How to Choose Antique Wedding Rings

By Harry Dubois

Selecting antique wedding rings is a choice the bride and groom must both agree to.

It is not quite right that one has an antique ring and the other does not. In The majority of situations, a couple has decided that they would like a traditional wedding, with old style romance and antique wedding rings to seal their union, so by and large it is simple for a couple to decide whether or not they need them.

Obviously, contemporary weddings are not the right occasion for this style of ring, and vice versa. Normally, it would be something you would wish to reproduce throughout the wedding day and is major feature of your wedding's theme.

As you would expect, there are some couples that are married, and may well decide they can better afford new wedding rings when they are older, or as an anniversary gift.

An alternative situation where antique wedding rings can come into the picture is, via a family heirloom that was passed down from an older member of the family, maybe a granny or an Aunt. Whichever situation arises, here are a few tips for those that are in the market to buy on of these rare and beautiful pieces.

1) Investigate the sellers you are taking into consideration. This ought to go without saying, but there are a few methods to purchase antique wedding rings, Including, online, jewellery stores, antique stores and not forgeting estate sales and auctions.

If you're looking for an authentic antique, you may well need to consult a pro jeweler or antique dealer prior to pursuing your rings.

2) Take your time to uncover the style you would like. Keep in mind that jewelers can also replicate the look of an antique ring. As some couples like the looks of antique wedding rings and do not mind if it is not, an actual antique. So having a ring made by a jeweler would be a great option for these couples.

Don't rush into buying a ring until you have decided exactly what you want. Furthermore, identify if it really matters whether they are real antiques or not.

3) An antique or jewelry valuer can give you a detailed appraisal of the rings you're looking at and confirm whether the gemstones are authentic and if they are truly antique. Many that are Looking for authentic antique wedding rings will need to have a credible antique dealer look on their behalf or value any rings they find.

You may also want to get an appraisal for insurance purposes anyway, so this is an obligatory act to protect yourself and get a good Idea of what the rings are worth.

4) If you are lucky enough to have the choice of more than one antique heirloom, you may want to consider having new stones inset in to your ring, which would have to be sized first. Deciding on whether or not you are going to search for the standard heirloom quality can help you define which route to take to choose your antique wedding rings.

Regardless of what criteria you use for picking antique wedding rings, there are a wide range of styles and sources to get them from. Just be sure to protect yourself and take some time while choosing antique wedding rings for your day of marriage.

For further information on what to look for in the style an period on antique wedding rings plus get a good idea of the rang of prices and reputable dealers go and indulge yourself at

http://www.squidoo.com/antiqueweddingrings

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Tips on Finding Rare Antique Diamond Wedding Bands

By Amy Wells

Antique diamond wedding bands could be a sensible alternative to contemporary ring selections, and you may also make an investment that may appreciate if you are purchasing a real antique that has some rarity by the character of the design and the quality of the stones. Ages where the diamond wedding band was preferred include the Victorian age, The Edwardian era, and the Art Deco Period.

However, you don't always need to go back that far to find a quality antique diamond marriage band. For example, an advantage to purchasing antique rings from sixty to seventy years ago, is that in the 1930s and 1940s is that jewelers regularly compensated for a smaller sized diamond by setting it in an intricately designed white gold, square-shaped box, making the stone appear bigger.

If you need to go back farther, antique diamond engagement rings from the early Victorian age are uncommon, but not unlikely to find. Both the Edwardian and the Victorian period saw motifs like hearts, scallops or honeycombs worked into the design of the ring, reflecting the periods fragile embroidered clothing. In may cases, you may find a setting from that period with no stones intact. In reality, if you see a setting you like, it can be redone with newer stones. Depending on how far back in time the buyer wants to go, there are plenty of fitting already designed in antique style that will look exceptional with newer diamonds.

There are a variety of ways that you can get antique diamond wedding bands. It doesn't have to be the traditional family heirloom that is passed down through generations. Actually, you should purchase heirloom quality antique wedding rings from estate sales, and some professional jewelers have exact antique marriage rings in their inventory that were taken in as trade or thru jewellery auctions.

By Amy Wells

If you don't want to risk purchasing your vintage wedding ring online, auction homes and estate sales are other options. When buying at an auction the ring will probably come with a certificate, but estate sales could be a tiny bit riskier.

The important thing is that you are pleased with whatever option you choose. Antique diamond wedding bands are a wise alternative when you are looking out for a different style of marriage rings that are unique and have history behind them, also. Of course, a reproduction can serve the purpose if you wish to design your own, and do not care that much about the antique quality as much as getting the appearance of antique wedding rings.

Find antique diamond wedding bands and learn how to save thousands on your wedding with a free ebook-"Wedding Savings Revealed" at http://www.yourweddingengagement.com

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Vintage Wedding Rings - Searching For the 3 Most Popular Styles

By Patrick Sheen

Vintage Wedding Rings have always had a certain appeal and have remained a popular choice amongst couples looking to get married. One of the reasons is that there is a very wide variety of traditional designs that transcend time that never go out of style. Another possible reason is that there are so many modern and unique wedding rings on the market, that it can be a difficult and time consuming process to decide on what type of ring to get.

