Posted on January 10, 2021 at 11:57 amby Hitesh Patel/ 0
In the modern age of contemporary jewelry, the antique and vintage-inspired engagement rings are just as much approached as the other styles.
A special design style called Filigree is often included in the designs of these antique rings. The Filigree rings are becoming more of a trend in recent times since these rings provide a more intricate and subtle beauty to the vintage rings enhancing their overall aesthetics. Some brides completely adore the unique and subtle detail of femininity in Filigree jewelry on their engagement and wedding rings.
The classic metalwork seen in vintage Filigree jewelry is said to have been developed in the early 15th century as a method to add more sophistication and beauty to the ring. With the current renaissance that vintage jewelry is going through, it is not really much of a surprise that so is Filigree jewelry.
What is a Filigree design?
One can find the origin of the term Filigree deep from the Latin term ‘filum’ and ‘granum’ which translates to thread and grain respectively since the major components of a Filigree design are the fine thread-like metalwork and the small metal beads that are enmeshed together with the metal design to create an intricate Filigree. Some of the really popular Filigree designs are flowers, elaborate vines, and hearts. Although these are the most commonly used motifs you could resort to any of your preferences.
The term Filigree was originally used to describe any intricate ornament that was crafted out of metal. However, the term gained a more significant meaning in the jewelry industry. A Filigree design is considered as a delicate embellishment made up of fine, pliable threads twisted and turned into unique designs and then soldered onto the jewelry. The most common metals used to form Filigree designs are white golds, yellow golds, rose golds, and sometimes even platinum.
The Filigree work leaves an intricate, more lacy effect on your jewelry which goes beautifully with an intimately themed wedding and/or engagement setting. These designs can be similar to the ones that are engraved over the jewelry, however, one significant difference that remains between the two is that engraved designs are made by cutting and carving the way in the metal whereas Filigree designs are more of a process of layering the décor on top of the metal jewelry.
A brief history of Filigree
The ancient art form of Filigree design was first found on the jewelry pieces owned by the Greeks, Mesopotamians, and the Etruscans. The most initial ones are dated back to 3000 B.C. Hence it is sufficient to say that Filigree designs are as ancient as things can get. Since then, the Filigree adorned pieces of jewelry have been discovered all over the world from culture-rich countries such as India and Egypt to the Mediterranean and some regions of Northern Europe.
Filigree jewelry was more popular in the Edwardian era according to History. The era was overflowed with delicate designs that suited the feminine aesthetic of the time. It was also in the Edwardian era when the first Filigree was created using platinum metal, and since then the work has only advanced more so due to the advancements achieved in the jewelry industry and metalwork industries. It was now possible to sculpt platinum on smaller scales as well, hence its use in jewelry became more prominent.
Filigree designs have also been noticed in the Art Nouveau and the Art deco era of history. This era was popular for its Filigree scrollwork, swirls, Celtic symbols, and even floral motifs.
Hence it is safe to say that Filigree designs have adorned the jewelry of people for centuries. Although the design was not in trend throughout history, it made its significant appearances throughout while leaving some huge cultural impacts in ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, India and it has successfully managed to remain unchanged throughout the centuries.
A Filigree design can be quite a tricky thing to achieve, but with experienced hands, it can be made easier.
In order to create the Filigree, the jeweler must begin by stretching out the metal of choice until it is stretched thin into a fine thread-like structure.
Then these thread-like metals are twisted and curled in order to get the perfect delicate motif according to the initial plan of the design. The intricate lacy pattern is then fused onto the jewelry to create an intricate base.
The metal of the Filigree design does not need to be the same as that of the jewelry. It could be different as well. Some may even go for a rose gold Filigree design on a platinum metal or any other combination of their own that would appeal to their aesthetic tastes.
The third step is to include the small metal beads in the lace design in order to give it more character and make the design look more appealing. Lastly, all the different components of the jewelry are soldered together to get the final piece.
