Must See Vintage Inspired Engagement Rings

Vintage is the new contemporary. Engagement ring designers across the world are embracing the beauty of the antique look and pieces which are headlining collections are distinctly different in style to the sleek, clean lines of the minimalist and utilitarian designs of the past decade. Stunning swirls, fine filigree, warm metallics and a return to some older style gemstone cuts are heralding the arrival of the vintage inspired engagement ring.

A wonderful reverence to a golden bygone era of Edwardian and Art Deco looks, these engagement rings are modern classics and look exquisite on the finger of any lucky bride to be.

One designer who has fully embraced the desire for engagement rings which echo classic times of the past is Verragio.

Creating stunning jewelry for over 20 years, the collections are known for fluidity of lines and delicate, feminine accents. Available in a range of metals including the warm, soft rose gold, the most iconic element of a Verragio ring which details the vintage look is the popular Lumino setting.

Diamonds sit on high, softly swirling profiles and combine the new and the old with the subtle blend of metals. Shades of France a century ago shine through the designs with the stunning Parisian Collection and with the Insignia Collection it's all about elegant glamor and showcasing of classic cuts.

Ropework is a prominent design element to many vintage engagement rings and those by Verragio exquisitely show this aspect to the maximum. Braided shanks with rows of round cut brilliant diamonds glisten and sparkle and the wearer owns a future heirloom from the minute she first puts it on her finger.

Verragio understands that every woman wants their engagement ring to be unique and their Lumino setting certainly gives each piece an individual look. It shows the center diamond to its best with the maximum amount of light shining through whilst at the same time adding interest to the whole ring with the wonderful detailing such as that in the engagement rings in their Couture range.

Whilst round cut brilliant and princess cut diamonds continue to be the most popular choices for engagement rings, there are a number of other cuts which are seeing a resurgence in popularity. In addition, those wanting to combine vintage and contemporary are mixing modern cuts such as the princess with a vintage setting to create a ring which is the best of both worlds.

Cuts which are increasingly being used by designers include:

• Emerald
• Rose
• Single Cut

All of these 'old' cuts were ground-breaking within their era and the emerald cut in particular is currently being used for large statement rings with a vintage flavor because of the way it invokes the look of the 1930s. Emerald diamonds are created with step cuts of the pavilion (the bottom part of the gemstone) followed by the precision-cutting of a flat top. The overall effect is that there's less sparkle than a round cut brilliant but the beauty is the hall of mirrors effect that it creates with the ever-changing light and dark of the planes. The elegance of this vintage cut lies in the long lines and the unexpected flashes of illumination.

Over the last decade or so, white gold and palladium have been the favored metal for engagement rings with some expecting white gold to be as popular as yellow within five years. Again, those wanting to celebrate the beauty of a vintage-inspired ring but give it a modern twist are purchasing pieces which have the design of time gone by but using metals which are seen as chic and very 21st century.

However, there is a quickening trend for the use of a metal which for many years has been seen in a few, but not many ring designs but is now coming to the fore; the use of rose gold.

Rose gold gives any piece of jewelry an instantly distinctive vintage look. It looks warm to the eye and has a soft, enveloping radiance. Created by combining yellow gold with copper and a small amount of silver, it has a soft glow and sheen which is available as 18k or 14k. It looks soft to the touch but in reality is very durable and is perfect for anyone with hard-working hands who desires a feminine appearance of their ring.

Any vintage-inspired ring creates an antiquated impression however the actual profile of the ring itself is what gives the piece the defining look of being vintage.

Contemporary designed rings often have a low, smooth profile where the shining, highly-polished band of metal runs with fluidity to the gemstones in the center. Vintage look rings are adorned with a profile which includes intricate scrolls, beautiful filigree-work and raised rows of pavé diamonds flanking the sides of the design as well as often encircling the stone in the middle.

The Art Nouveau era which came after the Edwardian period and preceded the geometric times of the Art Deco years saw the first real popularity of filigree in jewelry and this is where modern vintage pieces often hark back to. Resembling climbing vines and entwined flowers, the skills of the ring maker were plain to see then when they created rings with filigree profiles and this work is now being seen again in the collections of top ring designers.

For those who want the ultimate in brilliance and illumination, rows of pavé diamonds set into a wide profiled band are their nod to the vintage style resurgence. A look which is all about glitz and glamor, it's for those who are passionate about the Hollywood styles of the 1940s and 50s and want to pay homage to the exquisite styling of the day. This is also a popular look for those who are planning to wed and want a large colored gemstone in the center of their ring as the surrounding diamonds really make the purity of the hue of perhaps the sapphire really stand out.

Timeless looking vintage rings emanate from romantic eras of the past and the most distinctive element of this genre of jewelry is the gemstone – or gemstones used. Whilst diamonds will always be the most popular choice for the large majority of engagement rings, vintage designs give scope for the use or addition of precious or semi-precious stones which reflect the time they were last used as the symbol of proposal.

Utilizing the skills of a bespoke craftsman to create the perfect vintage ring, the use of opals, sapphires, rubies and emeralds now sit proudly in the center of the setting or are used as accent pieces in three-stone designs to flank an intricately cut diamond. For those choosing semi-precious colors, aquamarines and amber are those which are set into bespoke-made rings which are evocative of the 1920s; where the Charleston dance was all the rage and the upper classes enjoyed new and exciting drinks called cocktails.

Make 2016 the Year to Look Forward to a New Life Together with a Ring Style which Harks Back to a Time of Sophistication. This year is really the time to choose a vintage style ring if you really want to create the perfect complementary look of old and new. Match with a wedding ring of rose gold to really give the pairing gravitas and opt for a two-tone men's wedding ring which combines the masculinity of palladium with a subtle thread of rose gold subtly integrated. Head to the loose diamond section here to start building your vintage style ring today.