There'll be sun, sun, sun all over our bodies

A Previous Engagement

Marilyn couldn't have said it any better. Diamonds ARE a girl's best friend. At least that's how I feel :)

I have adored antique jewelry, and especially engagement rings, since I was a little girl. I can remember just oggling my mom's engagement ring, studying every facet, every flounce, every diamond for what seemed like hours. It just always seemed unfathomable to me how so much beauty and detail could be put into something so tiny. Jewelry making is an art form that I have the utmost respect for.

I've envisioned in my head gazillion upon gazillion times what I want my engagement ring to look like. And I've come to conclusion that I cannot possibly settle on just ONE ring. So I'm either going to have to find a MAJOR sugar daddy, or I'll just have to buy a plethora of gorgeous rings so that I can wear them all! Totally rational, I know.

I actually have thought about designing my own ring. How awesome would that be? I just think it would be so amazing to look down at your hand and see the ring of your dreams actually on your hand.

I definitely have a few features on rings that I like a lot.

The first thing I love on antique rings is filigree. This is the ring my mom and dad got me when I graduated high school. It is circa 1930 with an oval topaz gem.

The topaz is pretty pale, so from a distance people usually think it's an engagement ring (this comes in very handy for keeping creepers away).

I really do think this would be a very beautiful engagement ring if there was a diamond in it instead. It's very simple, but very elegant, which is why I love it. I also love how the stone is set. I love the prong setting. I also really like that the stone is set up a bit, but not too high. The prongs contain it, but aren't overbearing, you know?

I've found oodles of antique rings with this similar style. I really love this setting. The filigree is gorgeous, the diamond is placed beautifully. It almost looks like it's just hovering over the filigree.

I normally don't like step cut diamonds. I don't know why. I just always find them tacky and cheap looking. Plus it's such a boring cut. But on this ring, I think the accent step cut diamonds are gorgeous. They definitely are the art deco cherry on top of this baby. I LOVE the detail all down the band, the filigree and the round, brilliant cut diamond. Muuah.

This is a very unique ring. I love the floral and heart details in the filigree and how the bands come up to enclose the diamond. It's a very sweet, modest ring to me.





I LOVE this ring. Pretty much the epitome of art deco right here. The cut of the diamond is just incredible, the sapphire accents are gorgeous and the filigree is like nothing I've ever seen before. It is such a statement piece.

I really love this setting, too. It's simple, but very intricate at the same time. I love how the diamond sits at the top.

This is a really interesting ring. And at first I wasn't sure if I liked it, but I really do. The cut of the main diamond is really unique, one you don't see too often. It's elevated really beautifully, and the graduated diamond accents along the side really elongate the ring.

I love how it looks from face on, too. It has such a great silhouette. I love the small filigree detail on the bottom.

I really love the front view of this ring as well. The scalloped detail along the top is really gorgeous. This view actually really reminds me of my mom's ring. It had a very similar shape to it, and hers also had scalloped filigree.

Ah this setting is so beautiful. I love the heart accent on the band with the small diamond inside of it and the two diamonds in the scallop accent on the side.








This ring...sigh. It's magnificent. It is breathtaking from every single a angle. I love everything about it. I love how the main diamond is set. It's elevated, but not too high. The accent sapphires are discreet, but compliment the rest of the ring so well. The filigree is so fluid and delicate. The base of the ring is just the perfect size, too. It's almost like the diamond is sitting on a pillow...a gorgeous filigree pillow.





This is a really unique setting. I like it a lot. I like the base piece that supports the sapphire. The accent diamonds are quite beauteous as well.

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But really...I must confess...I am a sucker for a giant rock. I LOVE big diamonds. I'm sure you're thinking, "Um...what woman doesn't?" But I feel like I love it for a different reason, although the reason, I can't exactly express.

I love the feeling of having rings on my hands. I like that I can play with them and move them around. But I also just love how they look on my hand. Having a big diamond is not a status thing for me. If I could find a ring with a giant crystal in it that shone like the sun, I would wear that in a second.

Here are some monumental rocks that I absolutely adore. You can live on my hand any time you want.

This ring is like a giant diamond/platinum cupcake on top of a band. It's a really, really gorgeous setting. The line of smaller diamonds along the base of the ring are a perfect addition. It's subtle enough to not be TOO much.

The only downside that I feel large diamond rings like this have is that they really aren't that interesting from the top. I mean besides the fact that it is a huge, beautiful diamond, there isn't much detail that can be seen. I do love how it looks face on, though. That's when you get to see all the detail.

