The 4 C’s – Carat Weight, Color, Clarity and Cut

 When considering your purchase of an antique engagement ring or vintage style engagement rings, there are four things to take into consideration-carat weight, color, clarity and cut.

Carat is a measure of weight for a diamond. The European Cut diamond as compared to a Round Brilliant of the same millimetre size can weigh as much as 10-15% more because of cut.  Most diamonds are under one carat and are measured in points.  One hundred points are equal to one carat, (1.00ct) whereas three-quarters of a carat is equal to, (.75ct).  Diamonds are usually purchased in “magic” numbers according to The Gemological Institute of America.  Those “magic” numbers are .25ct, .50ct, .75ct and 1.00ct. As it relates to size, a 1.00ct engagement ring vs. a .90ct is not discernable to the naked eye, but its cost is considerably more expensive.  When purchasing your diamond ring, just stay under the carat mark and you will save quite a bit of money.

Color is graded from D-F which is colorless to Z which is light yellow.

D-F              Colorless

G-J              Near Colorless

K-M             Faint Yellow

N-Z              Very Light to Light Yellow

After Z        Fancy Yellow

A great place to be when purchasing your diamond is in the Near Colorless range because the eye can hardly differentiate between Colorless to Near Colorless.  Your European Cut vintage style engagement ring can easily go to the M in the color range because the cut of this diamond camouflages its color beautifully and it will face up white.

Clarity ranges from Flawless to highly Imperfect according to The Gemological Institute of America and the grading takes into consideration the size of the inclusion, crystals or blemishes and its location. Grading is done with 10x magnification and assumes it is graded by a trained diamond specialist.  The grading is as follows:

FL                Flawless

IF                 Internally Flawless

VVS             Extremely difficult to see

VS                Slightly difficult to somewhat easy to see

SI                 Easy to see or eye visible

I                   Imperfect diamonds, heavily included and can affect durability

A great place to be all things considered is in the VS to SI1 range.

Cut refers to the faceting and not to shape – oval and princess cut, for example. Basically, when referring to the cut of a diamond, we can focus our thoughts on two different styles, the Round Brilliant and the European Cut diamond. The European Cut diamond, from the 19th century and earlier, is characteristically different from the 20th century Round Brilliant Cut. It has fewer facets and is hand cut in a way that enhances color and gives beautiful brilliance. 

The table of a European Cut is smaller than the Round Brilliant. The crown angles are higher making it heavier on top than the Round Brilliant of the same millimeter size. The thicker girdle is not  faceted. The pavilion is deeper and the culet is open.  It does not come to a point as it does today. It was designed to bring light in from the top and reflect back if looking at the diamond from the top. All of these factors taken into consideration improve the color. The European Cut is very popular now, as the Round Brilliant Cut diamonds cannot replace the unique and romantic antique diamond rings in vintage settings today.

Round Brilliant Cut diamonds were created by Marcel Tolkowsky and are cut to very specific calculations. They are more cone-shaped than the European Cut diamonds and have 58 or more facets.  The table is larger and the girdle, which is the section that separates the table from the pavilion, is faceted. The pavilion is not as high and it does not have a culet.  It comes to a point on the bottom. Polish and symmetry are also taken into consideration and every facet has the potential to change the rays of light giving it a lot of brilliance.

Buy Tips For Vintage Jewelry

 If you would like to purchase a piece of fine vintage jewelry, maybe a vintage engagement ring from the Edwardian period or a vintage brooch from the Art Nouveau period, you need only look for an estate jewelry store for exactly what you are looking for.

Estate jewelry is jewelry that has been previously owned. It could be vintage or contemporary. Vintage jewelry is jewelry that is 50 years old, so that would be from 1950 or before.

Vintage jewelry from the 1940’s or 1950’s is called Retro jewelry. These pieces are often in yellow, pink or green gold with large stone, swirls and or synthetic rubies and natural diamonds.

The Art Deco period from 1920-1935 contains some of the most fascinating jewelry you can find. Engagement rings, vintage brooches and other vintage jewelry were often made in platinum. Vintage engagement rings contained lots of filigree interspersed with delicate small diamonds. The center diamond was always a European cut or old mine cut. You would often time find synthetic sapphires, natural rubies or natural emeralds used as accents.

Brooches were also made with filigree, diamonds, colored stones and pearls. Often time, you can find a brooch that was used as a brooch or as a pendant. The back of the brooch contains a pin that goes just a little past the length of the brooch for use as a brooch and it would also hold a bail that could be flipped up for use as a necklace.

Dangle earrings were also popular during the Art Deco period. They contained diamonds, synthetic sapphires and natural rubies and emeralds. Bracelets had geometric shapes containing European cut diamonds and often time colored stones as accents.

