Antique Engagement Rings Prized By Serious Collectors

Antique collectors are constantly looking for unusual antique engagement rings for their collections and some of the most coveted are claddagh ring, a traditional Celtic design in which two hands are clutching a heart to symbolize the joining of two hearts into one.

Additionally, many of the first antique engagement rings were made of gold, silver or iron with a precious stone fashioned into the ring.

One of the first rings was said to have been offered in the year 4 AD, but engagement times were established in 1215 and the ring was used as a promise to be married.

In some of the more detailed antique engagement rings the first letter of the names of the precious stones were used to spell the words dearest or regards, making them considerably more valuable to collectors due to the types, as well as sizes of the stones used in the ring.

Diamonds, chosen for their durability were used in antique engagement rings for several centuries, but a successful advertising campaign by the de Beers diamond company moved them to the front of western culture in the 1940's.

The metals used were soft and easily fashioned into rings, unlike the use of platinum and titanium sometimes used today, and the types and number of jewels used in antique engagement rings made a statement about the social status of the couple to be wed.

Antique Jewelry Made In Unique Style

Unlike modern jewelry, antique engagement rings were individually crafted by hand and there were no two alike.

Today's mass production technologies makes it difficult to find rings that are unique to the individual couple. This aspect of the rings make them more desired by some couple that wish to display their individuality, for which they are willing to pay possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars on antique engagement rings.

Some couples are fortunate enough to have antique engagement rings handed down through generations and a man who offers an engagement ring from two or more generations in the family is making a huge commitment to his future bride, knowing that if the engagement does not lead to a wedding, he may never see the rings again.

While many of the antique engagement rings will be considerably more expensive than even some of the fine modern jewelry, simply because something is old does not justify a higher price tag. In some cases, antique engagement rings may be old enough to be considered antique but lacks the quality and style to make it desirable.