Where to Find Antique Engagement Rings

When you are ready to say “with this ring, I thee wed,” nothing will help you say it better than an antique engagement ring. As is our tradition of unifying the bond between a man and a woman through marriage, so is the custom of giving a beautiful ring to an eagerly awaiting bride-to-be. If you have a flair for the eccentric, and your taste lies within less contemporary boundaries, then antique engagement rings may be right up your alley.

Antique engagement rings can offer couples on a budget a unique alternative to their modern-day counterparts, as they are often-times less expensive and possess a distinctive beauty and allure that is unparalleled. Additionally, they are usually better crafted and can serve as an heirloom piece that will remain in your family for generations to come.

In our quest to find the best antique engagement rings, our first stop is Sylvia’s Antique Jewelry. Sylvia’s Jewelry offers unique, one-of-a-kind antique and estate pieces that range in price from $145 for a simple, 0.12 carat, yellow gold solitaire to $5,895, for a lovely vintage platinum, 1 carat diamond ring. Her fine collection of distinctive pieces contain a variety of cuts including old European, cushion and round brilliant cuts, to name a few. They have many extraordinary pieces dating back to the 1920’s Art Deco period on up through the 1960’s. What I like best about this store is that they offer a convenient layaway plan by which you can pay only 25% down and then make 3 subsequent monthly payments of 25%, until the balance is paid. A detailed description and images of each ring graces their website and shipping is done via UPS or FedX. Sylvia offers a 14 day, money back guarantee and unless you live in Texas, there will be no sales tax added to your purchase, which is an added plus when shopping online.

Next stop, EBay. This popular, online auction house offers a huge selection of vintage and antique engagement rings for substantially less than you would pay at a retail store. Prices range from $24.95 for brilliant, lab created stones to $88,949 for a 6.6 carat oval diamond. My favorite find on EBay today is a gorgeous, 1930’s, old European cut, platinum antique engagement ring. Weighing 0.73 carats, it has four, trillion cut sapphires surrounding the center cut diamond. Can you believe it is only $1600! Many stores on EBay offer similar deals with a 100%, money back guarantee policy and some are even shipped already gift wrapped. While the most popular method of payment on EBay is through Paypal, many stores also accept American Express, Visa and MC. With over 535 listings on EBay just today, you will find a variety of styles suitable for any budget, from simple yet elegant solitaires to intricate, old French style, Micro Pave settings. Again, sales tax will be excluded from your purchase, if you purchase an item outside of the state in which you reside! Wow!

One of my favorite shops for antique engagement rings is Leigh Jay Nacht Inc. They have a quaint, brick and mortar store, located in the heart of New York City’s luxurious diamond district at 10 West 47th Street, Suite 802, New York, New York. Whether you visit their retail or online store, previous customers rave about this place, claiming its impeccable services and merchandise are beyond expectation. And their rings are to die for! I actually found an original, circa 1918 Edwardian engagement ring here for only $4,350! It is fabulous! The store features both replica and original designs from the early to mid 1900’s from $860 to a whopping $16,500. Filigree galore, these antique rings are so intricate, they bring back a touch of the whimsical past in their simple, yet elegant designs. Added to the wonderful features of this store, are a 30 day, money back guarantee with your purchase, free ring sizing and inexpensive shipping via U.S. Postal Express mail. You cannot go wrong buying an antique engagement ring from this place, but you simply have to see it to believe it!

If you have not grown weary of our shopping trip today, then do make it a point to stop by The Way We Were. Located at 10 N. Main Street in Medford, New Jersey, this specialty store offers unique finds from pieces dated as far back as 1910. Don’t fret, they also have an online store for those of you who are not local, and it is definitely worth a click! What is so unique about this store is that many of their items were acquired from previous jewelers who closed up shop back in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. These pieces have never been worn, and sit, now, for one half century just waiting to be purchased by those who are truly looking for an authentic, antique engagement ring. Prices range from $650 for a simple yet elegant, circa 1930’s, 0.22 carat diamond ring to $4800 for a fabulous filigree style Edwardian piece, circa 1910, with a 0.88 carat diamond. What a steal! Resizing is free and if you are not local, items ship via UPS for $12, $20 to $40 for next day air. While returns are accepted here, make sure you read the return policy as conditions do apply. The showroom is open from Tuesday through Saturday.

