Posts Tagged ‘Eras’

Elegantly Modern: Antique Style Engagement Ring

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Antique style engagement rings allow buyers to produce a flawless ring with the technology available today, yet maintain the craftsmanship and elegance of the rings of the antique eras. They also allow buyers to side-step the tedious process of finding the perfect ring from the specific antique era they desire, hoping that turns up at the jewelry shop the buyer happens to frequent. When the ‘luck’ needed to find the perfect antique ring seems to much to bear, having an antique style engagement ring created is the next best option.

Three Main Eras, Many Options

The most recent era is from 1920-1930, which is called the Art Deco era. Re-creating rings from this era is a lot of fun, since it is full of geometric shapes, with sleek lines and a lot of ‘glam’. Antique style engagement ring artists can also have a lot of fun with the Egyptian, Native American and Asian themes that are also common during this era.

Finally, there is the ability to play with platinum, diamonds as well as accenting the entire look with other color-packed gems. Just like the clothing of that era, antique style engagement rings are full of life and fun! If the look desired is a little more formal, yet still having use of a more modern metals such as platinum, then the Edwardian engagement rings are the ones to re-create.

This is the era running from 1900-1920. There were some technological advances during this era that allowed artisans to use platinum for the first time. They were also able to pierce the bands, allowing for more intricate patterns in the bands and settings. This gives a buyer a lot of options in an antique style engagement ring mimicking this era. In addition to the intricacy of the bands and settings, sapphires were also a stone of choice along with diamonds, which also had the ability to be rose cut during this era.

Finally, the oldest era is the Victorian era from 1835-1900. This era really takes an antique style engagement ring buyer back in time, since even the type of gold used isn’t commonly seen in modern engagement rings. Further, diamonds were not the only stones used in this era, as pearls, opals and emeralds were also used, which are softer and not as commonly used in engagement rings today.

However, the uniqueness of the stones and metals of this era create a plethora of possibilities in creating an antique style engagement ring. In addition, the rings created in all of these eras also may come in an antique engagement ring set so that the engagement ring and wedding band flow together into one complete artistic work, thus giving the antique style artisan an assortment of choices.

If you love this article, you will also love another article written by this article’s author on diamond anniversary rings and silver diamond necklaces.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/elegantly-modern-antique-style-engagement-ring-1719136.html

A Wonderful Treasure: Antique Ruby Engagement Ring

Monday, January 11th, 2010

For buyers in the market for a rare and precious engagement ring, antique ruby engagement rings are a wonderful option. Often found in Art Deco era rings, they are also found in the Victorian and Edwardian eras as well, as a unique twist on a traditional engagement ring.

Why Rubies?

Rubies have been known as the stone of preference for kings. Finding large, clear, deeply colored rubies are difficult to find, so they tend to be quite expensive. A ruby of choice has a deep red color, rather than the pinkish hues you more often see in lesser pieces. Therefore, antique ruby engagement rings are a rare pick, and a perfect choice for a once in a lifetime occasion.

Victorian and Edwardian Eras

The Victorian and Edwardian eras were known for their luxurious stones set in stylistic mountings. In the Victorian era especially, an antique ruby engagement ring would be a ring of choice, since they were more apt to use other precious stones than the traditional diamond. In choosing an antique ruby engagement ring, you are likely to find inclusions, or imperfections, in the stone. This is due to various reasons, technology of the time, misuse over the years or the choice of stone at the time.

Art Deco Era

The Art Deco era also includes antique ruby engagement rings. This era was known for its artistic flair, and the use of centerpiece stones besides diamonds was even more common. The ruby is a brilliant and striking stone, so it often became, if not the centerpiece of an engagement ring, at least the main accent of the piece, being paired with diamonds for a flashy look. The stones of this period are less likely to have the inclusions of the earlier time period due to technology, but each ring has to be carefully viewed for its quality.

Cut of Rubies

Antique engagement ring design guides the process of choosing the cut of the ruby in an antique ruby engagement ring. The most common cuts found in antique rings are oval or cushion cuts since the technology to do the more extravagant cuts found today was not available during those time periods.

Another cut that is very rare in antique ruby engagement rings is the star ruby, which is cut so that the large inclusion in the ruby is perfectly centered so that it looks like a six sided star. Antique ruby engagement rings were also not submitted to heat treatment, which helps rubies today to have a deeper color and luster.

If you love this article, you will also love another article written by this article’s author on laser engraving equipment and used engraver.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/a-wonderful-treasure-antique-ruby-engagement-ring-1702800.html

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