Ring styles come and go with the changing times, as do all things fashionable. Some setting styles have remained staples in jewelry for years such as solitaire, three stone, and bezel settings. However, there are other lesser-known vintage styles that are sure to catch the eye and stand out from the rest of the pack.
1. Art Deco
Art Deco is a visual arts style that came about in France shortly before World War I. This iconic style has influenced architecture, fashion, cars, and especially jewelry. Some popular Art Deco settings that are still well known today include halo and four-prong settings. The box set was also an incredibly popular Art Deco design and first came about during that era. Four triangle-shaped prongs are set around the center stone, usually with diamonds set inside. This forms a box shape and allows light to flow through the diamond side stones for an elegant yet minimalist look.
2. Victorian Style
Characterized by opulent, luxurious designs, the Victorian style of jewelry is one of the most recognizable in the world. Many of the rings from this period or style are known for their yellow gold settings as opposed to the more popular silver or white gold in today’s times. Like the Art Deco style, there are many modern-day settings that were used in Victorian rings such as the three stone and bezel settings.
However, one of the most quintessential styles that emerged from that era is the buttercup setting. This setting features scalloped edges around the prongs of the ring, forming a beautiful petal-like shape around the center stone.
3. Georgian Style
The Georgian era of jewelry refers to a style and era in history during the reigns of King George I-IV from 1714 to 1840. This era was characterized by flamboyant fashion and extravagant jewelry. One of the most popular setting styles to emerge from this era is the cluster setting.
Similar to a halo setting, the side stones in a cluster setting are set close to both each other and the center stone to give an appearance of a greater size gemstone. Once one of the most well-known engagement ring styles, the cluster setting lost much of its popularity to more modern-day settings. However, it has seen a resurgence in demand in the last few years, likely due to a higher number of people looking to get more unique engagement rights that stand out.
4. Mid-Century
One of the more recent and popular vintage setting designs is the Mid-Century style. This style generally encompasses jewelry from the early 1940s to the 1960s. Emerging from a post-war society, engagement rings from this era were known for their toned-down, simplistic designs. The solitaire setting became extremely popular during this time, the popularity it still enjoys today. One of the most quintessential mid-century settings is a center stone flanked by baguettes, a cut popularized by the mid-century style that is still in high demand today.