The Art Nouveau period, which is my favorite time period for jewelry, lasted from 1890-1905. Most of the jewelry was made in gold with sensuous flowing lines. The Art Nouveau period created pieces of jewelry art using butterflies or dragonflies in flight, flowers, snakes or bats. This time was also known for using the shapes of a woman or a woman’s head with flowing hair. Plique a jour, a form of enameling, was also used. The gemstones used were pastel in color like moonstone, citrine, peridot and pearls.

These are just some of the vintage time period jewelry you could consider. You could also look for jewelry from the Edwardian period, 1901-1910 or the Victorian period, 1837-1901 as well. There is so much to pick from to add a different little something for every outfit you wear.

All About Jewelry & Its Definition

 When selecting the vintage engagement ring and wedding bands for yourself and your fiancée, it is important to know a little something about jewelry terminology.

Settings

Bezel Setting

The diamond sits on a plate of platinum or gold and is surrounded by a wall of metal that is perpendicular to the plate.

Prong Setting

Prong setting is different from bezel setting in that equal parts of the bezel are removed leaving prongs to cover the edge of the diamond. The Tiffany solitaire setting is prong set.

Bead Setting

Bead setting is different from prong setting in that small beads of platinum or gold are pushed over the edge to secure the diamond. Pave setting is bead setting over an expanded area of diamonds.

Channel Setting

This is a procedure where diamonds are set side by side along a groove and are secured by hammering the sides of the channel wall over the edge of the diamonds.

Invisible Setting

Diamonds are set in such a way that no metal is showing. No prongs, beads, channels or bezels are used. Grooves in the diamond girdle are set into a metal framework below the surface giving the illusion of diamonds suspended without any metal around the diamond.

Parts of the Engagement Ring

Head

The head of the ring is the top of the ring, the prongs and setting that hold the diamond.

Shoulder

The shoulder is the top part of the band of the ring next to the head.

Shank

The shank is the lower part of the band of the ring.

Types of Metal

Platinum

Platinum is a metal that comes out of the ground pure and white. It is soft but tough and pliable. It is resistant to knocks and will last for generations.

Gold

Gold is mixed with other metals (alloys) to make it strong enough for jewelry. For instance, 14 karat gold is 14 part gold and 10 part alloys. White gold is yellow gold mixed with certain alloys such as zinc or nickel to make it white. It must be rhodium plated (a type of platinum plating) to cover any hint of yellow. Pure gold is 24 karat and is too soft for jewelry.

Ring Re-sizing

Ring resizing is done when a ring becomes too large or too tight. A ring is too large when it keeps falling off. It is too tight after weight gain, during pregnancy or after eating too much salt. When the ring is consistently too tight, it should be resized to make it more comfortable. Ring resizing does not hurt the ring.

Re-tipping

Retipping is a procedure where prongs have been broken and need to be replaced or retipped with the original metal for the safety of the diamond.

Engagement Ring

An engagement ring is the first ring given to the woman at the time of the proposal. It is typically a diamond engagement ring but the stone could be a colored gemstone as well.

Wedding Band

A wedding band is a band that is given at the time of the wedding. It can be made of platinum, gold or other durable metal.

Eternity Band

An eternity band is a wedding band that contains diamonds or colored gemstones that go all the way around the ring.

Anniversary Band

An anniversary band is a band with diamonds or gemstones that are contained on the top of the ring going half-way around. It can be used as a wedding band or can be given as a gift for an anniversary.

Carat

Carat has to do with the weight of the diamond. One hundred points equal one carat. For instance, a three quarter carat diamond is written .75ct.

Karat

Karat has to do with the measure of the purity of gold, fourteen karat (14kt) or eighteen karat (18kt).

How to Tell If Your Diamond Is Real

How would I tell if my vintage diamond engagement ring is real? I bought it from an individual and I want to confirm what it is.

1. The first thing you can do is to take it to a reputable estate jewelry store to authenticate the age of your vintage diamond engagement ring. He or she can also tell you immediately if your diamond engagement ring is real and from what time period it is from.

2. You can breathe on the stone. If it fogs up, it is most likely not a diamond. A fake diamond will fog up immediately.

3. If the diamond is out of the mounting, drop the stone in a glass of water. If it floats it is not a diamond.

4. Draw a line on a piece of paper. Hold the stone over the line. If you can see the line through it, then it is not a diamond.

5. If you look into a diamond and you see flecks of black in it, it probably is a diamond. Picking the right diamond is an easy task. Just go to a reputable antique vintage jeweler. He or she can help you find a diamond that does not have any black spots inclusions to the naked eye. In fact, vintage diamonds are very often free of pique to the unaided eye.

