Antique Ring Settings Vs. Vintage Style Engagement Rings
Are you shopping for Antique Ring Settings? There are advantages and disadvantages to both antique engagement rings and vintage inspired engagement rings. Before you buy, be sure to take the following points into consideration.
#1 Condition of Ring
As beautiful and romantic an antique ring may seem, in reality you are buying a used ring with a lifetime of wear and tear. Depending on how well your ring was made and maintained this may or may not be a cause for alarm. Here are some quick pointers to look at before making your big purchase:
Prongs – Are they cracked, bent, missing, or worn down so they do not properly hold the stone?
Shank – Is it thin, bent, cracked, or are their wavy marks or discoloration at the bottom of the ring that may indicate excessive sizing?
If you answered “yes” to these, chances are you ring was not made via a die struck method, making routing repair and restoration difficult. Die struck ring hold up very well over time, whereas cast rings, though price-point-friendly, do not.
Regardless, you will want to make sure that an experienced jeweler takes a look at your ring. So, always have an option to return the ring if it’s too far gone when you buy it.
Or, you can buy a vintage inspired engagement ring that has the look you want with all the strength and structural integrity of a new mounting. Since this style of ring is so popular you will have lots of designs to choose from. Just look at our beautiful antique style engagement rings!
#2 Finding A Matching Band
If you want a well matched wedding set, the engagement ring and wedding band, then you may want to purchase and antique style engagement ring rather than an authentic antique ring setting. This is because there may no longer be a matching wedding ring available for the engagement ring. Granted, yes, you can look into having a ring custom made using a ‘design your own ring’ feature, like the one we offer. However, this is time consuming and can cost you more in the long run. Buying a new ring will allow you to work with the designer to get a ring that matches perfect.
#3 Fulfilling Your Vision
Often the idea of buying an antique engagement ring is far from the reality of buying one. You may find a ring that you love, but the stones, size, metal is not what you wanted. If you buy a new ring setting you can easily custom order the exact ring to you have always dreamed of!