Our Vintage & Antique Jewelry Blog

We see a lot of fancy colored diamonds in celebrity engagement rings, but did you know that yellow diamonds have been popular for over a hundred years? Vintage fancy yellow diamonds, cut as cushions, Old Mine cuts, or Old European cuts, have a dramatic golden sparkle that elevates the most simple of settings to something really special. We were so inspired that we chose two Engagement Rings of the Week, one warmer hue set in gold from the 1940s and one cooler tone set in platinum from the 1960s.

It was bound to happen – our three diamond Engagement Ring of the Week just flew out the door to a new home! We know there are soon-to-be brides out there hunting for vintage engagement ring inspiration, so we decided to go ahead and share the photos anyway. If you love this ring, we may be able to find you something similar. Email us at info@doyledoyle.com with your ideas, and in the meantime, browse more vintage three stone rings.

Annnnnd, we’re back! For the first Engagement Ring of the Week in a long while, we chose one of our all-time favorites and a true classic, the Heirloom by Doyle & Doyle bezel set diamond ring in rich 18k gold. Designed by Elizabeth Doyle, this beauty is the perfect blend of old and new. The scroll band design is inspired by a vintage solitaire, but with the twist of a modern bezel setting. A vintage Old European cut diamond sparkles in the center and our signature star cut out on the underside allows you to see right through to the stone’s culet.

She’s been a hit on Instagram and Facebook, so we’ve selected our vintage emerald cut ring as this week’s Engagement Ring of the Week!

Featuring a 1.64ct emerald cut diamond flanked by baguettes, this ring is the epitome of timeless elegance. Emerald cut stones are difficult to photograph, but trust us, this diamond has sparkle and fire like you wouldn’t believe. The clean lines and classic style ensure that it will always be in fashion, plus it’s easy to wear and maintain.

The centerpiece of our curated collection inspired by Charles James is this fabulous vintage engagement ring which mixes architectural structure with a flowing sense of movement. Crafted in platinum, the engagement ring features a 0.93ct round brilliant cut diamond, flanked by trios of baguettes and round single cut diamonds. The light plays differently over the facets of each stone and shape, giving the ring a beautiful shimmer. I especially love the metal detail that weaves around the bezels of the round accents, it reminds me of the draping details in a Charles James gown.

Have you seen (or are eagerly planning to see) the Charles James fashion retrospective at the Met? After perusing the red carpet looks from the Met Gala, and only seeing a handful of lavish gowns befitting the theme, we decided to curate our own Charles James-inspired vintage jewelry collection.

Our Engagement Ring of the Week is a shooting star of sparkling, golden loveliness! Dating to 1895 and with French import hallmarks, the antique engagement ring features an elongated Old Mine cut diamond set in a 18k gold frame of smaller Old Mine and rose cut diamonds. It’s hard to capture in photos, but these diamonds shimmer and dance in even the slightest bit of light. Each one was skillfully cut by hand and has a unique character all its own.

The newest Engagement Ring of the Week is inspired by the fantastic exhibition, Elegance in an Age of Crisis: Fashions of the 1930s, currently on view at the Fashion Institute of Technology’s museum. The exhibition provides an overview of both women’s and men’s fashions of the 1930s, a pivotal decade that introduced the first truly modern clothing and accessories. Our 1930s Art Deco star sapphire and diamond ring, with its dramatic proportions and streamlined details, is a perfect compliment to the beautiful clothing on display.

The beginning of March means that it’s Oscar time – the perfect event to inspire our two Engagement Rings of the Week. A beautiful piece of jewelry, like a couture gown, is a work of art that transcends its time period. In this spirit of timeless beauty, we paired our rings with two vintage gowns that were recently worn on the Oscar red carpet. It doesn’t hurt that they’re both ivory and could make killer wedding gowns! 

Why not ring in the new year with a bang? For the first featured engagement ring of 2014, we selected a striking Georgian style diamond cluster ring, showcasing a 1.56ct antique light yellow Old Mine cut diamond. With its frame of chunky Old European cut diamonds set in silver and a detailed rose gold band, this ring beautifully captures the dramatic elegance of the early 1800s.

For our holiday Engagement Ring of the Week, we couldn’t resist this brand new arrival. It’s a French Belle Epoque dinner ring dating to 1900, centering a glittering old Mine cushion cut diamond and fashioned in platinum-topped gold. Asymmetrical curls of rose cut stones create a swirling sense of movement and its long shape beautifully flatters the hand. This beauty is so new to our collection that I literally snatched it from the new inventory tray. It’s item # 101547R and you can see it sparkling in our West 13th Street store, but it’s not yet on the website. Call (212) 677-9991 or email info@doyledoyle.com for more information.

To coincide with Doyle & Doyle’s move to the Meatpacking District, we’ve introduced a capsule collection of jewelry that celebrates finding our new home. Industrial and luxe, rough and polished, the West 13th Collection reflects the history and changing face of our new neighborhood. Designed by our own Elizabeth Doyle, each piece is handmade right here in New York. 

One more week to our November 15th Grand Opening at 412 West 13th Street! Inspired by the spirit of our new neighborhood, we’re showcasing a 1940s Engagement Ring of the Week that fits perfectly into the industrial, cobblestoned streets of New York’s Meatpacking District. The chunky Old Mine cut diamond is a striking contrast to the streamlined, architectural mounting, fashioned in palladium. 

What could be more appropriate for our Halloween Engagement Ring of the Week than a blood red vintage ruby solitaire? Decadent and regal, there’s nothing better than a ruby to make a glamorous statement, and this one fairly glows. 

We love it, our couples love it, Stone Fox Bride loves it… we think it’s high time we feature our Heirloom cushion cut gemstone ring as the Engagement Ring of the Week. A Doyle & Doyle original, this cushion cut ring is a fusion of antique and modern, evoking inspiration from ancient Egypt, India, and Renaissance Italy.

Choose between lapis lazuli, turquoise, or hematite, which can be set in 18k yellow, rose, or white gold. A trio of diamonds adorns the shank on either side for sparkle. Try pairing it with a vintage gold wedding band highlighted by black enamel, or a vintage diamond band. 

This week is our celebration of October’s birthstones, opal and tourmaline, and you may be wondering why we’re featuring a diamond engagement ring. We always love a colored stone engagement ring, and both opal and tourmaline are some of the most colorful out there! However, both are soft stones, especially opals, and we don’t recommend them for hard, everyday wear.

This week’s spotlight engagement ring is a true Edwardian beauty.  Lacy filigree and elegant swags of diamonds frame the central Old European cut stone, giving this substantial ring an airy lightness. We’ve paired it with a thin band of channel set sapphires for a modern touch, or try a romantic antique “1910” wedding band on your other hand.