The piece is usually a grandmother's ring. Sometimes a brooch, sometimes an earring, occasionally a photograph of a ring that no longer exists. But the instinct is the same: there is something in a historical piece that feels right in a way that nothing in a contemporary catalogue does. The question is how to get from that feeling to a ring made specifically for the person who will wear it.
TL;DR: A vintage reference is one of the most productive starting points for a bespoke commission. The goal is not reproduction but translation — taking the design language of the historical piece and applying it with modern materials, stones, and proportions. The result is a ring that feels historically informed without being a pastiche.
What Makes Vintage Design Language
Each jewellery period has identifiable visual characteristics that can be extracted from a specific piece and applied independently.
Art Deco (1920s–1930s) is defined by geometric precision: symmetrical designs, strong rectilinear outlines, milgrain edge detail, filigree metalwork between structural elements, and a preference for rectangular and square stone shapes. The colour palette is typically high contrast — white diamonds and platinum, often with black enamel or sapphire accents. Translating Art Deco into a contemporary commission means geometric settings, milgrain detailing, step-cut stones (emerald or Asscher), and a restrained palette.
Edwardian (1901–1910) is defined by extreme delicacy: platinum filigree so fine it looks like lace, open gallery designs that allow maximum light into the stone from below, knife-edge shanks that taper to almost nothing, and an abundance of small accent diamonds throughout the design. Translating this period means prioritising lightness and openness over substance, choosing very fine bands, and incorporating milgrain or filigree where the CAD allows.
Victorian (1840s–1900s) is the most varied and the most emotional period: cluster rings with a centre stone surrounded by smaller stones, rose gold and yellow gold dominance, symbolic motifs (acrostic rings spelling words in gemstone initials, serpent settings, floral bouquets), and stones that were chosen for meaning rather than technical grade — garnets, amethysts, pearls, turquoise, coral. Translating this period means embracing colour, symbolic choice, and a willingness to include elements that carry meaning beyond pure aesthetics.
Mid-century (1940s–1960s) is characterised by bold three-dimensional designs: strong gold settings, large individual stones, dramatic silhouettes, and a confidence in the metal as a design element rather than simply a structural support. The engagement rings of this period tend toward generosity — wide bands, prominent settings, stones that read from distance.
The Translation Process
The most productive question when working from a vintage reference is: which elements of this piece are of their time, and which are timeless?
Elements that are of their time: specific stone cuts that are no longer standard (old European cut, old mine cut, rose cut), metal finishes specific to the period (platinum filigree techniques that are now prohibitively labour-intensive), stones chosen for meaning rather than quality (a Victorian turquoise that has significant historical but low gemological value).
Elements that are timeless: the proportional relationship between stone and band. The way the setting sits above the shank. The presence or absence of decorative metalwork. The colour palette. The overall visual weight.
The commission takes the timeless elements and rebuilds them with contemporary materials and methods. An Edwardian open-gallery design in platinum with a modern oval brilliant instead of an old European cut. An Art Deco geometric setting with an emerald cut lab-grown diamond instead of a mine-cut old stone. The historical grammar is preserved; everything that was a limitation of period technology is updated.
Using an Existing Stone
If the vintage piece contains a stone the client wants to retain — typically a diamond from a grandmother's ring or a sapphire from a heirloom brooch — the process changes slightly. The existing stone dictates certain parameters: its shape, its dimensions, and its quality grade determine what setting will work around it. A new ring is designed around the stone rather than the stone being chosen for the design. This is entirely achievable in a bespoke commission, but the stone should be assessed before the design process begins to confirm it is suitable for recutting, resetting, or use as-is.
See our bespoke journey page, our vintage ring guide, and get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a stone from an existing piece of jewellery in a new ring? Yes, in most cases. The stone needs to be assessed to confirm it is suitable for resetting — checking for damage, assessing the cut and dimensions, and confirming the setting design can accommodate it. Bring the original piece to the initial consultation, or send detailed photographs if working remotely.
What is milgrain and where does it come from? Milgrain is a decorative border of tiny metal beads along the edge of a setting or band, applied with a specialised rolling tool. It is most associated with Edwardian and Art Deco jewellery and is one of the most effective ways to give a contemporary ring a vintage quality without committing to a full period-inspired design.
Will a vintage-inspired ring look dated? Translation rather than reproduction avoids this. A ring that takes the proportional language of an Edwardian setting and applies it to a clean contemporary stone is timeless rather than pastiche. What makes a ring look dated is specific period iconography applied without judgment — not the proportional grammar of historical design.
Last reviewed: July 2026 · À Vie Diamonds