Vintage wedding rings are not only a symbol of love and commitment, but are also cherished items that increase in value over time making them a great investment as well. These are timeless rings that are heirlooms to be passed down through the generations.

So what are the differences between vintage and traditional rings? First of all, to be considered "Vintage" or "Antique", these rings must be at least 50 years old. They are usually hand crafted, consisting of white gold or platinum and can come with a variety of stones and gems depending on the era they were made.

The most popular time periods for vintage or antique wedding rings are the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras.

The earliest era of wedding rings would be the Victorian style rings. These rings date anywhere from about 1835 to 1900 and were mostly crafted from yellow or rose gold. These are probably the most ornate of styles out of the 3 most popular eras. Victorian wedding rings usually have elaborate and very intricate designs incorporating traditional white cut diamonds set into the band. These vintage wedding rings are the rarest to find out of the 3 varieties we are talking about and can fetch for very high prices.

Edwardian wedding rings are also another popular era of ring that date from approximately the 1900-1920s. In this time period, it was very much in fashion to craft rings out of platinum and rose cut diamonds or sapphires. The Edwardian style incorporated interlaced intricate scrollwork, milgraining and filigree details that have been admired throughout the generations and is one of the reasons why they are still in demand today. Depending on the quality and rarity, these can be very expensive rings, however they can also be a very good investment over time.

Art Deco rings are probably the most popular out of all 3 eras, which date from about 1920's-1930's. These were very exciting times in the US, expressed through a revolution of art and culture not previously experienced in the century past.

Thus Art Deco was born, and with it came a variety of innovative designs that encompassed many cultures that ranged from Native American, Egyptian and Asian influences, creating expressive and very exciting themes never before seen. The beauty about art deco wedding rings is that many have contrasting gemstones such as jade, diamonds and rubies all in a single setting, giving off some very eclectic and exotic designs. These are definitely the most "modern" of wedding ring designs which probably contribute to their immense popularity. Vintage art deco wedding rings can also be quite expensive, yet there are more chances of finding a more affordable ring in this style as opposed to Victorian or Edwardian antique wedding rings.

If you are in the market for a vintage wedding ring, there are a wide variety of resources available online to give you some ideas on what you may be be looking for. Remember these are not cheap and can cost into the thousands of dollars for an authentic ring. However an original hand crafted design from a previous era can make for a great investment as these are also collectible items that will increase in value over time.

Written by Patrick Sheen. For more information please visit: Vintage Wedding Rings

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Antique Style Wedding Rings - Things You Should Know About

By Diane Winter

Looking for the perfect wedding rings is a daunting task. It requires patience and a fixed mind: two of the qualities most bride-to-be's come up short of. There are just so many wedding rings advertised and sold out there that really, it can take you a week before you and your partner can both decide, and sometimes compromise, on.

If you and your man are into old-fashioned romance, then lucky for you both, you have at least some idea on what you want your wedding rings should be. You have two options for this: one is to look for the family heirlooms, and second is to look for antique style wedding rings. For the family heirlooms, you will not only be saved from the hassle of buying the rings, but also end up having authentic and really pricey wedding rings for free. In short, you and your partner will be silently thanking the ancestor and benefactor of such rings.

If you do not have such heirlooms, or you have but don't like them, then the antique style wedding rings are for you. The beauty of these rings is that they have the ability to look old without being such. As it is, there are a lot of antique style wedding rings available in jewelry shops and all you have to do is pick a set.

As usual, as wedding rings go, if you do not like any of the rings shown in the jewelry shop's catalogs, you and your partner can design it yourselves. You can browse photos and samples of antique wedding rings or ones that look antique and design your own set according to what you've seen. If you and your partner are not that sure with your own designs, ask for help with the jewelry designer. He, or she, will guide you in the process; just make sure that you describe everything in detail. This will help him greatly in coming up with a design that you will love and also help you avoid disappointments upon seeing that the finished product is not like anything that you have asked for.

These rings can be made of yellow or white gold, silver, titanium, platinum and the like. It is interesting to note that lately, couples opt for such rings, especially the ones that are made out of platinum or white gold. This is because such materials, plus the design, reflect the past while also showing the present. In this way, the past and present are seen in one item. With the way that they are designed and the material that they are made of, these wedding rings also say that the wearers are stylish irregardless of time.

Another reason why most couples nowadays opt for the white gold or platinum material lies on the fact that they have this bright and contrasting appearance, making them hard to miss. Unlike yellow gold, white gold does not fade. So you can scratch out the constant trips that you will be making to the jewelry shop to have it cleaned to make it yellow and gleaming again. As for platinum, they are very durable. No matter what you and your partner do, you both can be assured that the rings will stay intact for the rest of your lives.

Diane Winter researches and shares information about relationships and weddings. Try visiting her website at http://www.weddingringtips.com where you'll find more tips and advice about vintage wedding rings and almost any type of wedding rings.

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