Now this ring--this is a ring that is interesting from all angles. This is definitely one of my favorites. The octagon setting with the leafing detail along the edge is incredible. The light filigree and small accent diamonds on the side perfectly balance the size of the main diamond. It is a beautifully proportioned ring.

Again, with this ring, it's not that interesting from the top...and still not super interesting from head on. But it's still very beautiful. You will definitely not be lacking in the shine department if you wear this bad boy.

This art deco ring is also fairly basic, staying true to art deco style, but is still very detailed and extremely bewitching to look at. The base of the setting is beautiful, and the line of diamonds down the band are a really nice accent.

This ring is a little too perfectly symmetrical for my taste, but it's still a stunning piece. I love the setting. It stands up really elegantly from the band. The filigree is simple, but impacting. And the sapphires are a beautiful touch around the diamond.

This is a setting that I really like. It's kind of like a dome with the top cut off and the diamond placed on top of it. Along with the beautiful filigree. There are also two small diamonds on the face side. This ring definitely passes the "Interesting From All Sides" test.

Sorry, let me check my pulse....ok, I'm still alive. OH my lordy. This ring is spectacular. I'd forgotten to mention another ring feature that I love: a matching wedding band. I know it might sound cheesy, but I think that it is very symbolic. It's just like love; both things are beautiful when they are apart. But then they come together, fitting like the missing piece to each other's puzzles, and then they are even more beautiful than before.

This ring is so magnificent, I don't even know where to start. It pretty much speaks for itself. Although it doesn't have a large, main diamond, the myriad of accent diamonds on the stem, wedding band and sides of the ring create an incredible impact. I love the placement of the sapphires also.

This art deco engagement ring/wedding band set is wonderful. I really love the base of the engagement ring. I like the triangle and scallop detail on the sides of the main diamond.

Here is another example of a gorgeous matching band. LOVE.

This one is very similar to the one I posted a few days ago. I really, really love the diamond shape of the ring. It's so unique. I've never seen a wedding ring have that shape before. The setting of the diamond is just beautiful, and the sapphires down the side are the perfect compliment.

Beautiful square prong setting on this one.

I really love this ring. The thing I love most about it is the scrolling detail with the small diamond accents on the side.


Ah what an incredible ring. It's 150% art deco, so of course I love it. Sometimes the square setting for a diamond can seem really harsh and bulky to me. But here, it's just perfect. The diamond and sapphire accents are expertly placed, along with the simple filigree.

Another very cool square setting. SUPER art deco with the square sapphires and the sunbeam carvings on the prongs.

Both of these settings are so elegant and classy to me. I love the both, especially the bottom one.

The scalloped setting on this is extraordinary. Absolutely incredible. I love how the smaller diamonds are almost hidden in the scallops. Great placement of the diamonds on the top of the band as well.

***

A style that I like, but am not crazy about, is the flat top. Observe:

It is a beautiful ring, no doubt. The filigree is great and I love the small diamond on the side. But I just feel like the ring isn't living up to its full potential. I feel like the flat top setting (very popular in the 20's) conceals the diamond too much. Some people like it because they feel like it's less obtrusive and it doesn't catch on stuff. Well, I guess I like obtrusive rings that catch on things haha. I want my diamond to look like it's saying, "Hey!! I'm a diamond! I'm beautiful and I deserve to be oggled by everyone and their mom!"

I mean, I still wouldn't mind having a flat top ring, though. It's a very interesting and unique setting for a ring.





Now THIS is how you do a flat top setting. This ring is insane!! It is so boxy and rigid that it shouldn't feel elegant...but it does. The harsh lines of the square settings is offset by the subtle filigree and the brilliant cut of all the diamonds. Just downright amazin'.

Simple and sweet. This setting is great because since it IS so simple, you can see more of the diamond.





This one is ok....NOT! Oh my lord, I am blinded by the sheer brilliance of this ring! Absolutely stunning from every which way.

This is another style that I really like. During the art deco period, rings started to flatten out, and they started putting the main diamond on a kind of flat base like this one. I personally think it is a brilliant idea because it make the ring really interesting to look at from the top. I love the shape of this ring and the sapphires on the sides.

I think that I shall wrap things up here for now. I had like 30 other pictures in here, but I feel like I'd be drowning you in diamonds...hey, that actually doesn't sound that bad :D

Anyway, do not fret. I still have PLENTY of other rings to talk about. In my next post, I'll feature more flat, wide base rings like this last one.