Jewelry is a sentimental item. Rings of course, are considered the most commonly associated sentimental item, as they’re associated with symbolism and a rich meaning. They’ve been a favored type of accessory for millennia, with some rings being reeds that were braided, exchanged between various lovers during ancient Egyptian times.
But, the modern rings started to change, and they’re more tokens of various things, with many of them exchanged, and even worn in order to symbolize so many things. Whether it’s friendship, good luck, promises, protection, and even marriage and engagement, there are tons of meanings. Here, we’ll go over the different types of antique rings, and what they mean.
Georgian Rings
The Georgian era went from 1714 to 1830, and it was a time of major changes in fashion, and jewelry too.
In this era, the upper class and aristocracy loved to get a bunch of different things, jewelry, clothes, and shoes all included.
Much of the jewelry that was made during this time was created in a handcrafted manner that was incredibly labor intensive. This was because the precious metals for this were detailed into various designs, through the use of chisels and hammers.
One super popular motif was the baroque, which was a design that was characterized by extravagant and inspired symmetrical patterns.
This style was used a lot of times in pieces that were larger, including brooches and necklaces, but that didn’t stop those who made it to put so much effort into replicating this unique style.
This also was the first instance of engagement ring exchange. It was a custom. They were a bit subtle compared to other fashion jewelry.
The rings that were given during this time was known as the poesy ring, which was a simple gold band that had some sweet and romantic statement to it.
It also was the era that popularized memorial jewelry which were used to preserve various memories of loved ones. Initials, tiny portraits, even hair were infused in these rings.
The Victorian Era
This was an era from 1837-1901 and was seen in the jewelry that queen Victoria herself wore, but it also influenced many trends that the upper class women at the time loved.
Queen Victoria loved intricate and unique designs, even owning a various collection of those sentimental types.
Engagement rings especially were a major point, as she had an iconic piece within her collection, a snake ring with rubies, emerald, and diamonds that were set into gold banding.
That ring symbolized wisdom and commitment, and usually, the rings would use the birthstone rather than diamonds, which was where the emerald came in.
Bright gemstones were popular within this too, such as sapphires, amethyst, and emerald. Jet and onyx were used in this, as this was getting popular.
They also used black gemstones for mourning jewelry too.
Edwardian Era
Finally, we have the Edwardian era which occurred from 1901 to right before the first world war in 1914. This was a glamorous era with many bright gemstones, and it also caused the popularity of daisy rings, which was a ring cluster that had bright centerpieces and diamond types of petals. These floral motifs still became popular, especially with queen Alexandria, who also loved flowers.
It also was when gold started to be used, along with platinum too, all of this growing in popularity.
Antique rings are gorgeous pieces, and they have a rich history to them, which we went over here, so you’ll be able to use this unique jewelry piece to make it really shine, in all of the best ways.
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