There are different processes to get a Filigree design, different approaches are preferred by different jewelers, however, one such design is the ‘openwork Filigree’ which is a bit more complicated and intricate to achieve. Yet it is still sought by some people as it is quite commonly present in many antique jewelry pieces. Hence if a person is trying to obtain an entirely vintage vibe for their ring, they may be inclined to go for the openwork Filigree. It may be an ardent task to find a skilled jeweler who may achieve the intricacy of the design to the level that is suitable to its name.
The Filigree design is not limited to rings but is also seen on Filigree bracelets and Filigree earrings. In some regions, even Filigree anklets and necklaces have also been found.
Engagement rings with Filigree designs
It is no surprise with all the appearance of the Filigree motifs throughout the centuries that it has secured a special position in the world of engagement rings. Engagement Filigree rings are the perfect vintage choice. What is more important is that they can also be used in a very minimal fashion or could be upgraded to a more extravagant ring, whatever suits you best. Most people choose Filigree designs for their rings to achieve the subtle, vintage yet elegant look which goes along beautifully with the romantic aesthetics of dream weddings.
Another added benefit of choosing Filigree engagement rings is that you can choose a diamond with a smaller carat size since the metal setting of the ring is well embellished and looks beautiful on its own, a smaller diamond can increase the overall appearance of the ring.
Moreover, your options are not limited to just colorless diamonds, in fact, Filigree designs go splendidly with other colored gemstones, more popular sapphires, and emeralds are chosen. Gemstones are generally considered more affordable compared to high-quality diamonds. Hence you could get a splendid ring on a reasonable budget.
If you already have an engagement ring and a wedding ring and are seeking to upgrade it, you could do this by simply adding a Filigree design to the ring.
Some current Filigree trends are:
Modern Filigree rings that have a modern style
One of a kind antique Filigree ring
Custom design Filigree rings
Filigree jewelry
Some of the world-famous Filigree engagement rings
The Julie Three Stone Engagement ring
The Julie is one of the most charming rings out there with a three-stone engagement ring with an intricately engraved scrollwork. The ring is the perfect combination of modernity and vintage culture. The ring is beautifully detailed with two 0.25ct princess cut side stones and some recycled mined natural diamonds accents the diamond rings band.
The Crown Vintage Engagement Ring
The crown vintage ring gives the perfect feel of royalty. With any choice of your center stone, the crown vintage ring is set in an 8 prong that is adorned with diamonds and milgrain. Moreover, the ring has channel bead stones that run alongside the shank for 0.30ct of recycled earth mined diamonds.
The Megan Antique engagement ring
The ring is a luxurious and stunning wedding ring. With a princess cut stone secured with double prongs and is surrounded by a halo of diamonds with edges that are beaded and have cut corners. The shank of the ring is accented with natural diamonds on all three sides which go halfway around while the hand-carved Filigree design continues till the end of the diamond.
Gildan Two-Tone Engagement ring
The antique ring features a cushion-cut halo diamond with a round-cut center stone. The round-cut diamond is scented by a halo of colorless diamonds. The entire setting is brought together by a beautiful hand-carved Filigree in the galley, with diamonds that extend all the way to the back.
The Renee Antique Engagement ring
The Renee ring holds the center stone in a well-crafted halo setting. The side stone colorless diamonds are accented with beautiful and unique beading and Filigree.
Filigree designs have been around for more than a millennium and they have not really ever gone out of style. They give the perfect delicate, lacy effect to the ring which just adds to the whole vintage romantic vibe of the wedding season. The best thing about vintage Filigree jewelry is that they can be the most simplistic thing or the blingiest depending on whichever side you swing.
Filigree pieces of jewelry also make up for the perfect art deco-themed jewelry, so if that is what you are going for you can choose that as well. Some common motifs used are flowers, vines, and hearts however with all the creativity practically oozing out of everyone these days you could go for a custom-made Filigree for a more personalized ring.
