Why We Love a Vintage Engagement Ring
It’s #WeddingWednesday, so, for today, we thought we’d talk about one of our favorite things: vintage engagement rings. There are so many ways to describe rings these days, so many trends that we’re just starting to scratch the surface with - oval stones, floral-inspired designs, cluster rings, etc. - but vintage rings will ALWAYS be trending. And they might even be the easiest rings to spot RN. Scrolling through an endless feed of stunning engagement sparklers, you can challenge one of your friends to pinpoint all the vintage picks and he or she would probably be able to “I spy” them all, because they’re just so iconic and recognizable.
But one of the most telling signs of a vintage/antique engagement ring is the detail. Kind of crazy, right, that we're not saying it's the diamond or center stone? Nope, it’s the detail on the band, the intricacy in design that literally sucks you in. And several of our favorite brands, from Clean Origin to Eragem, credit it to filigree. ((You’ll want to remember that word, if you’ve been dreaming of a vintage ring forever and want to sound super woke when you approach a jeweler with your wishes for that all-important piece of jewelry)).
From the experts at Clean Origin
“Filigree -- the fine metal work that you see in many vintage rings -- adds an unbelievable detail to your ring.”
You’ve probably seen it before and never knew what it was called, but really, it’s pretty basic and describes any intricate ornamental design formed out of metal. The embellishment renders twisted, curled, scrollwork motifs into the band, to achieve a very elegant, feminine look. At first glance, you might liken the work to engraving, but it’s actually kind of the reverse. Instead of cutting away from the metal to reveal a pattern or artistic impression, filigree layers metal onto the band for a much more baroque and fanciful effect.
As soon as we had this word added to our glossary of gorgeous engagement ring elements - especially as it relates to vintage examples - we couldn’t stop finding ALL the prettiest filigree rings shoppable right now.