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In today’s world people tend to think that bigger, newer, faster is always better, but anyone who has any experience in the world of antiques and valuables know that nothing could be further from the truth. The same goes especially for vintage engagement rings.
They range anywhere from the start of the 1920’s, through the Great Depression of the 1930’s all the way up to the 1950’s.
There are many different styles which reflect the time period in a way that can be breathtaking. Just understand the style and why the ring is a certain way, can really do a lot of the appreciation of the ring.
Whether you are buying a ring for a loved one, collecting them for yourself, or simply buying them and reselling them for a profit, understanding what makes a vintage engagement ring special and valuable can be very important.
Vintage Engagement Rings from the 1940’s
The 1940’s was about the time that engagement rings took on the style that you see today in most rings. It became even more simple and the square shaped stones were very popular, even more than before.
The bands became as narrow as they had ever been as well. Ever since this time period, having one single diamond in the ring was standard and that has true even till today.
Of course not in all rings, but is the most common method for an engagement and even wedding rings, and that is seen even back then in the vintage engagement rings.
Because of the War in the 1940’s many women were taking on the jobs of the men that had been taken off to war and this single cut, narrow band was easier to wear during their tougher jobs, and made it all the more reason to keep these in style.
During the 1940’s the popular diamond company Da Beers was at the start of a very successful and lucrative advertising campaign to push these types of rings and had a very vivid idea and vision for these popular gems and had a big part of making the 1940’s vintage engagement rings exactly what they are today.
Vintage Engagement Rings from the 1930’s
The 1930’s are not far off in similiarities between the 1920’s but do have some slight differences that you should be aware of when shopping for the perfect vintage engagement ring.
Vintage engagement rings from the 1930’s era reflected the styles and the fashion of that time period which was filled with romanticism and the influence of a more simple time than the preceding era. Because the 1930’s were home to the Great Depression it reflected in some of the more simple patterns and styles. Eventually there were four major styles of rings that made it through.
The first would be the Simple ring style, which was usually bought, used and worn by the couples that were hit the hardest by the depression. It truly was a desperate time for many, and when someone who loved you went and bought you an engagment ring of any time, it truly showed a deep appreciation.
They would usually still have gems and jewels just not as large as they would have been in previous times. The bands were typically thinnger and the patterns were not as intricate. It helped keep the rings affordable and didn’t detract too much from the ring itself just to have less etchings in the band and less detail.
Because times changes, simplistic is now popular so the bands that might have been looked up as simple because of being cheaper, are now much sought after because they reflect a simple time and people these days really look forward to reflecting that in their jewelry. This is one of the things that make vintage engagement rings so special.
The second style would be Art Deco, which was major during the 1920’s and still lasted into the next decade it just wasn’t as prevalent because the styles ventured out more. They had large jewels and gemstones, thick and bulky and usually were worn by the man as opposed to the woman.
The third would be Victorian which would be mostly for the woman and would have floral, and feminine style accents all over it. It might have a bunch of small gems instead of one large one and they could be spread throughout the ring to give a total look and feel of fashion. Sometimes the entire ring would simply be made of metals but still show off some gems.
Edwardian is the fourth style and they were much like Victorian but would be a little more simple, and could be worn primarily by both man and woman so were ideal for matching style engagement rings. Many claim this style is their favorite of all vintage style engagment rings.
Vintage Engagement Rings from the 1920’s
Starting at the 1920’s, virtually the earliest year you will come across in your search for the perfect ring, it is considered to be the art-deco era. Art deco vintage engagement rings are from a time period which features jewels like sapphires, rubies and emeralds.
Sometimes the jewels will be real, but they don’t always have to be, synthetic is perfectly acceptable too, it just depends on the budget and the person receiving the vintage engagement rings so don’t rule it out just because it’s not “real”.
During the 1920’s those jewels were in demand from different places around the world, and because that obviously makes it harder to get, the prices were much higher during that peak time.
The emeralds were usually going to be from Columbia, the Rubies most likely from Burma and the Sapphires were either from Burma or Cashmere.
Art deco might be described differently by different people and part of that is because of how there were so many different jewelry styles associated with it unlike other eras.
Art Deco vintage engagement rings are more difficult to find than other periods, which is to be expected because they are of course the oldest of the styles, but also because there just weren’t as many made, and kept in a safe place for the near century since they first came out.
