Some brides simply swoon when they are presented with a precious antique wedding ring. Chicago certainly has its fair share of jewelers who specialize in the restoration and repurposing of antique wedding rings. A reputable jeweler can offer you a variety of suggestions on how to redesign your antique wedding ring while retaining its class and sophistication of the period it was designed in. Most antique wedding rings are up to fifty years old. It is to be cherished and valued by whoever receives it. To make sure that you receive an engagement ring that your fiancée would want, you would certainly want to consider the era from which the ring comes from. Based on the era of the ring, you will notice the differences in the various designs. Most antique engagement rings are purchased from the following eras:
Engagement Rings from the Art Deco Era
This time period encompasses the 1920’s. During this period the machinery used to manufacture fine jewelry was introduced. This time period is also when both aluminum and plastics were used in the making of jewelry. During this period, platinum was the most widely used metal used in the design of antique engagement rings. Most of the shapes used in the design of the rings were geometric. One of the trademarks of an engagement ring of this era was the placing of dark colored stones around the center stone, often a diamond.
Engagement Rings from the Victorian Era
This period dates back to the mid-1800 to the early 1900. The rings made during this time period were often made yellow or rose gold. Also very common to the Victorian era are the softer enamels, complex engraving and the symbols included in the design. Other than birthstones, commonly used in engagement rings of this era, other types of precious jewels were also used. Some of the popular choices included rubies, emeralds, sapphires, amethysts and pearls.
Engagement Rings from the Edwardian Era
This time period includes the 1900 to 1920. Very popular at this time were platinum and diamond engagement rings. The diamond rings designed during this time were made to appear extremely feminine. In many of the designs of this era, metals were manipulated to look similar to lace embroidery. Another design technique of the Edwardian Era was creating rows that which would look like small beads surrounding the center stone.
If you have a lovely antique engagement ring, Chicago’s Christopher Duquet can breath life into it again with some delicate refinements.
