If you love history (and even if you don’t), you’re in for a treat because today Trumpet & Horn is giving us the history of engagement rings. From the Victorian Era’s romanticism to the geometric lines of the Art Deco Era to the more-is-more mindset of modern times, your jewelry education starts now. If this isn’t the best history lesson you’ve ever been given, it will certainly be the prettiest!
Named after the famous Queen Victoria, Victorian era jewelry were inspired by the trends of the time and the queen’s tastes in fashion and jewelry. Victorian era jewelry was extremely romantic, bold, and inspired by nature. Colored gemstones as well as diamonds such as black onyx, opal, sapphire, ruby, emerald, garnet and amethyst were very common, and the design of the ring settings were especially intricate and unique.
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Edward, Queen Victoria’s son, brought elegance and sophistication with him when he took the throne. During this era, platinum and white gold were being used for the first time in fine jewelry. Gemstones of choice reflected the colorful opulence of the times — sapphires, diamonds and pearls were most common in this era.
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This era was artistry at it’s finest. The Art-Nouveau age is best remembered for its handcrafted and unique design basics. Moonstones, opals, pearl, enamel and agates were the most popular stones, though each ring could be customized and hand-crafted to anyone’s liking.
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With the Roaring 20s in full swing, women were feeling more brave and confident than ever, which was reflected in jewelry design. For the first time, bold and geometric designs started to surface. Art Deco was a major ground-breaker for the jewelry industry with new and modernized technologies in production to support the new designs. Diamonds, onyx, coral, sapphires and emeralds were all extremely popular in this era.
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Can you say Hollywood Glam? The Hollywood look in the 50s brought a desire for wealth and high-class beauty. The Retro period can be defined by its use of polished yellow and rose gold. More often than not, large colored gemstones were set within smaller diamonds. The Retro period saw the rise in popularity of Aquamarine, citrine and amethyst.
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The time of new prosperity translated to diamonds, diamonds and more diamonds. Now, stones are mostly displayed in flashy and dramatic settings and no one is afraid to show their wealth on their finger. Today, we wear our diamonds loudly and proudly!