GIA Sapphire Diamond Certified 18K No Heat Ceylon Blue Fine Huge Ring 12.04 Cts!
Located in Sylvania, GA
Mappin & Webb Ltd. Queen Victoria St. London E.C." Ring is in Fine Condition....Ready to Wear and enjoy!
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage Sapphire Diamond 18 Karat Yellow Gold Platinum Snake Ring, Circa 1960
Located in London, GB
Partially stamped 'PLAT' to the outside of the reverse of the ring. Snake are a timeless motif in jewellery as a result of the entwined snake ring that Queen Victoria received when...
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Platinum
$1,248Sale Price|20% Off
15K Yellow Gold Art Deco Snake Ring with Diamond and Ruby Eyes, 1940
Located in North Hollywood, CA
This piece is 2.25mm round x 2.50mm round. This ring has a smooth finish and shiny. I just love snake jewelry as it goes back in time to the Egyptians where snakes were prized also ...
Diamond, Ruby, 15k Gold
Incredible Black Diamond 18 Karat Rose Gold Statement Serpent Ring for Her
By Natkina
Located in Genève, GE
The Victorian era brought snake jewellery into the limelight after Prince Albert proposed to Queen Victoria with a ring in the image of a snake featuring an emerald-set head.
Diamond, Black Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Emerald and Gold Snake Bracelet
Located in New Orleans, LA
The serpent motif, an enduring symbol of eternity and protection, reached the height of its popularity in fine jewelry following Queen Victoria's 1839 betrothal ring from Prince Albe...
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Mid-Victorian Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond Coiling Snake Bangle
Located in London, GB
Serpent jewellery became one of the defining motifs of the Victorian era following Prince Albert's presentation of a snake engagement ring to Queen Victoria in 1839. Symbolising eter...
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, Silver
Victorian Cabochon Garnet Snake Necklace with a Heart Locket in Original Case
Located in London, England
Popularised after Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria a serpent engagement ring in 1839, the snake became a symbol of eternal love, wisdom and devotion, its endless form representing i...
Garnet, 15k Gold
Antique Victorian No heat Sapphire Snake Necklace, circa 1890s.
Located in Malmö, Skåne län
Serpents, seen as emblems of eternity, wisdom, and enduring love, became especially popular after Prince Albert presented Queen Victoria with a snake engagement ring in 1839, marking...
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique French 18K Yellow Gold & Pear Cut Garnet Serpent / Snake Brooch, c1850’s
Located in MELBOURNE, AU
Since Victorian times, serpent motifs have been timeless, representing eternal love (due to Prince Albert gifting Queen Victoria a serpent ring as an engagement ring). The brooch ...
Garnet, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Victorian Double Snake Bracelet Coiled Enamel 14k Yellow Gold Bangle
Located in Torrance, CA
Deeply popular during the Victorian, particularly after Price Albert gifted Queen Victoria a serpent shaped engagement ring. The twin serpents on this bracelet represent duality - th...
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
18 Karat Yellow Gold Diamond Accented Serpent Dangle Earrings
By Campanelli & Pear
Located in Troy, MI
Serpents have been an iconic symbol in jewelry for ages from Cleopatra to Queen Victoria’s trendsetting engagement ring where the snake became a symbol for eternal love and commitment.
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique French 18 Karat Gold Diamond and Sapphire Double Snake Bracelet Bangle
Located in New York, NY
It is for this reason that Prince Albert chose to present Queen Victoria with an engagement ring in the shape of a snake in 1939.
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
Victorian Demantoid Garnet and Diamond Snake Brooch
Located in London, GB
This brooch could have been inspired by Queen Victoria's wedding ring, as it was a snake with a green stone at its head– a highly romantic symbol of eternity.
Garnet, Ruby, Gold, Yellow Gold
$7,425Sale Price|20% Off
Incredible Black Diamond 18 Karat Rose Gold Statement Serpent Drop Necklace
By Natkina
Located in Genève, GE
The Victorian era brought snake jewellery into the limelight after Prince Albert proposed to Queen Victoria with a ring in the image of a snake featuring an emerald-set head.
Diamond, Black Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
$11,138Sale Price|20% Off
Incredible Black Diamond 18 Karat Rose Gold Statement Serpent Dangle Earrings
By Natkina
Located in Genève, GE
The Victorian era brought snake jewellery into the limelight after Prince Albert proposed to Queen Victoria with a ring in the image of a snake featuring an emerald-set head.
Diamond, Black Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
$11,138Sale Price|20% Off
Incredible Black Diamond 18 Karat Rose Gold Statement Serpent Dangle Earrings
By Natkina
Located in Genève, GE
The Victorian era brought snake jewellery into the limelight after Prince Albert proposed to Queen Victoria with a ring in the image of a snake featuring an emerald-set head.
Diamond, Black Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
$11,138Sale Price|20% Off
Incredible Black Diamond 18 Karat Rose Gold Statement Serpent Dangle Earrings
By Natkina
Located in Genève, GE
The Victorian era brought snake jewellery into the limelight after Prince Albert proposed to Queen Victoria with a ring in the image of a snake featuring an emerald-set head.
Diamond, Black Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
$11,138Sale Price|20% Off
Incredible Black Diamond 18 Karat Rose Gold Statement Serpent Dangle Earrings
By Natkina
Located in Genève, GE
The Victorian era brought snake jewellery into the limelight after Prince Albert proposed to Queen Victoria with a ring in the image of a snake featuring an emerald-set head.
Diamond, Black Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
$22,278Sale Price|20% Off
Incredible Pink Yellow Sapp 18 Karat White Gold Statement Lever-Back Earrings
By Natkina
Located in Genève, GE
The Victorian era brought snake jewellery into the limelight after Prince Albert proposed to Queen Victoria with a ring in the image of a snake featuring an emerald-set head.
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, White Gold
Victorian Green Enamelled Serpent Bangle
Located in London, GB
The motif of the serpent became popular in the Victoria era after Prince Albert gifted a serpent ring to Victoria upon their engagement.
Diamond, Ruby, Enamel
A Victorian gold and turquoise serpent necklace
Located in London, GB
Serpent motifs in jewellery became popular in the early Victorian era after Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria a serpent ring for their engagement, and the image of the serpent came t...
Turquoise, Gold
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.
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