro-Prong-Set. Experience the difference! Product details: Center Gemstone Color: WHITE Side Gemstone ...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. Wear vintage and antique gold necklaces, watches, gold bracelets or gold rings and you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself.Â
Gold, especially yellow gold, with its rich patina and ancient pedigree going back thousands of years, is the steady standby, the well-mannered metal of choice. Any discussion of this lustrous metal comes down to a basic truth: Gold is elementary, my dear. Gold jewelry that couples the mystique of the metal with superb design and craftsmanship achieves the status of an enduring classic. Many luxury houses have given us some of our most treasured and lasting examples of gold jewelry over the years.
Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany & Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.
For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany & Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.
Even had he eschewed stones and diamonds, Southern-born David Webb would be hailed for the vast arsenal of heavy gold jewelry he designed. Gold, usually hammered or textured in some manner, defines great David Webb jewelry. The self-taught jeweler made very au courant pieces while drawing inspiration from ancient and out-of-the-way sources — East meets West in the commanding gold necklaces made by Webb in the early 1970s. The same could be said for his endlessly varied gold cuffs.
In Europe, many houses have given us gold jewelry that sets the highest standard for excellence, pieces that were highly sought after when they were made and continue to be so.Â
Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.
Aldo Cipullo, Cartier’s top in-house designer from the late 1960s into the early ’70s, made history in 1969 with the Love bracelet. Cipullo frequently said that the Love bracelet was born of a sleepless night contemplating a love affair gone wrong and his realization that “the only remnants he possessed of the romance were memories.” He distilled the urge to keep a loved one close into a slim 18-karat gold bangle.Â
BVLGARI and its coin jewelry, gemme nummarie, hit the jackpot when the line launched in the 1960s. The line has been perennially popular. BVLGARI coin jewelry features ancient Greek and Roman coins embedded in striking gold mounts, usually hung on thick link necklaces of varying lengths. In the 1970s, BVLGARI introduced the Tubogas line, most often made in yellow gold. The Tubogas watches are classics, and then there is the Serpenti, the house's outstanding snake-themed watches and bracelets.
A collection called Monete that incorporated the gold coins is one of several iconic BVLGARI lines that debuted in the 1970s and ’80s, catering to a new generation of empowered women. Just as designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent were popularizing fuss-free ready-to-wear fashion for women on the go, BVLGARI offered jewels to be lived in.Â
Since Van Cleef & Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef's Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.
Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.
Find a stunning collection of vintage and antique gold jewelry on 1stDibs.
Antique diamond rings, diamond tiaras and dazzling vintage diamond earrings are on the wish lists of every lover of fine jewelry. And diamonds and diamond jewelry are primarily associated with storybook engagements and red-carpet grand entrances — indeed, this ultra-cherished gemstone has a dramatic history on its hands.
From “A Diamond Is Forever” to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” pop culture has ingrained in our minds that diamonds are the most desired, the most lasting and the most valuable gemstone. But what makes the diamond so special? Each stone — whether it’s rubies, sapphires or another stone — is unique and important in its own right. April babies might claim diamonds for themselves, but just about everyone wants this kind of sparkle in their lives!
There are several factors that set diamonds apart from other stones, and these points are important to our gem education.
Diamonds are minerals. They are made up of almost entirely of carbon (carbon comprises 99.95 percent; the remainder consists of various trace elements). Diamonds are the hardest gemstones, ranking number 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Even its name, diamond, is rooted in the Greek adamas, or unconquerable. The only object that can scratch a diamond is another diamond. Diamonds are formed deep within the earth at very high temperatures (1,652–2,372 degrees Fahrenheit at depths between 90 and 120 miles beneath the earth’s surface) and are carried up by volcanic activity. Diamonds are quite rare, according to the Gemological Institute of America, and only 30 percent of all the diamonds mined in the world are gem quality.
In the 1950s, the Gemological Institute of America developed the 4Cs grading system to classify diamonds: clarity, color, cut and carat weight. Not all diamonds are created equal (there are diamonds, and then there are diamonds). The value of the diamond depends on the clarity (flawless diamonds are very rare but a diamond's value decreases if there are many blemishes or inclusions), color (the less color the higher the grade), cut (how the diamond’s facets catch the light, certain cuts of diamonds show off the stone better than others) and carat weight (the bigger, the better).
When you start shopping for a diamond engagement ring, always prioritize the cut, which plays the largest role in the diamond's beauty (taking the time to clean your diamond ring at least every six months or so plays a role in maintaining said beauty). And 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.Â
Shop antique and vintage diamond rings, diamond necklaces and other extraordinary diamond jewelry on 1stDibs. Â
Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.
No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.
Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.
Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. 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.Â
The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry.Â
The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.
Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.
Ancient Egyptians referred to the vibrant stone as the “gem of the sun.”
There are many ways to showcase a diamond, from traditional prongs to a smooth, streamlined bezel. Here’s everything you need to consider.
The vintage bombé ring is bursting with color and timeless style.
Zircon is a magnificent and underrated natural gemstone that has been worn and adored for centuries.
Givers of fine gems enjoy surprise more than receivers, and women more than men. Find out what else our survey of 3,000 Americans revealed.
If diamonds don’t seem right, what about a magnificent sapphire, ruby or emerald?
Accounting for just 1 percent of all diamonds, these marvels of nature are exceedingly rare and gorgeously complex.
Learn about these antique jewelry styles, then choose a design that speaks to you.