Edwardian Engagement Rings

If you’re shopping for an antique engagement ring, Edwardian engagement rings are among the most collectible.

Those in the market for a platinum engagement ring — or an antique engagement ring featuring a platinum setting — should look no further than to jewelry of the Edwardian period (1901–15). Platinum jewelry, and a white-on-white look, were very popular during this time (this preference continued to gain steam during the Art Deco era). The invention of the oxyacetylene torch enabled jewelers to use platinum in their work, a material that had previously been too challenging to work with. Edwardian jewelry featured diamonds and pearls, and the era’s engagement rings were also quite ornate, with exquisite milgrain work characteristic of the period and filigree or lace-like details around the bezel, in addition to floral and feminine motifs, like bows.

After Queen Victoria died, in 1901, her son took the throne as King Edward VII, ushering in a period of refined luxury in Britain that was mirrored in America and Europe (in France, it was known as la Belle Époque, “the beautiful years”). His short reign served as a bridge between the mores of the past and the ideals of a modern era, as Victorian notions of propriety and femininity began to change. The suffrage movement went mainstream, and women started to make forays into the worlds of higher education and work.

Jewelry design evolved, too, but there was some overlap with late Victorian styles. Nature, for instance, continued to be a major theme in Edwardian engagement rings and other accessories, thanks to the influence of the Art Nouveau movement and the tastes of Queen Alexandra, King Edward’s wife. In fact, flowing and floral garland motifs were so popular that the Edwardian period is sometimes called the “garland era.”

Find antique Edwardian engagement rings and other vintage and antique engagement rings on 1stDibs now, and explore our buying guides for a close look at antique engagement rings, Art Deco engagement rings and vintage engagement rings.