A Beginner Guide For Antique Filigree Jewelry
In the modern age of contemporary jewelry, the antique and vintage-inspired engagement rings are just as much approached as the other styles.
A special design style called Filigree is often included in the designs of these antique rings. The Filigree rings are becoming more of a trend in recent times since these rings provide a more intricate and subtle beauty to the vintage rings enhancing their overall aesthetics. Some brides completely adore the unique and subtle detail of femininity in Filigree jewelry on their engagement and wedding rings.
The classic metalwork seen in vintage Filigree jewelry is said to have been developed in the early 15th century as a method to add more sophistication and beauty to the ring. With the current renaissance that vintage jewelry is going through, it is not really much of a surprise that so is Filigree jewelry.
What is a Filigree design?
One can find the origin of the term Filigree deep from the Latin term ‘filum’ and ‘granum’ which translates to thread and grain respectively since the major components of a Filigree design are the fine thread-like metalwork and the small metal beads that are enmeshed together with the metal design to create an intricate Filigree. Some of the really popular Filigree designs are flowers, elaborate vines, and hearts. Although these are the most commonly used motifs you could resort to any of your preferences.
The term Filigree was originally used to describe any intricate ornament that was crafted out of metal. However, the term gained a more significant meaning in the jewelry industry. A Filigree design is considered as a delicate embellishment made up of fine, pliable threads twisted and turned into unique designs and then soldered onto the jewelry. The most common metals used to form Filigree designs are white golds, yellow golds, rose golds, and sometimes even platinum.
The Filigree work leaves an intricate, more lacy effect on your jewelry which goes beautifully with an intimately themed wedding and/or engagement setting. These designs can be similar to the ones that are engraved over the jewelry, however, one significant difference that remains between the two is that engraved designs are made by cutting and carving the way in the metal whereas Filigree designs are more of a process of layering the décor on top of the metal jewelry.
A brief history of Filigree
The ancient art form of Filigree design was first found on the jewelry pieces owned by the Greeks, Mesopotamians, and the Etruscans. The most initial ones are dated back to 3000 B.C. Hence it is sufficient to say that Filigree designs are as ancient as things can get. Since then, the Filigree adorned pieces of jewelry have been discovered all over the world from culture-rich countries such as India and Egypt to the Mediterranean and some regions of Northern Europe.
Filigree jewelry was more popular in the Edwardian era according to History. The era was overflowed with delicate designs that suited the feminine aesthetic of the time. It was also in the Edwardian era when the first Filigree was created using platinum metal, and since then the work has only advanced more so due to the advancements achieved in the jewelry industry and metalwork industries. It was now possible to sculpt platinum on smaller scales as well, hence its use in jewelry became more prominent.
Filigree designs have also been noticed in the Art Nouveau and the Art deco era of history. This era was popular for its Filigree scrollwork, swirls, Celtic symbols, and even floral motifs.
Hence it is safe to say that Filigree designs have adorned the jewelry of people for centuries. Although the design was not in trend throughout history, it made its significant appearances throughout while leaving some huge cultural impacts in ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, India and it has successfully managed to remain unchanged throughout the centuries.
Also read: Black Diamond Guide: Should You Buy Or Avoid Them
How can a Filigree design be created?
A Filigree design can be quite a tricky thing to achieve, but with experienced hands, it can be made easier.
In order to create the Filigree, the jeweler must begin by stretching out the metal of choice until it is stretched thin into a fine thread-like structure.
Then these thread-like metals are twisted and curled in order to get the perfect delicate motif according to the initial plan of the design. The intricate lacy pattern is then fused onto the jewelry to create an intricate base.
The metal of the Filigree design does not need to be the same as that of the jewelry. It could be different as well. Some may even go for a rose gold Filigree design on a platinum metal or any other combination of their own that would appeal to their aesthetic tastes.
The third step is to include the small metal beads in the lace design in order to give it more character and make the design look more appealing. Lastly, all the different components of the jewelry are soldered together to get the final piece.