M. Khordipour Enterprises has been in business for 25 years, and specializes in fine antique and estate jewelry at wholesale prices. With an immense showroom, the collection consists of 38 pages of antique rings with styles ranging in price from $600 to $24,000. This extraordinary collection of antique engagement rings includes a variety of cushion and old mine cut diamonds as well as various pieces from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco periods. Also note they frequently run sales and special promotions on certain items. Merchandise can be returned within a 14 day period and sizing, as usual, is free. They have a great layaway plan with a 25% deposit. They include a featured weekly item on their website and today, it is an extraordinary 1 carat, antique platinum ring with surrounding sapphires for $11,000. A bit pricy, but if you got it, baby, I say flaunt it, and as mentioned previously, they do offer a much lower price range for those who do not wish to be extravagant. And for the best part, they offer free, overnight shipping! What a deal and it truly is an online treat when you stop by to shop at this store!

Our journey continues as we move on to www.todiamonds.com. They offer antique and antique-inspired rings at 50-70% off of retail prices. Lower end pricing starts at $2,495 and escalates to the higher end at $7,595. Keep in mind, they claim that these prices are at least half off retail, so if you are purchasing a ring for $2500, then this ring, according to their website, is actually appraised at $5,000! While it may sound too good to be true, it does merit at least a sneak peek while only taking a bit of your time. Styles include diamond studded, filigree patterns, marquis and princess cuts surrounded by paved diamonds, round, brilliant sets and many more. Each piece comes with an exclusive, money back guarantee and a beautiful, designer gift box. Free shipping comes with most styles and financing is available for those who qualify!

Next stop is beautiful, historic downtown Redlands, California. Located at 27 East State Street, Emerson and Farrar, licensed California Pawnbrokers, specialize in rare estate and antique engagement rings. Open 7 days a week, they have been in business since 1959, and the twinkling magnificence of their jewelry collection will absolutely delight those who shop there. On the downside, however, their website leaves something to be desired, as it lacks information about the company’s return policy or shipping policies. While their styles look magnificent, and are definitely worth a glance, most people want details, and I am afraid that this site lacks them. But exclusive downtown Redlands is a great place to shop and it is worth the trip down there, if you are local. They do offer an online catalog in PDF format which includes beautiful, detailed pictures and an online price list. You will find their brilliant, timeless pieces range in price from moderate to high end, and they offer a variety of styles and cuts, including cushion, criss-cut, round and everything else in between. They even have a quaint heart shaped cut diamond ring! My favorite find of the day on this site, was a stunning, yellow diamond antique ring surrounded delicately by an assortment of trillion cut diamonds. Just fabulous, but unfortunately, once again, the price was not listed for this particular ring.

And finally, we are coming to the end of our journey where we will conclude our trip at Craig’s List. Many are unfamiliar with this form of shopping, but a large variety of cities around the country now have it. The listings are from private parties and some retail stores within each community and include pictures. You can do a specific search on the site for what you are looking for, as well as determine the distance that you are willing to travel to look at your new found treasure! Prices of antique engagement rings vary from day to day, as items are added or sold, but they usually range between $300, for something simple like a 0.25 carat solitaire, to $8,000 for something really grand like an exquisite, 1 1/2 carat antique engagement ring with a matching wedding band! Today, I found a gorgeous 0.63 carat, white gold antique engagement ring with an attached diamond wedding band for only $800. If you are not familiar with diamonds, however, it is a good idea to bring someone with you who does know about them, when you go to make your purchase, so you do not get taken advantage of. You can also utilize Craig’s List outside your local area, and while this would be okay if you are purchasing from a retail store, with private parties, you run the risk of buying something without seeing it and that may prove uninviting, at best.

I hope that you have enjoyed our journey today, and that this handy-dandy guide has helped you find a fabulous, antique engagement ring that will consummate the bond of your relationship forever, as only antique jewelry can!

Sources:

www.sylviasantiques.com
www.craigslist.org
www.ebay.com
www.estatediamondjewelry.com
www.todiamonds.com
www.antiqueengagementrings.com
www.the-way-we-were.com
www.emersonandfarrar.com