With all the options out there for engagement rings, it can often be challenging to know just which one is perfect. Modern engagement rings have all the glamor and style you could want, with diamonds cut with overall precision and settings made from the finest gold, white gold, and silver around. There are numerous shapes, sizes, and features to make each ring individual. But what if you don’t just want individual? In that case, traditional engagement rings are a wonderful way to go. They offer uniqueness that you can’t find in a modern, factory made ring.

Antique engagement rings commonly come from the late Victorian era through the 1940s. As rings from the past reflect the popular tastes of their time, each era provides different rings. The rings made at the turn of the century through the 1920s were typically made in platinum and white gold. What are amazing about these specific rings are the gorgeous filigree (lace-like) details they consist of. You would often see rings from these eras with side diamonds and complex designs in the shape of hearts, geometric shapes, leaves, and flowers.

The essential point to remember is to not assess antique rings as you would modern ones. The Four C’s still apply in identifying the cost of the ring, but because of different choices, you need to look even deeper than that.

When it comes to the carat size, typically the larger the stone, the more costly the ring. However, many rings in the 1930s and 1940s were set in square-shaped bins to give the illusion of a bigger diamond. This works much the same way as the modern halo and paves settings. For someone on a budget, this can be a great substitute for getting the look of a larger diamond without getting to pay for it.

When it comes to color, the more well-known trend at the turn of the century was for a diamond to reflect a rainbow of colors. Nowadays, people tend to be drawn to bright white diamonds. This can also be an identifying factor in price.

The cut of antique diamonds does vary a little bit to today’s cuts. Techniques for cutting and the taste for specific cuts have definitely changed. Modern diamonds are cut with lasers, which offer accurate shapes to maximize light reflection. Antique diamonds were cut by hand, creating more variation and often a softer look is linked to them.

In terms of clarity, traditional jewelers had very high standards. After investing so much time delicately designing the setting and band, they would never put anything less than a high quality stone in as the focal point.

When it comes to buying your true love’s engagement ring, the most important factor to remember is that the ring has a character, much like your future betrothed. Buying an antique engagement ring provides something various and truly unique as the hands of a skilled artisan made it. They essentially captured elegance and romance providing their rings a truly one-of-a-kind experience.