Defined by the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837-1901, vintage engagement ring styles from the Victorian era were inspired by her eternal affection for her beloved husband, Albert. Divided into three very distinct periods, each with its own unique style, many important changes took place in the jewelry industry during this period.
Early Victorian black opal engagement rings, generally produced from the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign until the 1860s, were recognizable by their bright colors, large sizes, and bold designs. Gemstones typically used were amethyst, bloodstone, chalcedony, garnet, moss agate, topaz, and amethyst; diamonds - when used - were usually small. Vintage engagement rings from this early period of Queen Victoria's reign reflected her marriage to Prince Albert and saw the rise in popularity of the Victorian serpent ring, a symbol of eternal love, which became popular when Prince Albert presented Queen Victoria with a snake and emerald engagement ring. . Jewelry designers looked to Queen Victoria for inspiration; whatever the queen wore became fashionable. While rings from this era are more than 150 years old, many display sophisticated metal and filigree work and quality settings.
Mid-Victorian styles took on a completely different tone after the death of Prince Albert in 1861, with memorial or mourning rings becoming very popular. Design styles were much less ornate but much more sophisticated, with popular motifs including acorns, hearts, bees, birds, stars, insects and shells. For those couples interested in rose gold engagement rings, this period is a good place to start your search, as rose gold opal engagement rings were very popular during this time.
The mid-Victorian period, from 1860 to 1885, saw a number of important changes, including the 1849 gold strike in California and the passage of the Gold Stamp Act of 1854 in the United States. Perhaps most important was the opening of the South African diamond mines in 1870. Prior to 1870, diamonds were relatively rare and most diamond rings contained only clusters of small diamonds. Mining holes meant that larger diamonds were available for use in engagement rings. As a result, this period saw a significant increase in the use of gold and diamonds in jewelry, but opals, crystals, emeralds, black glass, jet, and pearls were also among the most popular gemstones and designs.
Opal Rings of the late Victorian era, from 1885 to 1901, were defined by the prominent use of diamonds and pearls. The solitaire diamond ring made its first debut when Tiffany introduced the six-pronged diamond solitaire in 1886, which quickly became very popular. It was during this era that the use of platinum for ring settings became widespread, replacing gold and silver settings, and there was a significant shift from hand-made rings to mass-produced rings. Unfortunately, many years old metalworking techniques were lost in the transition.
There are a variety of Victorian designs to choose from if you've decided that the Victorian era is your favorite era for vintage engagement rings, so it helps to know what to expect in terms of gemstones, designs and styles.
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