So You Want to Buy a Vintage Style Ring

Searching for and finally buying your first vintage style ring can be a really exciting experience. It can also be disappointing if you end up making a purchase that later turns out to be a reproduction or simply a piece of costume jewelry.

Before setting out to make that first grand purchase, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

A vintage ring was most likely created between the years of 1940 and 1970. Anything older would be considered antique, and anything newer would be considered contemporary. Although this just seems to be a matter of terminology, it may have a very great impact on the price you will pay for your piece.

Another thing to look for in your vintage style ring is the setting. Most authentic quality vintage rings were created with pronged settings and not glued in.

If your vintage ring carries a copyright, it is also an indicator of the age of your ring. As a rule, copyrights were not added until after 1955. If your ring does have a copyright, then you will know it was not made before that period.

Before heading out or logging online to hunt for your precious piece, it is wise to educate yourself on some of the periods of vintage jewelry that you may come across in your travels. Periods of jewelry production you should familiarize yourself with are Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Victorian.

Some of the prominent designers during the vintage production periods are DeLizza & Elster, Weiss & Eisenberg, and Miriam Haskell. Some of the lines of vintage rings and jewelry that these designers created were known by the names of Juliana, Gloria and Tara.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when you start looking for your first vintage style ring or even when you’re looking to add another precious addition to your collection.