Vintage-weddingrings.com

In January of 1901 Queen Victoria of England had passed away, and her son Edward succeeded her to the throne. The Victorian Era was over, and while Queen Victoria had shunned society, the new King of England, Edward VII, embraced the fashions of Continental Europe, and ushered in the era of the fashionably elite. The era abruptly came to an end with both Edward’s death, and World War I, playing significant roles in its demise. However, the jewelry and fashions of that time will forever be known in the annals of history as a time of remarkable craftsmanship and exquisiteness.

The Edwardian Era is often called the “beautiful era”, largely in part because of the advancements in jewelry making and production. Edwardian engagement rings were particularly stunning. Jewelers discovered that they were able to make intricately beautiful designs, using platinum, one of the hardest and most durable metals available. Handmade Edwardian engagement rings had an airy feel to them, and often used diamonds or pearls for adornment. Milgraining was heavily used in the making of Edwardian engagement rings. This allowed for small borders of platinum beads to be used in the jewelry making, adding a delicate and soft look to the Edwardian engagement rings. Expensive gems like emeralds, pearls, diamonds, and rubies were used to make elaborate designs that made the rings appear as if they were set in lattice, rather than metal.

During this period, a time when authors like J.M. Barrie and H.G. Wells were making names for themselves, many of the Edwardian-designed pieces incorporated expensive gems in elaborate designs and motifs. The Edwardian Era is characterized by its own unique sense of fashion, with Art Nouveau playing a strong influence in design and decoration. Popular films like Mary Poppins, Howard’s End, and My Fair Lady, show off some of the classically beautiful designs that symbolize this golden age for the British Empire.

Influenced by the new development of automobiles and electricity, artists developed astonishing techniques that added depth and grace to Edwardian engagement rings. Interestingly enough, due to the handmade nature of the rings, it was virtually impossible to get ring “sets” that were identical. Each exquisitely designed piece of jewelry had its own individual look and feel.

The engraved lattice patterns on the bands and crowns, superior quality gemstones, and artistry that is both sophisticated and classic, reveal a depth and beauty in jewelry design that still has a very strong place in the world of engagement rings today. Edwardian engagement rings offer us a glance at timeless jewelry, made in an era that defined magnificence and fashion.

Here are some examples of Edwardian Style Engagement Rings I found on Amazon.com