Antique Double Heart Forget-Me-Not Ring of 14k Gold
Located in Lewisburg, PA
A romantic ring featuring two hearts crafted in 14 karat gold, each adorned with delicate forget-me
1910s Antique Forget Me Not Ring
Pearl, 14k Gold
Antique Double Heart Forget-Me-Not Ring of 14k Gold
Located in Lewisburg, PA
A romantic ring featuring two hearts crafted in 14 karat gold, each adorned with delicate forget-me
Pearl, 14k Gold
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
Turquoise Pietra Dura Flower Forget Me Not Ring 14 Karat Gold Antique Victorian
Located in New York, NY
creating a mosaic image of Turquoise Blue Forget-me-not flowers. The ring is a masterpiece of Pietra Dura
Multi-gemstone, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Romantic 19th century Rococo Revival “forget-me-not” remembrance ring, 18k gold
Located in Malmö, Skåne län
1835 Rococo Revival style “forget-me-not” ring, 18k gold, engraved and enamel decoration, hidden
18k Gold
Onyx and Forget - Me - Not Flower Ring of 14k Gold
Located in Lewisburg, PA
An elegant ring centered with a navette-shaped onyx, set in 14 karat gold and adorned with a
Onyx, 14k Gold, Enamel
Antique Victorian 15K Gold Forget Me Not Sardonyx Cameo Sliding Mourning Ring
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
An antique sardonyx, and gold ring, comprising one panel of carved sardonyx, set in 15 karat yellow
Agate, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
C1820 18K Onyx Forget Me Not Mourning Ring w Intricately Carved Shoulders
Located in Baltimore, MD
A c1850 18ct gold ring set with an onyx that has a finely carved intaglio of a pansy. Victorian's
Onyx, 18k Gold
C1850 Eglomese Octagon Shaped Silver Enamel Ring with Paste Forget Me Not Design
Located in Baltimore, MD
Early Victorian polished silver paste eglomise ring (a decorative technique where gold or silver
Silver, Enamel
C1890 14K Art Nouveau Forget Me Not Figural Flower Within a Flower Enamel Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
Charming Art Nouveau Forget me Not flowering ring with 5 delicately carved gold petals and a tiny
Enamel, 18k Gold
Unavailable
Georgian 'Forget Me Not' Flower Ring
Located in New York, NY
A very pretty late Georgian Forget Me Not ring with beautiful engravings. The flower is set with
Pearl, Turquoise, 9k Gold
Unavailable
Clasped Fede Ring with Enamel Forget Me Nots
Located in New York, NY
rings have been popular for centuries, symbolizing both love and friendship. This ring has white forget
18k Gold
Antique Edwardian Band Ring 18 Carat Gold Forget Me Not, circa 1915
Located in Lancaster, Lancashire
A grand Antique Edwardian band ring modelled in solid 18ct Yellow Gold and engraved with detailed
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian 18ct Gold Rose Cut Diamond Forget Me Not Mourning Ring, Circa 1869
Located in Lancashire, Oldham
A very pretty Victorian 18ct yellow gold, rose cut diamond and black enamel mourning ring dating
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Unavailable
Antique Gold English "Posy" Band Ring
Located in Chicago, IL
flowers (forget-me-nots, carnations, and daisies). The ring was originally enameled, and traces of black
Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian 15K Turquoise Forget Me Not Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
Sweet classic Victorian turquoise forget me not ring with 5 turquoise stones surrounding a central
Turquoise, 15k Gold
Antique Turquoise and Gold Forget Me Not Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
Bright and beautiful Victorian Forget Me Not ring 15K set with six turquoise stones and a center
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold
Antique Enamel Forget-Me-Not Ring of 14k Gold
Located in Lewisburg, PA
Edwardian Enamel and Diamond Forget-Me-Not Ring in 14k Gold, Circa 1910-1920 A refined treasure
Diamond, 14k Gold
Antique Victorian Turquoise Diamond Gold Forget Me Not Ring
Located in Chicago, IL
gold ring features a stylized forget-me-not set with cabochon cut turquoise, two old cushion cut
Diamond, Turquoise
Antique Enamel, Pearl Cluster, Diamond and Gold Memorial Forget-Me-Not Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
Wonderful 18K early Victorian enamel, pearl cluster and gold memorial ring set with 6 pearls and a
Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold, Enamel
Antique Georgian Gold, Pearl and Diamond Forget-Me-Not Ring, circa 1840
Located in Baltimore, MD
A Georgian period 18K cluster ring in the form of a daisy with 5 seed pearls and a single cushion
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold
C1860 Turquoise Forget-Me-Not Cluster Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
Victorian Forget Me Not ring 15K set with six turquoise stones surrounding a single diamond at the
Turquoise, 18k Gold
Antique Pearl Forget Me Not 18K Ring with Pink Sapphire Center, circa 1830
Located in Baltimore, MD
18K pearl forget me not ring with five well matched natural white pearls in a forget-me-not
Pearl, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
Romantic 19th century Rococo Revival “forget-me-not” remembrance ring
Located in Malmö, Skåne län
