Vintage Wedding Rings have a romantic appeal. However, shopping for older rings can be tricky. There's some basic information you should know before even heading out the door to stores.
Antique vs. Estate Rings:
The word antique only applies to wedding rings over 50 years old, and really should only be used with rings over 100 years old. Estate rings are less than 50 years old (they can actually be brand new but simply part of an estate sale). So when you're looking for vintage wedding rings it's recommended that you ask to see only rings made before 1950.
Style File:
Each era of antique and vintage ring has some specific style points. Knowing these in advance can help you create a short list of what you really want to see, based on personal tastes.
If you like rose gold, for example, Victorian rings are lovely. They not only often have the rose colored gold (12K and 14K) you enjoy but incredible mine cut diamonds that continue to appreciate in value. Alternatively you may find Victorian rings with pearls – just be careful here. Pearls are very delicate and not the best choice for a ring you wear every day.
From 1900 – 1920 you'll find Edwardian style wedding rings, often made in platinum. The Edwardian style is typically filled with lace, filigree and scrollwork. The main gems used were diamonds (rose cut) and sapphires.
Art Deco rings start showing up in 1920 and remain on the scene for 10 years. Art deco has strong geometric lines and multi-cultural influences. A variety of gemstones show up in the rings, and platinum continued to be a favored metal.
The 1930s and 40s were the “diamonds are a girl's best friend” years and have rings with larger diamonds and intricate detailing.
Vintage Wedding Rings Buyer Helps and Hints
Antique Wedding Ring Sets can actually represent a great bargain, even though they're not cheap. If you were to get a custom piece today with the workmanship of vintage rings, it would likely cost far more than the price of the rings you've picked out.
Having said that, there are some things to be cautious about. Particularly some stones like opals don't stand the test of time as well as harder stones like diamonds. If you're considering wedding bands with soft stones, make sure you have them checked for cracks before buying.
Making the Purchase:
Thanks to online shopping, a larger selection of Vintage Jewelry is available to all of us. I recommend purchasing from eBay and paying for your purchase with PayPal. Together they protect you and they make it very easy to resolve any problems that may arise. If you are making a substantial investment, you will want to have your item inspected by a jeweler after it is received. Again, if there is a problem or the item is not as you expected, it is very easy to resolve with the seller, suing eBay & PayPal's buyer protection and dispute resolution processes.
Here are the current listings on eBay:
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| ESTATE TIFFANY CO PLATINUM LUCIDA WEDDING BAND RING | |
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$1,000.00 Time Remaining: 33m Buy It Now for only: $1,000.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Fine Vintage Estate 14K Gold Eternity Wedding Ring Band | |
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$589.00 Time Remaining: 42m Buy It Now for only: $589.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| ANTIQUE DIAMOND WEDDING BAND PLATINUM D 90CT G H SI2 SI3 SIZE 8 UK P1 2 VINTAGE | |
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$1,650.00 Time Remaining: 51m Buy It Now for only: $1,650.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage 14K Gold Diamond Cocktail Wedding Ring Band | |
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$2,289.00 Time Remaining: 54m Buy It Now for only: $2,289.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| ANTIQUE DIAMOND WEDDING BAND PLATINUM D 55CT F G SI1 SI2 SZ 7 UK N1 2 VINTAGE | |
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$1,800.00 Time Remaining: 1h 4m Buy It Now for only: $1,800.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| 14k gold antique wedding ring set with 1 ct of diamonds | |
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$599.00 Time Remaining: 1h 5m Bid now | Add to watch list |
| ANTIQUE DIAMOND WEDDING BAND PLATINUM D 35CT E F VS1 VS2 SZ 55 UK K1 2 VINTAGE | |
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$1,750.00 Time Remaining: 1h 8m Buy It Now for only: $1,750.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Fine Vintage Estate 14K Gold Eternity Wedding Ring Band | |
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$549.00 Time Remaining: 1h 12m Buy It Now for only: $549.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Estate Syn Ruby 18k Gold Eternity Wedding Band Ring Bridal Heirloom Jewelry | |
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$476.00 Time Remaining: 1h 18m Buy It Now for only: $476.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Beautiful Vintage Diamond Wedding Ring Retail over 2k | |
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$499.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2h 2m Bid now | Add to watch list |
| Estate Diamond Sapphire 18k Gold Engagement Wedding Ring Band Fine Used Jewelry | |
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$956.00 Time Remaining: 2h 28m Buy It Now for only: $956.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Antique Art Deco 18k White Gold Wedding Band Ring Vintage Sz 675 Estate Jewelry | |
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$295.00 Time Remaining: 2h 30m Buy It Now for only: $295.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Estate Three Diamond 14k Gold Filigree Flower Wedding Ring Band Jewelry | |
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$780.00 Time Remaining: 2h 30m Buy It Now for only: $780.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Antique Deco Diamond Syn Sapphire 18k Gold Wedding Band Ring Vintage Estate Old | |
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$796.00 Time Remaining: 2h 38m Buy It Now for only: $796.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Estate Diamond Platinum Wedding Ring Band Fine Heirloom Bridal Jewelry | |
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$500.00 Time Remaining: 2h 40m Buy It Now for only: $500.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Estate Yellow Gold Eternity Wedding Ring Band | |
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$399.00 Time Remaining: 2h 43m Buy It Now for only: $399.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Fine Vintage Estate 14K Gold Diamond Wedding Ring Band | |
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$699.00 Time Remaining: 2h 54m Buy It Now for only: $699.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Estate Diamond 14k Gold Wedding Ring Band Fine Heirloom Bridal Jewelry | |
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$556.00 Time Remaining: 2h 55m Buy It Now for only: $556.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Estate Diamond Flower Platinum Eternity Wedding Ring Band Fine Heirloom Jewelry | |