If you do get lucky enough to find one without having to pay an arm and leg, consider yourself a very fortunate person and remember to keep it safe so you can pass it down to the next generation.
Cleaning your antique & vintage engagement rings can be pretty easy, as long as you know what you’re doing. Cleaning it will make it last longer, so you can pass it down to the next generation if that’s what you plan on doing, and will also make it more attractive when you are wearing it. If you plan on buying vintage engagement rings and reselling them, then keeping them clean is an absolute must if you want to get your money’s worth. Here are some basic guidelines when cleaning your vintage engagement rings.
1. Avoid harmful chemicals. When choosing the product or products to clean your vintage rings you need to make sure that they do not contain alcohol, any acids or ammonia. If you buy a chemical product that is specifically designed to clean vintage rings make sure it is for the specific type of ring. For instance, you don’t want to buy or use sterling silver cleaning products on your gold vintage engagement ring.
If you would rather skip spending money on actual jewelry cleaning products then you can just use regular Windex to clean your jewelry. Simply spray it on a soft damp rag or cloth and gently clean the jewelry. Don’t spray it directly on the jewelry because some areas might get more cleaner and it could cause spots.
2. Check for loose stones. Before you start cleaning it, make sure everything is in place and not loose. If you start to clean it and realize that part of the ring is not on tight it might come off more or completely break it. If you do find it is loose, then you would need to work on getting it back in place securely before you try to finish cleaning it.
3. Make sure it’s dry. Make sure your vintage engagement ring is completely dry before you put it back on or store it away. Leaving the ring wet or even damp could cause possible rust. Any moisture that gets on the ring should be wiped off before it causes permament damage to it.
4. Make it shine. After you clean it, you might want to polish it to give it a nice shine or finish. You can use polishing products that are made just for vintage rings and other vintage jewelry. You can usually find these products online or in local jewelry shops.
5. When to clean, and how often? It depends on many variables. The main being how often the piece is being worn. Since we are talking about vintage engagement rings, it will most likely vary during the engagement and until the wedding where the ring would most likely be stored. So while you are wearing it, clean it often, usually about once a week. Once it’s stored, it is usually suggest to clean your jewelry between every 6 months and 1 year to maintain it’s beauty.
If you have recently required a vintage engagement ring then you no doubt want to keep it in the best possible condition. Here is a list of basic things you should do after you purchase or are given a vintage engagement ring, as well as things to look out for and general knowledge that will help you keep your new ring in as best condition as you possibly can.
Storing your vintage engagement ring is essential to it staying in top condition. It’s best to not store it along side other jewelry directly. Some people have a jewelry box where they just throw all their rings, etc into and this might be the most convenient but is not the best way to protect them.
You can either find a storage spot that doesn’t clump them altogether, find a piece of cloth or soft material to wrap your ring in, or even get a bag specifically to hold precious rings.
These are perfect for vintage engagement rings because they can be small, with a drawstring so your ring will stay put and will be safe until you choose to take it out to sell or to wear.
Frequent changes in tempature: It’s not wise to store your vintage engagement rings anywhere where the tempature changes frequently. For instance, if you live in a place where winter and summer are both freezing and sizzling, and you keep your vintage engagement ring somewhere that is not tempature regulated, such as a garage, the glue and chemicals that keep the stones, diamonds and jewels in place can because loose and eventually cause them to fall out. Best case scenerio you have to spend time and possibly money putting them back in, or even hire someone to do it, or worst case they fall out and are lost forever.
Damaging moisture: Moisture is possibly vintage rings worst enemy, as well as all valuable jewelry. It can create rust damage, metal pitting or verdigris damage.
Anywhere that moisture is common such as saunas, the beach, exercising, swimming or humid and rainy weather, wearing your ring should either be limited or avoided. Neglecting this step can result in the ring becoming damaged, rusted or in some cases the luster of jewels can be lost.
Household chores: If you find yourself doing a lot of cleaning around the house then it’s best that you make it a point to remove the vintage engagement rings before doing so.
If you are going to be doing any kind of manual labor whether it be inside or out, it’s best to just remove your ring, as well as any other jewelry to avoid causing damage to it, or even yourself.
Because vintage engagement rings are often sharp, the last thing you want is that getting stabbed into you or someone else during the middle of a job or chore.
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