19th century Rococo Revival style “forget-me-not” ring, 18k gold, engraved and enamel decoration
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Victorian Turquoise 'Forget Me Not' Cluster Ring
Located in London, GB
This is a wonderful 18ct yellow gold turquoise cluster ring. The ring features 7 well-matched
Turquoise, Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 18K Pearl Forget Me Not Hand Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
forget-me-not. With its forget-me-not pearls and emerald center, the ring symbolizes faith and friendship
Natural Pearl, Pearl, 18k Gold
Antique 15 Karat Gold Victorian Forget-Me-Not Regard Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
This circa 1880 Victorian Regard ring with 5 stones set in radially around the face, the first
Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Garnet, Ruby, Gold
Mid-19th Century Neapolitan Gold “Forget Me Not” Band Ring
Located in Firenze, IT
BERNARDO ANTICHITÀ PONTE VECCHIO FLORENCE PLEASE NOTE: OUR PRICE IS FULLY INCLUSIVE OF SHIPPING, IMPORTATION TAXES & DUTIES. Decorated with an enamel black letters, weight 2,7 gr, si...
Gold
Victorian Sardonyx and Enamel 'Forget Me Not' 9 Carat Gold Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This ring is a wonderful example of a Victorian mourning ring. The 'forget me not' flower id
9k Gold
Victorian Pearl and Enamel 9 Carat Gold Forget Me Not Mourning Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
ring features a panel decorated with pearls and a small diamond which shape a sweet forget me not
Diamond, Pearl, 9k Gold
Art Nouveau Opal Cabochon 18 Karat Yellow Gold Forget-me-not Antique Ring
Located in Philadelphia, PA
spectral play-of-color. Bezel set in a highly rendered foliate surround. Flanked by forget-me-not motif
Opal, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Art Deco Forget Me Not 0.52ct Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring in 18K White Gol
Located in Boston, MA
Aston Estate Jewelry Presents: A delightful floral theme engagement ring featuring die struck
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Victorian Rose Cut Diamond and Enamel 18 Carat Gold Mourning Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This forget me not mourning ring has so much lovely detail and even has a locket back. The shield
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique Black Enamel Rose Cut Diamond Forget Me Not Ring in Gold
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
Antique Black Enamel Rose Cut Diamond Forget Me Not Ring in Gold most charming black enamel
Diamond, Gold, Enamel
Antique Georgian Diamond Green Guilloche Enamel 18K Gold Forget-Me-Not Ring
Located in New York, NY
-Not ring. Circa 1820 The center design of a forget-me-not flower flanked by stylized diamond leaves on
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel, Silver
C1830 Onyx White Relief "forget me not" Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
Georgian memorial or love onyx ring with fancy scrolled shoulders set in black and white onyx with
Onyx, 18k Gold
Victorian Sardonyx and 9 Carat Gold Forget Me Not Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This ring has a sardonyx stone set in the 9carat gold. The stone has a detailed forget me not
Gold
Victorian Sardonyx and 9 Carat Gold Forget Me Not Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
a detailed forget me not flower motif carved into it. Ring size: M or 6 1/4 Stone Dimensions
Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Carved Sardonyx Forget Me Not Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
A beautiful antique ring from the Victorian period. Fronted with a oval sardonyx hand-carved into a
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Forget Me Not Antique Victorian Diamond Cluster Ring Vintage 18k Gold Platinum
Located in Torrance, CA
Finely detailed antique Victorian forget-me-not ring set with old mine cut diamonds (circa 1880s to
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Mid-19th Century Forget Me Not Sardonyx Mourning Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This special antique mid-19th century mourning ring is set with a oval sardonyx carved with a
9k Gold
Victorian Pearl and Enamel 9 Carat Gold Forget Me Not Mourning Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
ring features a panel decorated with pearls and a small diamond which shape a sweet forget me not
Diamond, Pearl, 9k Gold, Gold, Enamel
Georgian 18k yellow gold with enamel forget me nots clasped Fede ring
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This Georgian 18k yellow gold Fede ring features enamel forget-me-not motifs and a clasped hands
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Victorian Rose Cut Diamond Forget Me Not Enamel and 15 Carat Gold Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
diamonds which add real sparkle to the forget me not detail. Made in Birmingham, England. Ring Size: N or
Diamond, 15k Gold
C.1910 Sterling Citrine Arts and Crafts Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
This lovely Arts and Crafts ring is believed to be a Sibyl Dunlop design, but the absence of a
