Georgian Engagement Rings
Antique Georgian engagement rings are often set in silver over gold with rose-cut diamonds. The rose cut is circular like its namesake flower, with a flat top and a domed crown with either 12 or 24 facets, and is an uncommon cut in modern jewelry. Rose-cut diamonds are more frequently associated with antique styles such as Victorian or Georgian. The gems in Georgian engagement rings are backed with reflective foil in a closed-back setting, which gives them some sparkle.
Most dealers will suggest that you are careful with rings from this period as their age makes them particularly fragile. Consider an antique Georgian engagement ring to be a truly special occasion piece, and not for everyday wear.
Georgian jewelry is named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign, which lasted until 1837). A slew of beautiful pieces were produced during the period, and today antique Georgian rings, necklaces and other accessories are coveted by fine jewelry collectors.
There are certain features that distinguish jewelry from this era, including the fact that pieces from the 18th and early 19th centuries were handmade (so don’t let the absence of a maker’s mark lead you to believe otherwise). Antique Georgian jewelry also has a certain “look.” It’s a bit gray because stones were often set in silver, and because stonecutting techniques were not as advanced as they are today, the gems do not possess the level of sparkle to which we have become accustomed.
Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. These were often cut in the shape of a cabochon or teardrop. It was fashionable to combine garnets or rubies with seed pearls. In Georgian diamond rings, popular cuts for diamonds included rose, old mine and table. Around the 1780s, paste jewelry, or hand-cut glass on foil, was used to imitate diamonds.
Find Georgian engagement rings and other vintage and antique engagement rings on 1stDibs now. Explore our buying guides for a close look at antique engagement rings, Art Deco engagement rings and vintage engagement rings.
1980s Vintage Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1770s Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-18th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Rock Crystal, 18k Gold, Enamel
18th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
Early 19th Century British Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 19th Century British Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 18th Century British Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 18th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Turquoise, 15k Gold
Early 19th Century British Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Vintage Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-18th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Rock Crystal, 18k Gold, Enamel
Late 18th Century British Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1760s English Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, 15k Gold
Mid-18th Century Unknown Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Gold, Silver
1750s Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, Sterling Silver
Mid-18th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Garnet, Rose Gold, Silver
1820s Unknown Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond
Late 18th Century French Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 18th Century British Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Enamel
2010s British Georgian Engagement Rings
Opal, Tourmaline, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 18th Century Unknown Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
1770s Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century North American Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1750s American Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 15k Gold, Sterling Silver
1820s Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Mid-19th Century French Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
1820s European Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
1820s British Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
2010s British Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
1840s European Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Gold, Enamel
1830s British Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
18th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1790s English Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Gold, 9k Gold
Early 19th Century British Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Silver
18th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
18th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
19th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, Silver, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
1830s Unknown Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
1790s Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1770s Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary English Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Early 19th Century French Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold, Silver
1810s Unknown Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
1830s Unknown Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century English Georgian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Gold
1760s Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 18th Century Antique Georgian Engagement Rings
14k Gold
Shop Cartier Engagement Rings, Harry Winston Engagement Rings and Other Extraordinary Engagement Rings on 1stDibs
Shopping for the right antique, new or vintage engagement ring can prove daunting. Whether you’re looking for that perfect Art Deco engagement ring, an antique Edwardian period engagement ring or a fashionable contemporary alternative, it’s important to choose a style that speaks to you.
Rings have long been signifiers of marriage and committed relationships. The modern diamond engagement ring can be traced back to 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria commissioned an expensive diamond ring for his betrothed. Diamond rings subsequently became extremely popular among the European aristocracy. Later, during the Victorian era, the popularity of diamond engagement rings had filtered down to the middle class, owing to the increasing accessibility — and affordability — of gold and diamonds.
Authentic antique Victorian-era engagement rings were frequently set in rose or yellow gold and they are highly collectible. Designs for Victorian engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal. Diamonds were likely to be small rose- or old-mine-cut (the ancestor of today’s cushion-cut) stones. The former are often associated with antique styles like Victorian or Georgian, as rose-cut diamonds are uncommon in modern jewelry. The diamonds were typically set in a group of five in a band or as a solitaire.
Victorian-era engagement rings also saw other gemstones accompanying diamonds. Small seed pearls and moonstones were popular. Other sentimental and romantic motifs such as hearts and stars took hold as well. When Prince Albert became engaged to Queen Victoria, he gave her a serpent ring with emerald eyes, her birthstone. This initiated a widespread craze for snake jewelry.
In 1886, esteemed American luxury firm Tiffany & Co. introduced its solitaire diamond design, which is still among the most popular styles of engagement rings. The Tiffany Setting raises the stone above the band on six prongs, allowing its facets to catch the light and reflect through the stone.
French jewelry house Cartier, which pioneered the use of platinum in fine jewelry and helped define Art Deco, sought to render the diamonds in their engagement rings and other rings as brilliantly as possible. The brand’s timeless Solitaire 1895 engagement ring gave the impression of delicate lace.
Edwardian and, afterward, Art Deco engagement rings that followed in the wake of Queen Victoria’s death in 1901 would be characterized by complex geometric designs and platinum settings. Owing to the Art Nouveau movement, nature was a major theme for Edwardian jewelry, while the diamond ring designs of the Art Deco period were inspired by Cubism as well as ancient Egypt. Art Deco engagement rings are bold and colorful and feature gems cut in nontraditional ways.
Engagement rings designed during World War II were made from two-toned metals and smaller stones. Large stones were scarce, and platinum was reserved for the military. Postwar engagement rings were intended to be simpler and focused on the beauty of the diamond.
In 1947, De Beers Consolidated Mines, with the support of Philadelphia ad agency N.W. Ayer & Son, introduced the slogan “A diamond is forever” in a marketing campaign that emphasized a connection between diamonds and romance. Diamond sales skyrocketed, and diamond engagement rings became intertwined with the post–World War II marriage boom, which coincided with the ascension of specific diamond cuts.
The round brilliant cut, which consists of an astounding 58 facets, continues to be the most popular cut to this day. Jewelers such as Harry Winston had already gained a reputation for his talents by the time the De Beers campaign debuted, and he is said to have favored emerald-cut diamonds.
For everything from understanding the 4Cs to choosing between antique, vintage, contemporary and custom styles, get expert tips to help you find just the right ring. Additionally, explore our buying guides for a close look at antique engagement rings, Art Deco engagement rings and vintage engagement rings.
When you’re ready to mark your momentous occasion, find a vast collection of engagement rings on 1stDibs.