There are different processes to get a Filigree design, different approaches are preferred by different jewelers, however, one such design is the ‘openwork Filigree’ which is a bit more complicated and intricate to achieve. Yet it is still sought by some people as it is quite commonly present in many antique jewelry pieces. Hence if a person is trying to obtain an entirely vintage vibe for their ring, they may be inclined to go for the openwork Filigree. It may be an ardent task to find a skilled jeweler who may achieve the intricacy of the design to the level that is suitable to its name.
The Filigree design is not limited to rings but is also seen on Filigree bracelets and Filigree earrings. In some regions, even Filigree anklets and necklaces have also been found.
Engagement rings with Filigree designs
It is no surprise with all the appearance of the Filigree motifs throughout the centuries that it has secured a special position in the world of engagement rings. Engagement Filigree rings are the perfect vintage choice. What is more important is that they can also be used in a very minimal fashion or could be upgraded to a more extravagant ring, whatever suits you best. Most people choose Filigree designs for their rings to achieve the subtle, vintage yet elegant look which goes along beautifully with the romantic aesthetics of dream weddings.
Another added benefit of choosing Filigree engagement rings is that you can choose a diamond with a smaller carat size since the metal setting of the ring is well embellished and looks beautiful on its own, a smaller diamond can increase the overall appearance of the ring.
Moreover, your options are not limited to just colorless diamonds, in fact, Filigree designs go splendidly with other colored gemstones, more popular sapphires, and emeralds are chosen. Gemstones are generally considered more affordable compared to high-quality diamonds. Hence you could get a splendid ring on a reasonable budget.
If you already have an engagement ring and a wedding ring and are seeking to upgrade it, you could do this by simply adding a Filigree design to the ring.
Some current Filigree trends are:
Some of the world-famous Filigree engagement rings
The Julie Three Stone Engagement ring
The Julie is one of the most charming rings out there with a three-stone engagement ring with an intricately engraved scrollwork. The ring is the perfect combination of modernity and vintage culture. The ring is beautifully detailed with two 0.25ct princess cut side stones and some recycled mined natural diamonds accents the diamond rings band.
The Crown Vintage Engagement Ring
The crown vintage ring gives the perfect feel of royalty. With any choice of your center stone, the crown vintage ring is set in an 8 prong that is adorned with diamonds and milgrain. Moreover, the ring has channel bead stones that run alongside the shank for 0.30ct of recycled earth mined diamonds.
The Megan Antique engagement ring
The ring is a luxurious and stunning wedding ring. With a princess cut stone secured with double prongs and is surrounded by a halo of diamonds with edges that are beaded and have cut corners. The shank of the ring is accented with natural diamonds on all three sides which go halfway around while the hand-carved Filigree design continues till the end of the diamond.
Gildan Two-Tone Engagement ring
The antique ring features a cushion-cut halo diamond with a round-cut center stone. The round-cut diamond is scented by a halo of colorless diamonds. The entire setting is brought together by a beautiful hand-carved Filigree in the galley, with diamonds that extend all the way to the back.
The Renee Antique Engagement ring
The Renee ring holds the center stone in a well-crafted halo setting. The side stone colorless diamonds are accented with beautiful and unique beading and Filigree.
Also read: Black Diamond: The Next Great Thing To Celebrate?
Conclusion Thoughts
Filigree designs have been around for more than a millennium and they have not really ever gone out of style. They give the perfect delicate, lacy effect to the ring which just adds to the whole vintage romantic vibe of the wedding season. The best thing about vintage Filigree jewelry is that they can be the most simplistic thing or the blingiest depending on whichever side you swing.
Filigree pieces of jewelry also make up for the perfect art deco-themed jewelry, so if that is what you are going for you can choose that as well. Some common motifs used are flowers, vines, and hearts however with all the creativity practically oozing out of everyone these days you could go for a custom-made Filigree for a more personalized ring.
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