Confused about spacer rings!

[beth2222]

Hoping someone can clarify a few things about spacer rings and when they are necessary...

In terms of spacers used for protection when there are side-facing diamonds on a ring, such as a pave donut on e-ring....
-If a plain wedding band is worn (without any diamonds on it), is a spacer still needed?
-What about a bezel set w-band that is smooth sided? Will that damage the pave donut?

I had originally decided against a pave donut because I didn't want to have to wear a spacer all the time...but after looking around PS, I'm noticing that many people wear them to protect the e-ring and w-band from eachother in cases where there are no side-facing stones anyway. This is all leaving me very confused as to when a spacer is a good idea and when it is not needed. Also confused as to why the spacer itself can't/won't cause damage from rubbing up against another rings.

Essentially, I would hate to leave the pave off my donut just to avoid needing a spacer, only to find out later that I will need one anyway because I chose a pave w-band, etc...

Thanks!

 

[Fly Girl]

Hi Beth - Spacer rings are needed when the diamonds on one ring can touch another ring. The spacer protects the second ring from damage by keeping them apart. A spacer is not needed if the diamonds on the first ring are set such that they cannot touch the second ring.

For diamonds that you know are going to touch a second ring, a spacer ring will take the damage and help to protect the second ring. Personally, I would not put diamonds on the side of a ring that will be facing a second band.

 

[04diamond<3]

I honestly wouldn't get pave on the donut unless you're planning the ering by itself. If you have to cover the diamonds, then I wouldn't do it. But yes, a spacer is meant to stop stones from being damaged.

 

[Ally T]

My jeweller also made me a spacer to sit between my shared prong full eternity & pear diamond solitaire when it was in its previous basket setting. The claws were chewing into each other (platinum on platinum = chewed quickly). I didn't like wearing a spacer, so ultimately had to have a bespoke setting made for the pear, to lift it & it's claws higher above the eternity prongs.

 

[kathley]

I wear a spacer to protect my wedding ring from being scratched by the milgrain at the base of my e-ring. My spacer is less than 1 mm and is very comfortable and discrete.

 

[SB621]

I wear a spacer to protect my wedding ring from being scratched by the milgrain at the base of my e-ring. My spacer is less than 1 mm and is very comfortable and discrete.

Yup I also wear a spacer between my ering (diamonds on the donut) and my wbands...honestly I actually really like the look.

 

[rubybeth]

I don't think anyone has really answered your question yet. A few situations in which you'd want a spacer:

- eternity band with exposed girdles (sides) of diamonds + plain solitaire with prongs that would be touched by the girdles = leads to eating away of prongs, so the spacer creates 'space' (huh, how about that!) so that the girdles don't touch the prongs

- eternity band or pave band (either just on top of the band or 3-sided pave) that would rub against pave or eternity style shank on the e-ring = diamonds touching diamonds is bad news

- large center stone and diamond wedding band of any kind = spacer would keep wedding band looking 'separate' from the main diamond, or prevent it from being 'covered' even partially in a top-down view of the stone

- some people just like the little gap that a 1-1.5mm band creates, it gives some visual interest instead of a 'wall of bling' look when multiple diamond bands are stacked

- your proposed scenario, with a pave doughnut and a plain band = spacer prevents plain band from getting scratched or 'eaten' away at (plain bands spin a lot which we don't realize, but it creates friction, and friction with diamonds = bad news) and most people are sentimental about their wedding band so wouldn't want it damaged.

All in all, I'd say that you should avoid getting a pave doughnut, because it will just be one more thing you have to deal with. If you don't ever plan on wearing another ring next to the ring and reeeeally want the pave doughnut (or don't care if either ring gets damaged), then proceed as you wish!

 

[chicam]

Ok I'm gonna finally ask it, what do you all mean by donut, which part of a pave ring is it exactly? And while I'm at it, what do you all mean when you use the word FLY on these forums. Please help. Lol.

 

[beth2222]

Ok I'm gonna finally ask it, what do you all mean by donut, which part of a pave ring is it exactly? And while I'm at it, what do you all mean when you use the word FLY on these forums. Please help. Lol.

I am pretty sure FLY= Fancy Light Yellow diamond

And you will be able to see the donut, sometimes refered to as the "gallery," as #4 in the attached diagram.

 

[maccers]

This is a good question, I've been confused too!

Are spacers only about protecting the stones or does this also apply to protect filligree/engraving work? E.g. The e-ring shank has engraving down the side of the shank and the wedding band also has engraving down the side.

 

[bunnycat]

This is a good question, I've been confused too!

Are spacers only about protecting the stones or does this also apply to protect filligree/engraving work? E.g. The e-ring shank has engraving down the side of the shank and the wedding band also has engraving down the side.

I would say a spacer would protect that as well. I've seen some very old filigree Art Deco rings where an entire side of filgree was eaten into where there was obviously a wedding band being worn right next to it.

 

[chicam]

Thanks beth2222. Appreciate it.

 

[Logan Sapphire]

I wear a .75mm spacer btwn my rings b/c the sharper edge of my wedding band (I guess I would describe it as a pipe cut channel set platinum band) was eating into the platinum trellis of my ering. So in my case, it wasn't diamonds doing the damage, but platinum-on-platinum.

