Emeralds in antique jewellery
Emerald has been prized in jewellery for thousands of years, and the emeralds used in Victorian and Edwardian antique emerald rings are almost always natural, unenhanced beyond the traditional oiling used to improve clarity - a treatment accepted in the trade for as long as emeralds have been cut, unlike the more invasive fracture-filling seen in some modern emerald stones. Colombian emeralds, with their deep, slightly bluish green, are the most sought after historically in antique emerald rings, though stones from other sources appear across the antique emerald ring market.
Because emerald is a relatively included and brittle stone compared with sapphire or ruby, antique emerald ring settings often protect the stone with a bezel or part-bezel rather than open claws, and emerald-cut or step-cut stones - designed to minimise pressure on the corners - are more common in antique emerald rings than round or cushion cuts.
Styles in our emerald ring collection
Our antique emerald rings span the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco periods, from single stone emerald rings to emerald and diamond engagement ring combinations typical of the 1920s and 30s. Vintage emerald rings and antique emerald and diamond rings both feature strongly in our collection, alongside more restrained Victorian emerald rings set simply in yellow gold.
Many customers come to us specifically for an emerald engagement ring, drawn to the depth of colour and historic association emerald carries compared with a traditional diamond solitaire. Our antique emerald rings collection includes both statement Art Deco pieces and quieter, more traditional designs.
Buying an emerald ring: what to look for
Given emerald's fragility, we check setting security on every antique emerald ring with particular care and will always flag any visible fractures or old repairs in the stone itself. Bezel and part-bezel settings generally protect an emerald better than open claws for daily wear.
If you are buying an emerald ring for daily wear, ask us about the setting style - a well-protected antique emerald ring will generally cope better with everyday knocks than an open claw mount, and we can point you toward pieces suited to how you plan to wear them.
Visit us or browse online
Our antique emerald rings collection changes regularly as new pieces come in. Contact us directly with questions about any piece, or visit our shop at 29 High Street, Battle, East Sussex, open Monday to Saturday, 10:15 to 17:00.
