How to Pair a Vintage or Antique Ring with a Modern Ring or Vice Versa

September 29, 2015

Non-Rule #1: Don't get hung up on everything being perfectly matched. For a long time, the trend in jewelry has been to find pieces that match your personality rather than following the obscure advice of a so-called expert you've never even met. Your engagement ring and wedding band don't have to fit together like a glove in matchy-matchy heaven and they don't have to be perfect extensions of each other. First and foremost, pick a ring that you love - whether it is an antique engagement ring or a vintage wedding ring. Once you've found your heart's desire, don't be shy about playing the field until you hit upon a pairing that makes your stomach do a little flip-flop. You'll know it when you see it, so keep trying. There is plenty of room in the equation for both rings to get the separate attention they deserve.

Non-Rule #2: Don't try to do too much. If your engagement ring or wedding band is overflowing with the ornate details that epitomized the Edwardian and Art Deco antique jewelry eras, then your best bet is to keep the complementary ring simple. A slim band with a simple or lightly textured finish will allow your engagement ring to shine. On the flipside, if you like bolder antique wedding rings, a no-frills engagement ring like a modern diamond solitaire will afford it the spotlight. Try to get away with two elaborate designs or something too wide or pronounced, and one ring is just going to end up overpowering the other, detracting from the overall impact. Thinner bands make for easier stacking, too. Unless you have very long fingers, two thick bands are going to extend all the way to the knuckle, making them uncomfortable to wear and harder for you to accomplish hand-intensive tasks.

Non-Rule #3: Don't be shy about playing with color. This is an extension of non-rule #1. Who says your wedding band and engagement ring have to be made of the same metals or that the stones have to be matching colors. Lots of modern wedding dresses are combining traditional white with vibrant colors, and the result is dramatic, unexpected and exciting. You can achieve the same results with some unexpected ring pairings. Modern white gold and vintage yellow gold - why not? Antique rose gold and platinum - you bet! White diamonds and any colored gemstone imaginable - go for it!

When it comes to rules for pairing antique and vintage wedding rings with modern engagement rings or vice versa, as you can see there really are no rules. It's all about expressing the real you.

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