“When Taylor Swift came out with her beautiful old mine-cut diamond, I think every jewelry dealer in the world was delighted,” says antique jewelry specialist Catherine Taylor, the buying partner of London-based Sandra Cronan, who specializes in rare, unusual, and eclectic gems. It’s now old news that when Swift announced her engagement to American Football star Travis Kelce in August 2025—with a bezel-set ring featuring a jaw-dropping antique diamond, designed by Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry in New York—she sparked a surge in interest around narrative-steeped stones. “There was a huge spike in requests for antique elongated cushion-cut diamonds, and it was near impossible to source a comparable stone on the British market,” explains Lisa Levinson, head of UK at Natural Diamond Council.

The main draw of an antique stone, in comparison to a modern diamond, is that they are one-of-a-kind, carved and faceted by hand, and steeped in individuality and history. “What draws us to these cuts is their charm. Each diamond is unique, and a testament to the skill of the diamond cutter, who worked by candlelight,” says Charlie Pragnell, managing director of Pragnell. “We often find clients drawn to this story, and the uniqueness of these cuts—it is the beauty of these gems, and the way they react to light that is most desirable.”

But how to ensure you are buying an antique stone or ring that is made to last, has authentic history and provenance, and reflects your personality? Follow these steps for a match made in engagement ring heaven.

Don’t be beholden to cut grades

Traditionally, brides searching for modern engagement rings are usually guided by the GIA-defined 4Cs (cut, clarity, color, and carat). In conventional terms, this would mean seeking out a diamond that has a color as close to brilliant white as possible (most traditional engagement ring brands only use stones that are graded D, E, F, G, H, and I on an alphabetized color chart). However, old mine-cut diamonds with large facets tend to be defined by more characterful yellow and brown hues (tones also preferred by contemporary jewelrs including Lucy Delius and Fernando Jorge), meaning that your attraction to a stone should be guided by your preference for a specific cut, be it Victorian-era cushion, emerald or Asscher (popularized by Art Deco), and the way it catches the light. “People are longing for unique and bespoke designs with diamonds that have personality. Where we previously saw inclusions and imperfections, we now see character,” explains Levinson. “Select your diamond with your heart!”

Ensure your personality shines through

The joy of opting for an antique ring means you can be entirely led the periods and genres that reflect your personality. “We are noticing trends for vintage pieces from the Art Deco period, Victorian and Edwardian eras and seeing growth in popularity for vintage East-West settings and bombé rings being worn as less traditional engagement ring designs,” says Pragnell. Just look to Zendaya, whose bezel-set east-west engagement ring was dreamt up by London-based jeweler Jessica McCormack, and features an elongated diamond set horizontally along the finger.

“Clients are mixing things up – yellow gold with platinum, chunkier bands with older stones, slightly off-center settings – it’s all a bit more relaxed. Also, people are much more into reusing what they have. Family stones, inherited pieces, it’s not just about sentimental value anymore, it’s also about not buying new just for the sake of it,” says Chelsea-based goldsmith and jeweler Jessie Thomas.

“I like to encourage clients to think about contrast,” adds fellow London jeweler Rachel Boston. “Some of the most beautiful results come from pairing something very old with something very clean and modern. It creates a tension that makes both elements feel more alive and unexpected.”

Choose a design you can wear every day

Antique designs—some centuries old—may have picked up wear and tear over time, so it’s important to invest in a piece that you can wear day in and day out. “I tell clients to think practically early on. How careful are you with jewelry? Do you want something low-profile, or are you happy with a bit of height? There’s no point designing something beautiful if it’s not going to suit how you actually live,” explains Thomas.

“Precious metal, such as gold, can be surprisingly soft, so ask your trusted jeweler to make sure the prongs and setting are securely fastening your diamond,” adds Levinson.

“When purchasing an antique diamond, it’s important to check that the stone sits properly within its setting,” explains Georgia Sayers, whose mother Charlotte has run an antique jewelry boutique from Gray’s Antiques Market in Central London since 1990. “This can help indicate whether the diamond is original to the piece or has been replaced.” She errs against rings from the Georgian era, which were set with closed backs with a layer of foil beneath them, that can be affected and dulled by water damage. “By contrast, rings from the Victorian era onwards were designed with open-back settings, allowing light to pass through the stone and taking away any concerns about water exposure,” she adds. As a result, these later pieces are generally much better suited to daily wear.”

Be guided by trusted sellers

“Make sure to buy from a trusted jeweler, for example, a jeweler that is a member of the National Association of Jewelers or that is Responsible Jewelry Council certified, and ask them to use a Diamond Verification Instrument to verify that it is a natural diamond,” advises Levinson.

Remodel!

Remodeling an antique ring or a stone can ensure that you come away with an engagement ring that feels entirely you. “The main thing is to let the stone lead. Antique stones aren’t uniform like modern ones—they’ve got quirks, slightly off proportions, sometimes wear—so you design around that rather than forcing it into a standard setting,” says Thomas.

“Bezel settings can be particularly effective, as they help balance stones that may be slightly irregular in shape,” says Eliza Walter of London-based Lylie. “Compass claw settings also work beautifully for cushion and elongated cushion cuts, subtly enhancing their proportions.”

Her favorite remodeling commission? The engagement ring Walter designed for model, florist, and writer Charlie Newman and her boyfriend, using a 3-carat old European-cut diamond unset from Newman’s beloved late-grandmother’s very dated engagement ring. “I sketched the design, and then we pulled the CAD from the pencil marks and created an engagement ring that is bold and modern, with a sleek bezel setting, while also being imbued with a rich sense of family history and romanticism. We then crafted her wedding ring using the smaller leftover diamonds from her grandmother’s engagement ring, to snugly hug around her engagement ring and with channel setting.”

“Clients aren’t just resetting heirloom stones in traditional mounts… the focus seems to be on chunkier bands and a heavy, bolder look overall,” adds Boston. She recently created an engagement ring using stones from the diamonds taken from her client’s great-grandmother’s antique bracelet. “I felt quite hesitant about dismantling the original piece, as it had such a strong identity of its own. But for the client, the importance was in carrying those stones forward into something his partner could wear every day,” she says. “We designed an Art Deco-inspired ring that felt true to the period the diamonds came from, but with a more refined, modern execution. The center was framed with a hand-cut emerald channel-set halo, which gave it a beautiful pop of color, and we set additional diamonds from the bracelet along the band to tie everything together. It became a piece that still held the history of the original, but in a form that felt completely new, which is often the most meaningful outcome with heirloom stones.”