Vintage White Gold Promise Rings

An engagement ring or wedding band that comes with “I love you, marry me, spend the rest of your life with me”, sometimes ends up being a reminder of “I put up with you, you bore me, I’m stuck spending the rest of my life with you”, whereas promise rings that come with “I really like you, you make me laugh, I think you’re sexy, be my lover”, might also come with a furnished apartment, a car and an expense account. No, not all promises with rings offer allusions to future engagement or marriage, and not all rings that offer a promise are silver bands with teeny diamond chips given as tokens of innocent infatuation or endearment. The promises that gold rings offer are as varied as the human stories they represent.

When it comes to giving a meaningful piece of jewelry, one that already has a past, exists in the present and holds promise of a future, there’s nothing like choosing antique or vintage items. “Be my lover”, or “move in with me”, or “remember me” or “I’ll return” can be said with more impact when a vintage 1920’s Art Deco, old mine diamond, set in white gold, is offered as well.

There are gorgeous choices at some European antique and vintage jewelry houses that have online shops, like a piece that may have once been an engagement ring in Belgium but is now available for sale from an estate jewelry collection. It’s a 1950’s white gold ring that has an unusual navette diamond and accenting baguette cut stones that rest flat beside the main shank. By the way navette is just a way of saying a pointed oval cut, which in this case is what makes the ring really stand out.

Another 1950’s creation, which forms part of the Belgian based estate jewelry collection of Adin Antique Jewelry, is a set of 18k white gold promise rings that’s crafted in such a way so as to be split into several bands on the shank, yet solid at the back, which is why I say “rings”. Perhaps the reason this piece is so eye-catching is its simplicity, the clean crispness of one single .75 carat diamond, round or rather brilliant cut, and offers F/G color and VVS/VS clarity. This is one of those pieces that could be an engagement ring but need not be. There’s something about being given something simple, yet elegant and such good taste, that will make any women feel like a very fair lady.

Despite what good marketing campaigns may have most of the population believing, a diamond needn’t be the focal gem in any ring, be it for marriage or any type of commitment or pledge, in fact some of the best and most notable rings that women, throughout the ages, have received from men who loved them were other gems. Which brings me to this item. Somewhere between the Edwardian and Art Deco periods, white gold promise rings were crafted, and although this particular one is not known where it originated, it stands on its own merits as one of the most exquisite items a man could offer his lady. With a total of 20 diamonds accenting a delicate filigree-style-art-deco shank and band, and a large “pain de sucre” deep blue sapphire, this incredible item can say I like you or I love you with or without any further promises. If you’re wondering what a pain de sucre sapphire is all about, well. It’s actually just what you hear, the French term for French bread that’s sweet, or in other words a sugarloaf. What this means in terms of gemstones is the sapphire cabochon is shaped rather pointed on top with the tip being smooth and highly polished. It’s a rather conical shape that is unique and acquired its name from the similarly shaped loafs of sweet bread that were brought to Europe from places like the Caribbean.

What surprises many buyers is the fact that vintage jewelry, although not actually cheap, is much more affordable than they might imagine. There are unusual diamond cuts, natural gemstones that have been untreated and settings that are so singular and yet cost about the same, or less, than some of the mass-produced or manufactured items that are available everywhere. Some vintage items start at $250 to $500, others go up to $1,000 and some are a little over $3,000, albeit well-worth the price. To give a piece of jewelry to someone who is singular, perhaps artistic or sensitive to delicate and subtle nuances like the cut or shape of a gem or the polish of a white gold band, or to someone who may find it amusing to have a gem cut in a style named after sweet French bread, will make your gift offering and your promise or compliment, one that will not so easily be forgotten. What’s left up to you is deciding three final things: what promise goes with the ring, how and when do I give it, and to whom.