Citrine, Sterling Silver
Georgian Rose Cut Diamond Clasped Hands and Forget-me-not Ring
Located in Austin, TX
Lovely Georgian era sentimental ring. 6 rose cut diamonds form a forget-me-not flower clasped by
Diamond, 15k Gold
Georgian Forget Me Not Turquoise and Diamond 15 Carat Gold Ring
Located in St Helens, GB
A lovely Georgian period forget me not ring. SIZE ; L UK, 5 3/4 US Beautiful cluster head set with
Turquoise, Yellow Gold
Georgian Forget Me Not Diamond Pearl and Turquoise 15 Carat Gold Ring
Located in St Helens, GB
A lovely Georgian period forget me not ring. SIZE ; N UK, 6 1/2 US Beautiful cluster head set with
Diamond, Pearl, Turquoise, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Georgian Blue Forget Me Not Pearl Diamond Ring Dated 1801
Located in Lancaster, Lancashire
This fabulous antique Georgian Blue Enamel forget me not ring is fully hallmarked and dated London
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Victorian Diamond "Forget-Me-Not" Heart Locket Ring
Located in Sale, Cheshire
A cool Victorian mourning ring, the head modelled as a heart with hinged top allowing the front to
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
Georgian Forget Me Not Turquoise and Pearl 18 Carat Gold Ring
Located in St Helens, GB
A superb Georgian period cluster ring. SIZE ; M 1/2 UK, 6 1/2 US 18 carat yellow gold example
Cultured Pearl, Turquoise, 18k Gold
Edwardian 9ct Rose Gold Forget Me Not Engraved Wedding Band, circa 1915
Located in Lancashire, Oldham
A pretty Edwardian 9ct rose gold Forget Me Not engraved wedding band 8mm wide, hand crafted in
Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Georgian Turquoise Diamond Ring, circa 1800
Located in Lancaster, Lancashire
. Turquoise is also a symbol of Forget me not. The 18ct yellow gold ring has beautiful engraving around the
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Georgian Turquoise Diamond Ring Locket Back, circa 1830
Located in Lancaster, Lancashire
not. This ring represents the Forget Me Not. Forget me not, O Lord! is what a poor German knight
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Georgian Gold Heart Dropper Ring Turquoise in a Heart Box, circa 1780
Located in Lancaster, Lancashire
symbol of forget me not. The Georgian ring is in its original sweet heart Georgian heart box, sadly its
Turquoise, 18k Gold
Antique Victorian 15 Karat Gold Turquoise Diamond Forget Me Not Ring
Located in Boston, Lincolnshire
A Lovely Victorian 15 Carat Gold, Turquoise and Diamond "Forget Me Not" ring. The face of the ring
Diamond, Turquoise, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Georgian 15ct Gold, Turquoise and Garnet Forget me Not Ring, Circa 1830
Located in Lancashire, Oldham
A pretty and dainty 15ct gold, turquoise and garnet Forget me Not ring that was hand made circa
Garnet, Turquoise, Gold, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-Victorian Turquoise Forget-Me-Not Memorial Ring
Located in Sale, Cheshire
A weird and wonderful antique memorial ring dating from the mid Victorian era. Behind a glass panel
Turquoise, 18k Gold
Victorian Flat Cut Garnet Love Token Ring Forget-Me-Not Turquoise Flower Buckle
Located in London, GB
This pretty ring is full of romance and meaning. The buckle design of the band denotes eternity
Garnet, Turquoise, 9k Gold
Early 19th-Century Enameled Gold Ring with Flowers and Concealed Compartment
Located in Chicago, IL
loose) and floral ornaments (pansy, forget-me-not, myrtle). The ring is in good wearable condition. On
Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
$21,600Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Victorian Micromosaic Bracelet by Cesare Roccheggiani, 18K Yellow Gold
Located in New York, NY
An exceptional 19th-century treasure, this rare Victorian-era micromosaic bracelet was crafted in Rome by Cesare Roccheggiani, one of the most celebrated micromosaic artists of the p...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Georgian Rose Diamond Cluster Ring 1790's
Located in Firenze, IT
The oval blue enamel plaque with applied old brilliant, single and rose-cut diamond floral and foliate decoration, closed back settings throughout, with engraved bright-cut decoratio...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Enamel
Angela Cummings 18K Yellow Gold Sinuous Snake Ring
By Angela Cummings
Located in New York, NY
Scarce 18K yellow gold Angela Cummings snake ring 1986 The snake motif is one of the most loved in jewelry design, symbolizing everlasting love, royalty, wisdom, transformation, reb...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Edwardian Diamond and 18 Carat Gold Double Row Band
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This double row band holds a total of 50pts worth of bright glistening diamonds. The ring is modelled in 18carat gold. Ring Size: P or 7 3/4 Panel Dimensions: 15x6mm Weight: 2.1g
Diamond, Gold
Victorian Pave Turquoise and Pearl Sparrow Necklace
Located in Riverdale, NY
Spectacular Victorian Pave Turquoise and Pearl Sparrow Necklace from the mid 19th Century. Extremely high quality manufacture with fitted box as well as a hair comb fitting to conver...
