Art Deco engagement rings

Popular Art Deco style engagement rings of the 1920s and 1930s are distinguished by streamlined geometric patterns and abstract designs using diamonds and gems in contrasting colors with some actually dating back to 1915. It was a time of dramatic social and political change when more Americans lived in cities than on farms for the first time ever.

Art Deco History - Diamond Sapphire Ring - 16958 from The Three Graces on Vimeo.

How Art Deco got its name

Art Deco took its name from the 1925 Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes held in France. This time followed on the heels of the scarcities of World War I and introduced a new opulence and extravagance in jewelry. New jewelry styles often emerge as reactions to major world events. For instance, before Art Deco, Art Nouveau displayed modernist elements inspired by the Industrial Revolution and World War I, and before that even Georgian jewelry motifs were influenced by things like excavations of the ruins of Pompeii and discoveries of Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign.

Art Deco engagement ring stylistic elements

Art Deco was inspired by technology and progress and engagement rings of this period introduced this progressive feel with stylistic elements like contrasting patterns, brightly colored jewels like rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and even black onyx, layered geometrical shapes including squares, triangles, and octagons, as well as symmetrical lines. Rings were crafted using silver-toned metals thought to represent a futuristic world since gold was considered old fashioned at the time. However, some natural world influences from the Nouveau period did make their way the Art Deco artistic style.

Art Deco engagement rings are in high demand, and like any vintage engagement or wedding ring, these rings offer the opportunity to find a one-of-a-kind ring, but where do you look? Visit antique stores, estate sales, and check with reputable jewelers who specialize in antique jewelry. The best advice I can offer is to take your time and stay within your budget. Ask if the ring can be resized and what metal it is made of, because antique rings with white gold bands are often a mixture of gold, silver and nickel and for many nickel causes an adverse reaction with prolonged skin contact. This happened to me when I tried to wear my mother’s wedding ring. So before you buy, it would help to establish whether or not this could be a problem. Also if it can be resized, will it affect the value of the ring? Lastly have the ring authenticated, because many quality replicas were crafted back in the 1980s, and today are sold as the real deal.

Photo credits: wikimedia.org

Courtship and marriage customs in the Georgian Era

Yesterday we looked at vintage wedding rings from England’s Georgian era. These handcrafted rings offer a variety of styles influenced by world events and more over 100 plus years (1714 to 1837). Today, these vintage rings offer classic craftsmanship with a romantic feel from yesteryear if you are lucky enough to find one, but courtship and marriage in the Georgian era often had nothing to do with romance or even love.

 

Don’t get me wrong, love was one reason a couple might have gotten married, but often marriage was a matter of convenience, like making a deal, for reasons like producing heirs, combining finances and families, or to get out of poverty or escape a life of loneliness. Author Jane Austen sums it up the reality of the times in her 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice when she wrote “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.”

Courtship

It may surprise some to know that the age of consent for courtship for girls was age 12 and for boys was age 14. However, even if they were betrothed at such a young age, minors under the age of 21 needed parental consent to marry.

Class prejudice

The Georgian era is known for rigid class prejudice and this played into choosing who you could marry. Choosing someone from the same class made things easier to marry. For instance, if the woman’s family didn’t have a adequate dowry she wouldn’t be likely to see male suitors from “good families” showing interest in pursuing her. However, a socially acceptable double standard allowed well-to-do men to keep a lower-class mistress without criticism, but if they married that same woman they faced condemnation and could even be shunned.

Sex before marriage

Back then, sex before marriage wasn’t illegal, but if the girl became pregnant, she would be pressed to name the father under the Bastardy Act, and such couples could be forced to wed. However, young men who served as apprentices were often committed to their role for seven years from age 14, and were not allowed to “commit Fornication, nor contract Matrimony.”

Marriage

Most couples didn’t get married until they reached their early 20s, once the man finished his apprenticeship and became financially stable. No matter the age, choosing the right companion was a huge decision because marriage was a lifelong commitment with "till death us do part" of their wedding vows taken seriously.

Superstitions related to marriage

Some people depended on superstitions to help find a spouse. One practice was to take place on St. Agnes’ Eve. In this case, the woman took a row of pins and stuck them in her sleeve one at a time, and with each pin she was to say the Lord’s Prayer. With this done, she expected to dream of man she would marry. Another superstition held at this time included the bad luck of walking under a ladder believing it could prevent you from being married that year!

 

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Photo credits: wikimedia.org, wikimedia.org

Vintage style wedding rings: Georgian Era

Vintage style wedding and engagement rings offer the perfect opportunity to find a unique one-of-a-kind ring. Georgian era (1714 to 1837) rings are a rare find, but worth the search if you’re looking for handcrafted quality jewelry. This period gets its name from the Hanoverian Monarchs of the United Kingdom who reigned during that time including four Georges: George I who reigned as king from 1714-1727, George II (r. 1727-1760), George III (r. 1760-1820), and George IV who reigned longer than any other king in English history. William the IV finished out the Georgian era reigning from 1830-1837.

Georgian Rose Cut Diamond and Emerald 5-Stone Band

Features of Georgian Era rings

Because the Georgian era covered more than 100 years, the style of wedding rings as well as other jewelry evolved over that time. The Baroque style led in popularity until 1750 with its over-all symmetry and thick ornateness. After 1750, the Rococo style emerged with lighter asymmetrical lines. As a result, the period offers a variety of popular motifs including: bows, crescents, flowers, leaves, and ribbons. The thing that the entire era has in common is that all the jewelry was handcrafted. In fact, the artisans hammered 18 k or higher gold ingots and other metals like silver (for gemstone settings), iron, and steel into thin sheets by hand before they even started to fashion the rings or other pieces.

Rings from the Georgian era often feature gemstones like sapphires, diamonds, and emeralds in closed-back settings. A popular choice included foil backings which enhanced the gemstones scintillation by candlelight. However, if you are fortunate enough to have such an heirloom ring, or to make such a find in your quest for the perfect ring, it is important to note that contact with water will destroy the delicate foil, so be sure not to wear the ring if your hands are going to get wet.

Another thing worth noting, if you’re in the market for a vintage ring from this era, is that because gold assaying wasn’t enforced until the 1900s authentic Georgian jewelry isn’t stamped, nor does it bear any maker’s marks.

Where to find Georgian vintage style rings

Finding vintage wedding rings from this time period can be very difficult, not just because they are from so long ago, but because the jewelers from that time often melted down pieces they considered out-of-date in order to craft pieces fitting the current trend. The best places to shop for these rare rings will be reputable antique jewelry outlets like the Antique Jewellry Company out of London.

Photo credits: Erica Weiner, Erica Weiner