Choosing the perfect engagement ring can be stressful, to say the least! It is incredibly romantic to opt for an antique or vintage ring, A period piece or a family heirloom carries much more history and symbolism… and we believe is much more romantic! Nowadays you can quickly choose your metal, stone, cut and setting with the click of a button…it is personalised but somehow less personal. That's where we come in. Below is a guide to not just shopping for antique engagement rings, but everything you should consider, down to the very last detail.
RESEARCH THE GEMSTONES & METALS
Before you make that all-important purchase, look into gemstones and gemstone grading - especially if you're after a diamond ring. Familiarise yourself with the Four Cs - colour, clarity, carat, and cut. Antique and antique diamonds feature old-fashioned shapes that don't necessarily maximise the stone's brightness and are more likely to have obvious defects, but this may add to their allure! Whatever type of ring you choose, doing your homework ahead of time will help you establish your expectations. Brush up on the different metals, how they age, what kind of care they need and of course what your partner might prefer. Do they wear gold, white gold, rose gold, silver or platinum?
When shopping for an engagement ring, it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the different eras of design and how they differ. Perhaps save photographs of rings you like and keep a note of which specific feature it is that you like. Throughout your search, you may also find a particular gemstone that stands out to you- from there you can assess whether you would like a solitaire ring, three-stone ring, five-stone ring or cluster ring, which brings us to style.
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SHOP BY STYLE
There are four main categories of ring styles. Solitaire, Three-Stone, Five-stone or Cluster. To narrow it down, it is a great idea to consider what kind of style your partner- or you, opt for in everyday life. Are you a stripped-back minimalist, or an opulent maximalist, perhaps you swing between both, or maybe you want something that is timeless and chic, something ageless? You can read all about the different ring styles on their respective pages, or browse through our
Ring Style Guide blog
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Once you have established your metal, stone(s), era and style you are well on your way to finding the perfect Vintage Engagement Ring. If you need more help, feel free to get in contact with us, we are always happy to help.