Art Deco Engagement Rings & Diamond Rings

Art Deco engagement rings are the product of a fabulous and decadent era. It was a time that witnessed radical changes in behavior and design that began with the Roaring Twenties and ended just before the second world war.

Bold contrasts in color and geometric abstract shapes were embraced by society and permeated every facet of life including jewelry.

Technology was emerging and Art Deco jewelry became an important part of the new modern look. It allowed designers and artisans to create the most beautiful pieces that captured the true essence of the Art Deco period.

Times were prosperous and carefree and Art Deco engagement rings and jewelry reflected a new sense of freedom with highly stylized geometric shapes and strong use of symmetry—gone were the delicate scrolls, romantic detailing and symbols of nature found in the engagement rings of previous eras.

Art Deco Engagement Rings & Jewelry

Art Deco was all about being bold, bold color, bold shapes, and the use of high contrast. Black (usually enamel or onyx) and white became a favored color combination for jewelry and was often paired with rich-toned gemstones like sapphires, rubies, emeralds, turquoise and coral.

An Art Deco diamond ring could range from a white-on-white look using platinum, white diamonds and pearls all the way to elaborately colored pieces that dazzled the eye and were sometimes referred to as a 'fruit salad' because of the rainbow of colored gemstones.

In terms of metals, they most often used platinum and white gold but didn't limit themselves to only the white metals.

This was a time for freedom and breaking the "rules" so they enjoyed and found beauty in all things so long as they adhered to the new aesthetic.

Diamond cuts became an important part of Art Deco engagement rings since they could create geometry with the shape of the stone. New cuts such as the shield and caliber cuts were developed although the emerald cut, baguettes and trillion cut were often used for their strong geometric qualities.

They looked outside Europe for influences and motifs and were fascinated by some of the highly stylized work of India and the Orient.

Egyptian influence was also strong with the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1923 and they began to use some of traditional Egyptian motifs and semi-precious stones found during the discovery in their own works. They combined this with what was happening in Europe at the time in the art world and produced engagement rings and jewelry that was strikingly modern. Art Deco jewelry became more ornamental, more stylized, more geometric and more abstract in design.

It is amazing to us that some of the engagement rings that were produced during this period look as though they could have been designed today.

Art Deco itself is derived from a 1925 Paris exhibit called the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes. It was during this exhibition that this new style of decorative arts was publicly displayed and influenced the Art Deco jewelry that we see today. 

Antique Art Deco engagement rings, like all period jewelry, is getting much harder to find. Reputable auction houses and specialty antique jewelry dealers are likely your best bet for finding a period piece.

On the other hand, if you're interested in an Art Deco diamond ring only in terms of style rather than an actual period piece, you're in luck. Art Deco designs are as popular today as they were in the first quarter of the last century so most jewelers carry a fairly large selection of Art Deco inspired designs.