6. Look to see if your stone is slightly greenish in color. It may be a moissanite, a man made diamond. Be careful. If you hold it over a line, you won’t see the line as you would with a cubic zirconia.

7. If your diamond is out of the mounting, a jeweler can weigh the stone for you. A diamond weighs 1.5 times more than a cubic zirconia.

8. If the diamond is being sold at a ridiculously low price, it probably is not a diamond. You have heard the saying, “You get what you pay for”. In this case, it applies.

Why Purchase Estate and Vintage Jewelry?

The lure of timeless beauty and sophistication enhance the unique design and rare craftsmanship of a previously owned piece of estate jewelry or vintage jewelry.

When buying Estate and vintage jewelry, you are cutting out the middlemen by not buying from manufacturers where gold and platinum is at a premium. When you find a trusted jeweler that specializes in this kind of jewelry, you have found a treasure. Value comes in many ways. Your jeweler buys from attorneys that handle estates, from auctions, from contacts close and far, and from individuals that come to the store to sell what they don’t need or want anymore.

It’s easy to find jewelry that is priced well and is unique. Once again, your estate jeweler has set up his/her store to carry the unique and one-of-kind. You can find things from as early as the Georgian Period, (1714-1830) to current times. 

Estate jewelry means previously owned jewelry and you have a lot to pick from. From Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco Periods to current times, each offers its unique design. The Georgian Period is known for its design of nature including flowers, birds, feathers and ribbon. It was also know for “en tremblant” where the item is mounted on a spring to make it look like, for example, a butterfly that trembles.

The Victorian Period is known for its flowers and animal themes which were delicate, as well as heavier jewelry made with colorful gemstones like peridot, amethyst, turquoise and garnet to name a few. The Art Nouveau Period is also known for its flowers, scrolls and shapes of women.

The Edwardian Period is known for its use of platinum with bows, scalloped edges and filigree that looked like lace. Art Deco Period is known for its filigree, especially in diamond engagement rings. Synthetic sapphires and emeralds were also used in all kinds of rings especially diamond engagement rings. When you see more modern jewelry, you will notice that it will have a heavier look with more geometric shapes and not quite as much detail. If you purchase designer rings you may get more detail but it won’t be as delicate and light as vintage jewelry.

You’ll find jewelry that is fairly priced, unique and contains finer craftsmanship when you buy estate and vintage jewelry. Nothing beats the flowing designs, for instance, of the Art Nouveau Period. If you are looking for value, uniqueness and craftsmanship, you need look no further. Estate and Vintage jewelry sale for you.

Antique vs. Reproduction

What Should I purchase an antique engagement ring or a reproduction?

If you are looking to purchase an antique looking engagement ring, why not buy the real thing. Nothing matches the delicate workmanship and one of a kind designs.

The most popular diamond engagement rings come from the Victorian era, the Art Nouveau period, the Edwardian period and the Art Deco time period. Actual antique diamond engagement rings from these times will be delicate. And, of course, you will be getting a period piece of one of a kind jewelry. You will not see any duplicates.

Finding a diamond engagement ring from the Victorian Era (1837-1901), can be more difficult to find than other time periods, but when you do they will primarily be made of gold with floral designs, fine scroll work and animal themes.

The Art Nouveau period (1890-1905) produced 14 karat or 18 karat diamond engagement rings with flowing, curvy lines and organic designs such as birds, butterflies, and flowers like poppies, orchids or irises.

Edwardian engagement rings (1901-1914) will be designed primarily in platinum with filigree, bows, honeycomb patterns, the look of flower garland or scalloped edges. Colored gemstones such as synthetic sapphires, natural rubies or emeralds were sometimes used to accent the jewelry design.

The Art Deco period (1920-1935) primarily produced diamond engagement rings in 18 karat or platinum. You can find your ring designed with diamond flecked filigree, which looks like lace work or possibly flowers. During this time period, gemstones such as synthetic sapphires were primarily used, but you can find engagement rings accented with rubies or emeralds as well. Diamond engagement rings during this period and the Edwardian time period can easily be found without any gemstone accents, if that is your preference.

With reproduction engagement rings, you are getting a piece of jewelry that has been made over and over again. It is not one of a kind as in the older time periods. Another thing to take into consideration is the clunky heavy look. You will not find the delicate workmanship of times gone by in new reproduction rings. And finally the new reproduction engagement rings are made by manufacturers that add their price on to the price of the ring. With vintage engagement, rings there is no middle man.

If you are asking for my opinion, the answer would be to purchase the actual vintage ring. You are getting a delicate one of a kind period piece of jewelry without all the tacked on prices of manufacturers. You will find vintage engagement rings at estate jewelry stores such as Gesner Estate Jewelry.