Our vintage ring guide
Secret plans to propose this valentine’s day? A new ring needs metals and stones mined from finite resources so we’ve found some vintage and repurposed options instead. Love romance, love life and love the planet.
Buy vintage
For a sustainable option that’s thoughtful and steeped in history, look to pre-loved rings. There are independent antique and vintage dealers available to you on your local high street. A great way to use these shops to your advantage is to talk to your friends and colleagues for recommendations of reliable second-hand dealers.
Feeling brave? Another way to find a unique ring is to search in antiques fairs and auctions. If you have a rough idea of the size you’re looking for, rings can often be altered by specialists if the size isn’t quite right. Better still, getting hand-me-downs resized is a thoughtful and thrifty way to show your devotion.
If trawling around the markets and fairs isn’t your speed, or you prefer to shop from the comfort of your own home, The Antique Jewellery Company are based in London and offer a family-run, friendly shopping experience. They highlight that purchasing a preloved ring makes you a ‘conservator not a consumer’ and they appreciate the high quality and authenticity of vintage pieces.
Brighton-based The Vintage Ring Company have an ethical approach to sourcing existing rings that cater to modest budgets. We spoke to founders, Claire Roberts and Arabel Lebrusan about why a more sustainable model for buying jewellery is important.
© The Vintage Ring Co
Global warming has reached crisis point. ‘No matter how fairly traded or carefully sourced, newly mined materials use up valuable resources,’ explains Arabel. ‘It’s vital that we slow down the rate at which we’re consuming water, land and energy. Never before has it been so vital to celebrate recycled jewellery – masterpieces that already exist above the ground.’ Not only does The Vintage Ring Company present the opportunity to own a unique jewel with a beautiful backstory, it also demonstrates that it is possible to enjoy beautiful jewellery without compromising your ethical values.
‘Mining for metals and gems consumes a huge amount of water and energy,’ The Vintage Ring Company explains. ‘It causes inevitable and often irreversible damage to the environment. Choosing a pre-loved ring rather than buying a new one is recycling something that has already been made, which means that absolutely no energy has been expended and nobody has been exploited in its creation. This makes our business 100% ethical.’
The Vintage Ring Co.’s model is the epitome of sustainability because zero manufacturing is involved. When a vintage ring needs resizing or repairing, they will do this free of charge.
The appeal is twofold. ‘There’s something so romantic about seeking out these little treasures – diamonds in the rough – and offering them a new lease of life,’ co-founder Arabel says. ‘Rather than consuming, our customers are conserving a precious piece of history.’
See Hairy Growler’s site
Turning trash into treasure
For a bespoke ring, some British artists create rings from recycled materials that would otherwise end up in landfill. If you and your partner aren’t keen on wedding tradition and want to find a ring to reflect your unconventional style, a ring made from recycled materials could suit you perfectly.
Hairy Growler create rings from antique objects such as old coins and silver teaspoons which are really distinctive – ideal if you’re looking for a gender-neutral ring. Hairy Growler are eco-conscious at their core, stating in their blog, ‘in my mind it would be incoherent and illogical to create the designs I make from anything other than unwanted, unused, upcycled materials’.
For an understated design with a secret hidden within, Beachcomber Jewellery can stamp a secret message, date or coordinates on the interior of this ring. Kerry Hughes of Beachcomber Jewellery creates her pieces using pieces of seaglass and casts from seaweed.
© Kerry Hughes, Beachcomber Jewellery
If you’re looking for something with a personal touch, Eco Wood Rings allow customers to design their own ring from scratch even with the option of providing their own materials. You won’t be short on inspiration as they have a range of recycled and responsibly sourced wood and metal to choose from. You can even add a special inscription to the ring or choose something more affordable from their eco-conscious collection.