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$1,516.00 Time Remaining: 2h 56m Buy It Now for only: $1,516.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| VINTAGE SEAMAN SCHEPPS 14KT YELLOW GOLD SAPPHIRE RUBY EMERALD WEDDING BAND RING | |
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$999.00 (25 Bids) Time Remaining: 3h 2m Bid now | Add to watch list |
| Estate Diamond 14k Gold Wedding Band Ring Fine Bridal Heirloom Pre Owned Jewelry | |
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$556.00 Time Remaining: 3h 9m Buy It Now for only: $556.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| 14K carved vintage wedding band sz 8 3 4 | |
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$175.00 Time Remaining: 3h 11m Buy It Now for only: $175.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Stunning 14K Yellow Gold Diamond Wedding Band Ring | |
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$1,079.00 Time Remaining: 3h 19m Buy It Now for only: $1,079.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Estate Man Celtic Motif Wide Band Wedding Ring 18K Gold | |
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$1,299.00 Time Remaining: 3h 28m Buy It Now for only: $1,299.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| 55c Baguette Round Cut Cz Wedding Band Cocktail Ring 8 | |
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$41.99 Time Remaining: 3h 43m Buy It Now for only: $41.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Cubic Zirconia Wedding Band Ring Cz Hoop Earring Set | |
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$46.99 Time Remaining: 3h 43m Buy It Now for only: $46.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| 55c Baguette Round Cut Cz Wedding Band Cocktail Ring 7 | |
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$41.99 Time Remaining: 3h 43m Buy It Now for only: $41.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| 55c Baguette Round Cut Cz Wedding Band Cocktail Ring 9 | |
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$41.99 Time Remaining: 3h 43m Buy It Now for only: $41.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Estate Designer Art Carved 14k Gold Eternity Wedding Ring Band Jewelry | |
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$255.20 Time Remaining: 3h 56m Buy It Now for only: $255.20 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Antique Deco Diamond Gold Engagement Wedding Ring Band Vintage Estate Jewelry | |
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$900.00 Time Remaining: 4h 5m Buy It Now for only: $900.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Estate Diamond Gold Wedding Band Ring Fine Heirloom Pre Owned Jewelry | |
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$236.00 Time Remaining: 4h 6m Buy It Now for only: $236.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| One of a kind Antique Platinum Filigree ETERNITY Diamond Wedding BAND size 625 | |
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$1,840.00 Time Remaining: 4h 12m Buy It Now for only: $1,840.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| 14K Gold Comfort Fit Wedding Ring Band Estate Jewelry | |
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$499.00 Time Remaining: 4h 13m Buy It Now for only: $499.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Antique VINTAGE Handcrafted COPPER Wedding Band RING Sz 575 | |
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$2.84 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 5h Bid now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage 14K Gold Wedding Band 9 Diamonds | |
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$51.75 (12 Bids) Time Remaining: 5h 3m Bid now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Diamond Engagement or Wedding Band Art Deco 18K WG wow | |
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$300.00 Time Remaining: 5h 12m Buy It Now for only: $300.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| VINTAGE STERLING SILVER BLUE TOPAZ ETERNITYC LASSIC WEDDING BAND RING 75 | |
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$33.29 Time Remaining: 5h 20m Buy It Now for only: $33.29 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Estate Diamond Two Tone 14k Gold Filigree Wedding Band Ring Fine Jewelry | |
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$320.00 Time Remaining: 5h 23m Buy It Now for only: $320.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Fine Estate 14K Gold 5mm Comfort Fit Wedding Ring Band | |
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$399.00 Time Remaining: 5h 32m Buy It Now for only: $399.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Estate English Diamond Topaz Gold Wedding Band Ring Fine Bridal Heirloom Jewelry | |
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$316.00 Time Remaining: 5h 43m Buy It Now for only: $316.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Natural Blue Sapphire Eternity Style Wedding Band Ring Solid 14k White Gold sz 7 | |
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$639.00 Time Remaining: 5h 46m Buy It Now for only: $639.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Fine Created Ruby Eternity Style Wedding Band Ring Solid 18K White Gold | |
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$879.00 Time Remaining: 5h 49m Buy It Now for only: $879.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Fine Estate 14K Gold Comfort Fit Wedding Ring Band | |
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$499.00 Time Remaining: 5h 51m Buy It Now for only: $499.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Tri Color Signed Landstroms Black Hills Gold Diamond Estate Ring Wedding Band | |
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$191.25 Time Remaining: 5h 58m Buy It Now for only: $191.25 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Vintage Estate Diamond Gold Wedding Band Ring Jewelry | |
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$236.00 Time Remaining: 6h 5m Buy It Now for only: $236.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Estate 18k White Gold Diamond Wedding Ring Set Fine Bridal Wedding Jewelry | |
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$2,995.00 Time Remaining: 6h 20m Buy It Now for only: $2,995.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| ANTIQUE 14 K GOLD ITALIAN ETERNITY WEDDING BAND RING 7 | |
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$134.09 Time Remaining: 6h 34m Buy It Now for only: $134.09 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Antique Art Deco Platinum Wedding Band Ring Vintage Fine Jewelry Heirloom 475 | |
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$495.00 Time Remaining: 6h 46m Buy It Now for only: $495.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Antique Deco Diamond Platinum Wedding Band Ring Vintage | |
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$343.20 Time Remaining: 7h 5m Buy It Now for only: $343.20 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
| Fine Estate Diamond 14k Gold Wedding Ring Band Bridal Heirloom Pre Owned Jewelry | |
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$236.00 Time Remaining: 7h 6m Buy It Now for only: $236.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