 

[ame]

I wear one to prevent "misfire" and keep the competition down between the diamonds in my wband and ering. I like the look, and it's deliberately a 2mm band to look part of the set, and not invisible. I also had to for a while bec at one point I had a very open shared prong band that would eat this wirework on my setting alive.

 

[DNB]

I wear one to separate my 5 stone from my e-ring. The center stone on the 5 stone rubs the prongs and has already put a mark there. Eventually the prong would weaken so I got the spacer. The spacer is very thin (~1mm) and is a diamond eternity one. The stones in the spacer don't touch anything. I really like the look too.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I wear one to separate my 5 stone from my e-ring. The center stone on the 5 stone rubs the prongs and has already put a mark there. Eventually the prong would weaken so I got the spacer. The spacer is very thin (~1mm) and is a diamond eternity one. The stones in the spacer don't touch anything. I really like the look too.

yup,wife had the same problem so i bought her a 2mm spacer ring.

 

[CharmyPoo]

Although I know all the benefits, I still hate spacers and refuse to wear them. I am bad.

 

[diamondringlover]

Although I know all the benefits, I still hate spacers and refuse to wear them. I am bad.

Yep I am the same way...my 5 stone is really beating up the prongs on my e-ring...but I dont wear them 90% of the time (I wear a plain thin gold band most of the time) and I like the way they look together and I dont have room on my short fat finger for a spacer...

 

[Roxy]

Although I know all the benefits, I still hate spacers and refuse to wear them. I am bad.

Yep I am the same way...my 5 stone is really beating up the prongs on my e-ring...but I dont wear them 90% of the time (I wear a plain thin gold band most of the time) and I like the way they look together and I dont have room on my short fat finger for a spacer...

I think I'd be the same way but I was able to have mine spot soldered to prevent movement/damage.

This a great thread for explaining how spacers work! Maybe it should be part of the helpful threads.

 

[motownmama]

Right - diamonds scratching diamonds are the case where there's really no option

 

[Roxy]

Right - diamonds scratching diamonds are the case where there's really no option

That's so true! If you have diamonds or engraving or some other fabulous detail along the side of your ring, I think you'd be forced to wear a spacer or wear them alone.

 

[maccers]

I wear one to separate my 5 stone from my e-ring. The center stone on the 5 stone rubs the prongs and has already put a mark there. Eventually the prong would weaken so I got the spacer. The spacer is very thin (~1mm) and is a diamond eternity one. The stones in the spacer don't touch anything. I really like the look too.

I know so little about spacers I don't know you mean about 'a diamond eternity one'? Are their different types of spacers? I thought they were just a super thin band, 1-2 mm wide....Please someone explain.

 

[psywzrd]

I know I'm reviving an old thread here but can someone show me what one of these ring spacers looks like and/or tell me where I can get one? My wife's wedding ring rubs up against her engagement ring and it kind of ruins the look on her finger. She wants something that will keep them maybe like 1-2mm apart so that you can clearly see the separation between the two rings. The wedding ring is a thin eternity band and the engagement ring has a halo that the wedding ring can fit right under so that the rings kind of stack together. Hope I explained it well!

 

[maccers]

My avatar shows one. I think it's 1.5mm.

 

[tyty333]

Most people get them from etsy...
www.etsy.com

You can search for 1 mm wedding band or 1.5 mm wedding band and you should get several hits.

I got a 1.5mm from e-wedding bands for around $110 (white gold).
http://www.e-weddingbands.com/

 

[tyty333]

Here is my 1.5mm...its actually my wedding band. I would suggest a 1 mm.

 

[PintoBean]

I have spacers from deb blazer of etsy and e-wedding bands. Both are great so go with whichever one is cheaper lolol.

 

[psywzrd]

Hmmm - I was actually hoping these spacer rings were clear or something so that you don't see them. Doesn't make sense for me to buy another thin metal band to go in between the two rings. She wants them to both have "space" on her finger because she prefers the look. I agree too.

 

[foxinsox]

Hmmm - I was actually hoping these spacer rings were clear or something so that you don't see them. Doesn't make sense for me to buy another thin metal band to go in between the two rings. She wants them to both have "space" on her finger because she prefers the look. I agree too.

You can get a spacer to have a knife edge or lower profile than your wedding set so it doesn't stand out - the point is for it to be a sacrificial ring so your wedding band and/or engagement ring won't be damaged by rubbing against each other

 

[tyty333]

Hmmm - I was actually hoping these spacer rings were clear or something so that you don't see them. Doesn't make sense for me to buy another thin metal band to go in between the two rings. She wants them to both have "space" on her finger because she prefers the look. I agree too.

Spacers that people use on PS are not clear. A lot of times the donut on an engagement ring causes separation between the ering and the wedding band
(will cause an open space).

Also, people wear spacers because sometimes the diamonds on the top of the wedding band can eat into the gallery of the ering if the ering is set low
so that might be another reason you are seeing people where them. AND, some people just like the look of stacking their rings and like the look of
another thin, plain band in their stack.