Looking for an 8-carat diamond engagement ring?
Shopping for the right antique, new or vintage engagement ring can prove daunting. Whether you’re looking for that perfect Art Deco engagement ring, a vintage sapphire engagement ring or a fashionable contemporary accessory, it’s important to choose a style that speaks to you.
Rings have long been signifiers of marriage and committed relationships. The modern diamond engagement ring can be traced back to 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria commissioned an expensive diamond ring for his betrothed. Diamond rings subsequently became extremely popular among the European aristocracy. Later, during the Victorian era, the popularity of diamond engagement rings had filtered down to the middle class, owing to the increasing accessibility — and affordability — of gold and diamonds.
Authentic antique Victorian-era engagement rings were frequently set in rose or yellow gold and they are highly collectible. Designs for Victorian engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal. Diamonds were likely to be small rose- or old-mine-cut (the ancestor of today’s cushion-cut) stones. The former are often associated with antique styles like Victorian or Georgian, as rose-cut diamonds are uncommon in modern jewelry. The diamonds were typically set in a group of five in a band or as a solitaire.
Victorian-era engagement rings also saw other gemstones accompanying diamonds. Small seed pearls and moonstones were popular. Other sentimental and romantic motifs such as hearts and stars took hold as well. When Prince Albert became engaged to Queen Victoria, he gave her a serpent ring with emerald eyes, her birthstone. This initiated a widespread craze for snake jewelry.
In 1886, esteemed American luxury firm introduced its solitaire diamond design, which is still among the most popular styles of engagement rings. The Tiffany Setting raises the stone above the band on six prongs, allowing its facets to catch the light and reflect through the stone.
French jewelry house Cartier, which pioneered the use of platinum in fine jewelry and helped define Art Deco, sought to render the diamonds in their engagement rings and other rings as brilliantly as possible. The brand’s timeless Solitaire 1895 engagement ring gave the impression of delicate lace.
Edwardian engagement rings and, afterward, Art Deco engagement rings that followed in the wake of Queen Victoria’s death in 1901 would be characterized by complex geometric designs and platinum settings. Owing to the Art Nouveau movement, nature was a major theme for Edwardian jewelry, while the diamond ring designs of the Art Deco period were inspired by Cubism as well as ancient Egypt. Art Deco engagement rings are bold and colorful and feature gems cut in nontraditional ways.
Engagement rings designed during World War II were made from two-toned metals and smaller stones. Large stones were scarce, and platinum was reserved for the military. Postwar engagement rings were intended to be simpler and focused on the beauty of the diamond.
In 1947, De Beers Consolidated Mines, with the support of Philadelphia ad agency N.W. Ayer & Son, introduced the slogan “A diamond is forever” in a marketing campaign that emphasized a connection between diamonds and romance. Diamond sales skyrocketed, and diamond engagement rings became intertwined with the post–World War II marriage boom, which coincided with the ascension of specific diamond cuts.
The round brilliant cut, which consists of an astounding 58 facets, continues to be the most popular cut to this day. Jewelers such as Harry Winston had already gained a reputation for his talents by the time the De Beers campaign debuted, and he is said to have favored emerald-cut diamonds.
When it comes to carat weight and finding the perfect 8-carat diamond ring, you'll want to become familiar with the 4Cs, which is the official grading system that was established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
According to the GIA, “Diamonds are weighed to a thousandth (0.001) of a carat and then rounded to the nearest hundredth, or point. Over a carat, diamond weights are usually expressed in carats and decimals.” Out of all the 4Cs, the weight of the diamond is the most scientific and less a matter of opinion. But the weight is also not the most important signifier of a stone’s value. A three-carat gem can be less valuable than a one-carat stone, for example, if all of the other attributes are of lesser quality in the larger diamond.
For everything from understanding the 4Cs to choosing between antique, vintage, contemporary and custom styles, get expert tips to help you find just the right ring. Additionally, explore our buying guides for a close look at antique engagement rings, Art Deco engagement rings and vintage engagement rings.
On 1stDibs, shop 8-carat diamond and sapphire engagement rings and other antique and vintage rings from top jewelers around the world.
