Victorian Men Rings
Antique 1870s Cocktail Rings
Agate, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Cocktail Rings
Agate, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Signet Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Wedding Rings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Signet Rings
Jasper, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
2010s American Contemporary Signet Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Solitaire Rings
Diamond
Antique 1890s Victorian Engagement Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold
Antique 1890s Italian Victorian Fashion Rings
Gold
2010s American Victorian Signet Rings
White Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Victorian Signet Rings
Carnelian, Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Russian Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Fashion Rings
Citrine, Silver
Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Victorian Signet Rings
Silver
Antique 1880s Dutch Early Victorian Solitaire Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Signet Rings
Amethyst, Gold, 10k Gold
Antique 1870s English Victorian Signet Rings
Onyx, Rose Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Portuguese Romantic Solitaire Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Russian Early Victorian Fashion Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1910s Unknown Victorian More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
Antique 1850s French Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, 18k Gold
Antique 19th Century Victorian Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Rose Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Portuguese High Victorian Signet Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
Antique 1870s Victorian Signet Rings
Carnelian, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1870s Victorian Fashion Rings
Amethyst, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century Signet Rings
18k Gold, Enamel
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Signet Rings
Carnelian, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Signet Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Band Rings
10k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Signet Rings
10k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Signet Rings
Onyx, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 19th Century American Retro Band Rings
14k Gold
Antique 19th Century American Retro Band Rings
14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Signet Rings
18k Gold
Early 20th Century Russian Victorian Solitaire Rings
Yellow Diamond
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Solitaire Rings
Diamond
Antique Late 19th Century Russian Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond
Antique Mid-19th Century Russian Victorian Solitaire Rings
Diamond
Antique Early 19th Century Russian Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Signet Rings
Yellow Gold, Gold, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian More Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 20th Century More Rings
Carnelian, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Late 18th Century American Victorian Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
Antique 1890s American Victorian Three-Stone Rings
Rubelite, 10k Gold
Antique 1890s British Late Victorian Signet Rings
Carnelian, 22k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Victorian Engagement Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century More Rings
Gold
Mid-20th Century Polish Victorian Signet Rings
Coral, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Russian Victorian Solitaire Rings
Diamond
Antique 1850s American Victorian Band Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Victorian Solitaire Rings
Zircon, 14k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Signet Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Silver, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Victorian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
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Victorian Men Rings For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Victorian Men Rings?
A Close Look at Victorian Jewelry
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.
Why Gold Shines in Jewelry Craftsmanship
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.
Finding the Right Rings for You
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.
- What is a Victorian ring?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021Victorian rings are usually made with fine metals and feature impressive gemstones in ornate settings. The style of Victorian jewelry was defined during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 to 1901). Early Victorian rings were large, brightly colored, and boldly designed, with gemstones such as bloodstones, chalcedonies, garnets, moss agate, rubies, smoky quartz and topazes. During the mid-Victorian period, the designs were more sophisticated, using gemstones such as opals, crystals, emeralds, diamonds, pearls, black glass, jet, and rubies. In the late-Victorian period, platinum became widely used in the jewelry of the era and replaced gold and silver settings for the first time. Find a collection of antique and vintage Victorian rings on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022During the Victorian period, men usually wore a black tailcoat, matching black trousers and a white waistcoat for formal wear. By day, men tended to wear a frock coat with trousers and a high-collared waistcoat. Generally, Victorian trousers had higher waistbands than modern men's pants. Find a collection of Victorian furniture, jewelry and art on 1stDibs.
- Does Cartier have rings for men?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Yes, Cartier sells rings for men. The luxury jewelry house produces numerous band rings, including the 1895 wedding band, the C DE, the Love and the D'Amour wedding band. In addition, the brand offers a ring version of its Trinity bracelet. The piece combines yellow, white and rose gold bands to symbolize love, friendship and fidelity. Find a selection of Cartier rings on 1stDibs.
- Should men wear rings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Yes, men should wear rings. The choice to accessorize with rings is largely a matter of preference. Many men wear a single bold statement ring. But the choice of accessories is up to the style of the wearer. Find an extensive variety of rings for sale on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 1, 2023Yes, many Victorians gave engagement rings to their fiancées. In fact, the tradition of giving engagement rings became more popular during the Victorian era due to the effects of the Industrial Revolution. The economic growth of the time led to the creation of a middle class that had the ability to save up for special purchases. At the same time, gemstones mined in South Africa began arriving in England, increasing the supply of precious stones and making prices more affordable. Explore an assortment of antique Victorian engagement rings on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertDecember 4, 2023Yes, some men's wedding rings have diamonds. Men are free to wear any type of ring as a wedding ring, and you'll find many options with one or more diamonds set into their bands. Wedding rings for men may also feature colored gemstones, like sapphires or rubies, in addition to or in place of diamonds, or they may be formed entirely out of metal. On 1stDibs, shop a wide variety of men's wedding rings.
- Do men wear engagement rings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 16, 2024Yes, some men do wear engagement rings. Although traditionally it is women who wear engagement jewelry, more men have begun to do so in recent years. In some cases, both members of a couple opt to sport engagement rings, or a man may wear one if his partner is the one to propose to him. Find a wide range of engagement rings on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 1, 2023Yes, some men wear silver wedding rings. There are no rules regarding what type of metal wedding rings should be made from, so couples are free to choose materials that appeal to them. Some people find silver appealing due to its light, cool color and durability. Explore a variety of antique and vintage silver wedding rings on 1stDibs.
- Do men wear gold wedding rings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertDecember 4, 2023Yes, some men wear gold wedding rings. Gold has been used for making wedding rings for centuries, and men can find many different kinds of wedding bands formed out of the precious metal. Other metal options for men's wedding rings include platinum, sterling silver, titanium, tungsten and cobalt. On 1stDibs, shop a large selection of men's wedding rings.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 21, 2023Some military men wear black wedding rings due to the nature of their jobs. These black rings are usually made out of silicone, rubber or carbon fiber. These materials are incredibly durable and unlikely to become scratched or damaged while the wearer is carrying out his duties. Although black is the most common color, these rings are available in other colors like gray and blue. On 1stDibs, explore a large collection of wedding rings.
Read More
Our Guide to Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco Engagement Rings
Learn about these antique jewelry styles, then choose a design that speaks to you.
How to Buy a Vintage or Antique Engagement Ring
Will your beloved be enchanted by an Edwardian ring or a trendy Art Deco piece? We clue you into period styles and tips for finding the perfect ring.