Are Antique Engagement Rings Cheaper Than Modern Engagement Rings?

If you are looking for antique jewellery, Hatton Garden in London is probably one of the best destinations to do so. This is because London is a major fashion capital in Europe and boasts some of the biggest names in the game.

The choice of jewellery stores in this great city can be overwhelming. The challenge of shopping for the ideal jeweller is further complicated by the extensive variety in engagement ring types and styles offered in most jewellery stores.

The types of engagement rings that tend to be confusing to most people include

• Antique engagement rings
• Vintage engagement rings
• Vintage-Inspired engagement rings

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Difference between Antique, Vintage and Vintage-Inspired engagement rings

The common factor in both antique and vintage jewellery is that both can be period jewellery. This is because both classifications are based upon the time period in which a particular piece of fine jewellery was made. Engagement rings that are classified as vintage were made between 50 and 100 years ago. This gives the time period from the 1920s to the 1970s.

Antique engagement rings were made over 100 years ago. This means that engagement rings made earlier than the 1920s are essential, antique. Antique rings are further classified based on the monarch in power at the time they were made. Examples of such classes include Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian and others. Other classes of antique rings are based on a specific art form or even their intended use. Such examples include art nouveau and art deco. Most vintage jewellery London shops will offer an extensive range of antique engagement rings.

Vintage-inspired engagement rings, on the other hand, are rings that have been made to look like genuine vintage engagement rings. This means a vintage-inspired engagement ring is made using styles and cuts that had been used over 50 years ago. Thus vintage-inspired engagement rings are a type of bespoke engagement ring which means the rings have been customized according to a client’s specifications.

Price Difference Factors in Antique and Modern Style Engagement Rings

There are a number of factors that are considered when determining the price of both antique and modern style rings. This is why it is possible to find antique engagement rings that are more expensive than some modern style rings and vice versa.

Some of these factors include:

1. Craftsmanship

   Antique engagement rings offer the prime benefit of having been made using techniques, styles and cuts that are no longer in use. What this means is that an antique ring is, more often than not, a very unique item. This factor alone is enough to make antique rings made with exceptional craftsmanship quite expensive.

   This is not to say that the craftsmanship of modern rings is inferior to that of antique rings. However, the level of standardization within the modern jewellery industry is quite high. This is primarily because the high demand for engagement rings has made it necessary to mass-produce certain popular styles and cuts.

   Thus even though a modern ring can be quite exquisite, it is more likely that the ring does not feature unique styling or cut design. This is a major factor in making many styles and cuts of modern rings quite affordable.

2. Customization
   

   Unlike bespoke engagement rings, it is usually not possible to have customization done on an antique ring. This is mainly because the cuts, styles and materials that had been used on antique rings tend to be too delicate for any additional work. When such customization is carried out, it is quite expensive due to the exceptional skill needed to do so. This aspect of antique engagement rings can greatly lower their appeal in favor of modern rings.

   Modern engagement rings, on the other hand, offer a great choice in terms of the custom features you can add to the ring. The range of choice includes the cut of the diamond, style of stone’s setting, style of the band and even have a unique phrase engraved on the ring’s band. The choice of custom features you want on your ring can greatly raise the price you end up paying for a modern engagement ring. It is possible to save some money by limiting your customization choices to the essentials.

3. History
   

   Finally, the specific history behind a particular antique engagement ring can greatly affect its price. Antique rings with a rich and extensive past history can end up having exorbitant prices. These include antique rings that belonged to the rich and famous, rings that were once owned by royalty or rings that are associated with notable events in history. An antique ring needs not to have an elaborate history to be a piece of fine jewellery. You can save some money by going for an average antique engagement ring.

   Modern engagement rings tend to have a little history behind them if any at all. Thus, a ring’s history is not a major price factor with modern engagement rings.

Find your ideal engagement ring

Whether you want to wear a ring with charisma, a certain style, design or look, whether you want an antique or modern piece – at Ovadia Jewellery in Hatton Garden our engagement ring experts will be able to talk you through your options so you make the right choice, considering your ideal style and budget preferences. Visit our jewellery store to compare engagement rings to identify what suits you most.

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