Vintage Engagement Rings Can Mean Antique, or It Just Looks Antique

Many people think the terms “vintage engagement rings” and “antique engagement rings” are interchangeable, and it is almost true. However, antique engagement rings mean rings that are 50 years old or older, and vintage engagement rings can mean that they only look antique, but are really brand new. Or it really can mean that it is a very old ring with a lot of history and sentimental value behind it. Celebrities seem to have a thing for vintage. Clothes, cars, and especially jewellery. So it is not surprise that vintage engagement rings are very popular in the celebrity world.

Madonna, one of history’s most famous icons, received a three stone platinum Edwardian ring from Guy Richie. Edwardian rings are from the early 1900s to 1920s and feature lots of scroll-work and lacy filigree details. This was the era that platinum became so popular for engagement rings.

Rebecca Romijn received an emerald cut engagement ring from John Stamos that was created in the 1930s. The 1930s were the Art Deco period, and vintage engagement rings from this time usually have a stream-lined, geometric look to them. They sometimes hint at Egyptian, Asian, or Native American touches in their design, and this era used a lot of bright gemstones before going back to the platinum and diamond style which most engaged women have today.

Reese Witherspoon and Kate Hudson both have Asscher-style cut vintage engagement rings. An Asscher cut is similar to an Emerald cut, except that it is square instead of rectangle. It has a pavilion cut to showcase its many facets. Because of this cut, colour can show at the corners, so it is more important to have a fairly colourless diamond. These vintage engagement rings are from the Art Deco period as well.

Vintage engagement rings do not always mean antique. This can be a good thing, as many softer stones like opals or pearls can be cracked or damaged over time, so if vintage means that it was created to only look like it hails from an older time period, it can still be brand new. Or, it can mean it is actually an antique and as the saying goes, “they don’t make things like they used to.”