Natural Pearl, Turquoise, Silver, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, 10k Gold
Antique Ring Diamonds Blue Enamel solid 18k Gold Ø 6US /5.2gr
Located in SE
Great looking ring with an attached floret of seven old diamond cut Diamonds pave set in white Gold clusters and surrounded by 12 Blue Enamel panels smoothly conforming down the shou...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
Antique Georgian Star Sapphire Diamond Guilloche Enamel 14K Gold Ring Circa 1830
Located in New York, NY
Stunning Georgian Period cabochon star sapphire, diamond, cobalt blue guilloche enamel 14K gold ring. Circa 1830 This beautiful antique ring dates from the George IV/Regency Period. ...
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 14k Gold
$1,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 1.75 in W 1.5 in
Pietra Dura Flower Lily of Valley Brooch Pin Gold Antique Victorian Etruscan
Located in New York, NY
A stunning Pietra Dura Brooch in 14 Karat Gold with inlaid semi-precious stones creating a mosaic image of flowers including a gorgeous central white lily, lily of the valley, daisy ...
Multi-gemstone, Onyx, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
$1,960Sale Price|20% Off
Victorian Rose Cut Diamond Turquoise Pearl Ring 14 Karat Gold Antique Engagement
Located in New York, NY
An stunning and oh so Romantic Antique Victorian Ring with a Rose Cut Diamond, a halo of Pearls and two Persian Turquoise gems. The combination of Diamond, Pearls and Turquoise in th...
Diamond, Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian Old Cut Diamond and Enamel Navette Three Stone Halo Ring
Located in OVIEDO, AS
Navette shape is distinctive, sometimes referred as marquise shape. its proportions are pleasing to the eye and elongate the finger, Centered vertically within the Navette profile a...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
Unavailable|$880
Turquoise & Silver Ring American, Circa 1920s
Located in Northampton, MA
This sleek, graphic turquoise and silver ring was created near the 1920s, and is consistent in design, quality, and materials to rings created by the Zuni nation; however the ring is...
Turquoise, Silver
Antique Ring natural 0.85ct Sapphire 0.8ctw Diamonds 18K Gold Silver Ø6.5US/4.3g
Located in SE
Nice Renaissance - styled cluster Ring with the carved band, shoulders, and parts of the crown in solid 18ct Yellow Gold holding natural Blue Sapphire stone and eight rose - cut Diam...
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Silver
Antique Bohemian Gold Filled Garnet Bangle Bracelet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A very fine Antique Bohemian gold-filled bangle bracelet. Prong set with garnets in a flower pattern to the top and around the circumference of the bracelet. The bracelet opens a...
Garnet, Gold-filled
Renaissance Religious Ichthys "Fish" Band of Red Enamel and Gold
Located in Baltimore, MD
Our Renaissance era religious devotional ring has its original shank of rich high carat gold with bright enamel colors in the form of circling fish. The fish is symbolic for both Ch...
Gold, Enamel
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Art Deco 1920 Ring in 18k yellow Gold and Platinum with Diamonds & Sapphires
Located in Aventura, FL
This stunning Art Deco ring, dating back to the 1920s, is a beautifully crafted piece made from 18kt yellow gold with a platinum top. Its intricate design is enhanced by a milgrain f...
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Plat...
Antique Georgian Memorial Gold Ring
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1780 - 1810 Yellow Gold Memorial Ring, most likely British and testing as 15k, the top measures 5/8 X 5/7 inch, fine Granulation work surrounding the bezel, original domed Gl...
Gold, 15k 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.