Victorian Engage Ring

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. 

Rings have been symbols of devotion since the days of Ancient Greece, a practice later adopted by the Romans for marriage ceremonies. Bridal rings were given an official meaning by Pope Nicholas I in the year 850 as proving a man’s intent to marry his bride-to-be. Antique sapphire and diamond bridal rings continue to hold meaning for many couples today.

Precious stones sometimes adorned these early engagement rings and bridal rings, which were usually gold bands. Diamond engagement rings and diamond bridal ring sets weren’t the dominant choices until 1947 when De Beers popularized them with their “A diamond is forever” marketing campaign.

Recent trends in jewelry design have seen the rise of diverse gems and metals in bridal rings. Rubies, sapphires and other colorful precious gems have quickly gained favor with brides who want a unique and vibrant bridal ring.

Modern bridal ring styles can be breathtaking and break traditional trends, while vintage engagement rings harken back to this rich heritage of design. Featured on 1stDibs is a stunning array of bridal rings from world-famous jewelers including Tiffany & Co., Roman Malakov and Antinori Fine Jewels.