Saturday, December 12th, 2009 at 12:36 am
For buyers in the market for a rare and precious engagement ring, antique ruby engagement rings are a wonderful option. Often found in Art Deco era rings, they are also found in the Victorian and Edwardian eras as well, as a unique twist on a traditional engagement ring.
Why Rubies?
Rubies have been known as the stone of preference for kings. Finding large, clear, deeply colored rubies are difficult to find, so they tend to be quite expensive. A ruby of choice has a deep red color, rather than the pinkish hues you more often see in lesser pieces. Therefore, antique ruby engagement rings are a rare pick, and a perfect choice for a once in a lifetime occasion.
Victorian and Edwardian Eras
The Victorian and Edwardian eras were known for their luxurious stones set in stylistic mountings. In the Victorian era especially, an antique ruby engagement ring would be a ring of choice, since they were more apt to use other precious stones than the traditional diamond. In choosing an antique ruby engagement ring, you are likely to find inclusions, or imperfections, in the stone. This is due to various reasons, technology of the time, misuse over the years or the choice of stone at the time.
Art Deco Era
The Art Deco era also includes antique ruby engagement rings. This era was known for its artistic flair, and the use of centerpiece stones besides diamonds was even more common. The ruby is a brilliant and striking stone, so it often became, if not the centerpiece of an engagement ring, at least the main accent of the piece, being paired with diamonds for a flashy look. The stones of this period are less likely to have the inclusions of the earlier time period due to technology, but each ring has to be carefully viewed for its quality.
Cut of Rubies
antique engagement ring design guides the process of choosing the cut of the ruby in an antique ruby engagement ring. The most common cuts found in antique rings are oval or cushion cuts since the technology to do the more extravagant cuts found today was not available during those time periods.
Another cut that is very rare in antique ruby engagement rings is the star ruby, which is cut so that the large inclusion in the ruby is perfectly centered so that it looks like a six sided star. Antique ruby engagement rings were also not submitted to heat treatment, which helps rubies today to have a deeper color and luster.
