The Ultimate Guide to Vintage Ring Settings

Vintage rings are a great addition to any jewelry collection. These rings can be bold, colorful, and unique. Every ring has a sense of history, elegance, and charm. Many modern rings can look generic, but these antique rings are different, adding beauty to your hand. If you consider a vintage ring, there are several common settings that you will want to know. Here is our ultimate guide to vintage ring settings, so you can choose the best one to match your style. 

Do you have a vintage ring that you want to pair with a necklace, bracelet, or set of earrings? LaCkore Couture features some great designs to add to your jewelry collection!

Eras of Vintage Ring Settings

When talking about vintage rings, these pieces are around 20 to 100 years old. Many modern vintage rings are influenced by jewelry that has a long history. Here are some of the most popular style periods for vintage rings. 

Retro (1945-1965)

These rings are known for their asymmetric designs and feminine details. Rose gold and yellow metals are often used for the band, providing a glamorous look. 

Art Deco (1915-1935)

Art Deco rings use geometric shapes, clean lines, and bold stones, like emeralds and sapphires.  

Edwardian (1901-1915)

While this was a short period of time, it had a significant influence on the jewelry world. These rings have an ornate style and use platinum to create stunning pieces. 

Victorian (1837-1901)

These rings are known for their rose and yellow gold metals, creating romantic essence. The settings are low profile yet ornate. 

All of these eras have influenced the style of vintage rings. Keep these eras in mind when you want to add an antique ring to your collection. 

Related: How To Pair Jewelry and Dresses 

Vintage Ring Settings

Modern ring settings are minimalistic, but those vintage rings are more intricate and have bolder settings. Some of the most common vintage ring settings include:

The Tiffany Setting

As you may have guessed, the famous jeweler created the Tiffany setting in 1886. With this setting, six platinum prongs encase a single diamond. In fact, this vintage setting was the first to showcase the diamond by itself, making the stone shine. While it is considered a vintage setting, the Tiffany setting is very popular in the jewelry world. 

Illusion Head Setting

During the Retro era, the illusion head setting was a popular option. To make the center diamond appear more prominent, the crown of the setting used metal prongs. The metal halo is a modern version of this unique setting. 

Related: Popular 80s Jewelry Trends

Cluster Setting

A large center stone is surrounded by smaller stones in a cluster setting. This vintage setting appeared during the Victorian era, but it was very popular in the Edwardian times. The cluster setting does have the appearance of a flower. Some vintage ring settings use rubies or sapphires, but modern settings center on a diamond. 

Pavé Setting

Another popular setting in the Edwardian era is the pavé setting. This setting features small round diamonds connected by metal beads or prongs. A pavé setting is used to surround the center gem or diamond. 

Filigree

Filigree uses fine coiled or twisted metal threads to create an ornate look. Popular during the Art Deco era, jewelers stamped these filigree designs into the metal. 

Statement Center Stone

During the Art Deco period, the settings focused on the center stone. Marquise-cut diamonds and emerald were the focal points as the smaller stones were placed on the sides of the band. 

Floral Motifs

Floral motifs are a very romantic look. Some of the motifs are engraved in the setting, while others feature metal shaped into petals around the center stone. Floral motifs are often called the belcher or buttercup setting. 

Milgrain 

With this setting, the metal is shaped into tiny beads or dots. This setting was popular in the Edwardian era throughout the Art Deco one. The dainty style features intricate designs with a romantic touch.

Intricate Metalwork

Intricate metalwork is common in vintage rings. The settings used scrolls, stars, and floral shapes in the 19th and 20th centuries. Along with that, metal stamps printed delicate designs into the settings. You can find these designs on the crown or top of the band in these settings. 

5 - Stone Setting

While many vintage rings focus on one diamond, some feature several stones. A five-stone setting is one of the most popular settings. It used either diamonds or other gemstones of similar sizes, which are set next to each other on the band. There is no pronounced single stone, but all of the stones stand on their own. 

Along with these settings, many vintage rings used other stones rather than diamonds. These rings often have rubies, sapphires, and emeralds as the center stone. The setting was created to showcase these gems. 

Related: Your Diamond Shape: What It Says About You

THE PROS AND CONS OF A VINTAGE SETTING

While the vintage-style ring can provide a lot of beauty, dainty, and fabulous flair, you will want to consider some pros and cons. Vintage rings aren't for everyone. So let's dive into the pros and cons to determine if this is the right option.

PROS OF A VINTAGE SETTING

Vintage rings can provide remarkable beauty that you won't find in modern-day rings. However, there are some other benefits to these character-filled pieces of jewelry. They are:

• Intricately built
• Unique, and rarely can find copies
• A lot of prominence on the center stone

CONS OF A VINTAGE SETTING

Even though a vintage setting is filled with so much beauty, you'll still need to determine whether or not this is something fit for you.

• Expertise will be needed to keep the ring well-maintained
• A lot of time will need to go into the jewelry
• If the setting is poorly designed, it can be a distraction from the rest of the piece of jewelry.
• More cleaning will be required due to the crevices and intricate detail.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE SETTINGS

It's entirely understandable if you have a fancy for vintage settings. These are unique and stunning and also a particular part of history. However, while all of this may be true, you must remember that antique jewelry has a bit of a risk. If you want a legitimate certification such as GIA or an AGS certification, you will most likely not get that. In addition, there is usually no objective validation of the quality of the diamond in vintage jewelry. 

Related: Garnet VS. Ruby: What are the Differences?

While a seller may state that the cut is excellent, there isn't always a way to prove this. Plus, it's also challenging to understand the condition of the setting itself. Some questions you're going to want to ask yourself can include, "what are the odds of this deteriorating over time?", "What materials were used?" and "is the diamond held securely in place?". It's a lot of questions, but all of these need to be answered.

It's highly recommended to be careful where you buy your vintage settings. Is there a vintage jeweler vendor that you can trust? Sometimes, you can find them at estate sales, but certifications are usually not with the purchase. So, finding a trustworthy vendor and even requesting a certificate is highly recommended so you know if you're getting the real deal.

ARE VINTAGE SETTINGS WORTH MORE?

Generally speaking, vintage diamonds are not worth more than newly cut diamonds. They're usually equal in value or slightly less in value. While antique settings are considered more eco-friendly and rare to come across, this alone can decrease their value by 20%. While numerous factors determine a diamond's value, such as carat weight and color, you'll need a diamond appraisal to see how much a vintage diamond is worth.

Related: What are Crushed Diamonds?

WHAT ARE THE MOST POPULAR VINTAGE SETTING SHAPES?

This is going to come down to each person's opinion. But some diamond shapes prove to be more popular than others. Some popular diamond shapes include the princess cut, the oval, the round brilliant, and the cushion cut.

Explore Vintage Ring Settings

You will become more familiar with these eras and settings as you browse vintage rings. These settings can be found in many vintage rings. There are so many attractive options for your next vintage purchase. Whether you want the streamlined look of the Art Deco period or a romantic, ornate design of a Victorian ring, there is a vintage ring to match your style. 

All vintage rings are known for their uniqueness, making them a great addition to the collection. These rings can be bold and eye-clothing, unique and colorful, or delicate and sweet. By becoming familiar with these terms, you can discover the style that will suit your tastes. Along with that, you can even take some of these ideas and create a modern ring that looks similar to these antique ring settings. 

Do you need to mix and match bracelets, necklaces, and earrings with your antique rings? At LaCkore Couture, we have many styles and designs to create a stunning look.