Eternity Ring for Engagement

[john_cantius]

I would be interested to hear some thoughts about the use of eternity rings for engagement.

I haven''t really considered this until recently but the factors I am dealing with are: I need a "low set" ring because my girl is very active and would score big points if I can incorporate Fleur de Lis into the design. I haven''t had much luck with traditional rings although a regional antique dealer was going to get back to me on some recent acquisitions. Here is an example, I''ve seen many more from Beverly K, which I think looks nice as a ring itself but I wonder if it''s appropriate for engagement. She doesn''t wear much jewelry so I have been given all liberty in picking out a ring but I wonder if an eternity ring would look strange next to a wedding ring? I might bring up the idea this weekend and hope I get a strong reaction either way.

Thank you

 

[Skippy123]

It looks beautiful. It works perfect!!!

Another option is a bezel set diamond low.

Here is a beautiful ring for an active person since it protects the diamond better.

 

[Kaleigh]

That''s a lovely eternity band, but looks a little too delicate if your GF is very active, IE, not sure how well it would hold up.. I''d try to get more info from her... I think an eternity band as an ering is a lovely idea, but better to make sure she is on the same page...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Eternity bands are wedding rings to me, so if she wants to wear only a wedding ring, I''d just wait and give it to her at the wedding. You can obviously do anything you want, but anyone looking at the ring will assume she is married and not engaged.

I do think you need to ask her what she likes. There are active girls on here all the time who have beautiful traditional wedding sets. Some people have an extra plain gold wedding band to wear at times they shouldn''t wear the regular diamonds.

But another source of low set and bezel set rings is www.crossjewelers.com and the Tiffany Etoile ring can be reproduced as well.

 

[Lynn B]

My DD recently got married, and she is NOT a "traditional" e-ring/w-ring kind of girl... and a big diamond didn''t even TEMPT her.

(Can you imagine???! Where DID I go wrong???!

) LOL!

She wanted one simple, unique, fabulous ring only... and that''s what she got. (It''s a platinum, diamond and sapphire bubble ring). She wore it during her engagement as her engagement ring, and now she wears it as her wedding ring. Yeah, some people thought she was already married when she was just engaged, but she didn''t really mind. She just explained it, or not

depending on who it was/when it was!

 

[woobug02]

woooo, I think Ben Affleck got Jennifer Gardner an eternity band as her engagement ring....WOWOWOW a beauty

 

[erica k]

i agree with skippy, if she''s active, a complicated (albeit lowset) band might cause problems later on in terms of maintenance. at the same time, i love the idea of having one ring (so simple, so unique). the Tiffany Bubbles ring is definitely on my short list of favorites.

the bezel-set would be a great option, but it sounds like she''d rather have something with a design motif (fleur de lis). i wonder if someone like mark morrell could design an eternity ring with the fleur de lis that is sturdy enough for an active person.

if you want to give her an eternity-ring for the engagement, i say go for it! people can think what they want. as long as she''s happy with it and doesn''t care about the questions (which will be asked, i bet).

oh, and woobug, i love jennifer garner''s eternity ring-as-e-ring, too. now that''s what i call a statement ring! simple, elegant, yet makes a huge impact.

 

[risingsun]

I would ask your GF how she feels about having an eternity ring as an e-ring. For me, I would not care for the idea, because it is--in reality--a wedding band. But it is really about what she would love to wear as her e-ring. I just don''t think I would surprise her with an eternity ring!

 

[cinnamon013]

Ditto to asking her if that is what she wants.

I wore a wedding band only for 7 years, then a eternity band only for 4 years. Now, I finally have my diamond ering, and am waiting to buy the band. It''s not for everyone to wear a eternity band for an ering. You have to be "that" kind of person. I was, but not many folks are. I absolutely love my ering look now that we''ve made the purchase. I do remember even my hubby being a little uncomfortable about me not having something more traditional.

If that is the look she likes, then go for it. However, i would echo that the ring you are thinking of may not be right for someone active. It looks like there is potential for damage to the ring. Have you looked at some of the diamond eternity bands on facetscollection.com? A channel set princess band might have a delicate flair like the ring you showed in the picture, but add some bling into her life, allowing for a lovely eternity band to be an ering - if that is what she desires. I have a channel set rounds eternity band, and I consider it very durable.

http://www.thefacetscollection.com/item.cfm?item_id=4105

She will have people assume she is married, but in the end, who cares what they think? Get her something she will love.

 

[musey]

I agree about feeling her out on the idea, first. Also the fact that the ring you looked does look very delicate for an active woman.

As for the question of how an eternity ring will look with a solid wedding band--I LOVE that look! I'm thinking of lisaC's set below (just imagine it without the center e-ring stone).

[LisaC please forgive me for linking your ring--hope you don't mind!]

However, I do think that with the band that you linked, it might not quite "go," you know? I think of that style of band as a "fashion" diamond band as opposed to an "eternity" diamond band, which normally is a plain, normally-shaped band with diamonds simply set into it. Do you know what I mean?

 

[pyramid]

Date: 6/16/2007 12:21:26 PM
Author: risingsun
I would ask your GF how she feels about having an eternity ring as an e-ring. For me, I would not care for the idea, because it is--in reality--a wedding band. But it is really about what she would love to wear as her e-ring. I just don't think I would surprise her with an eternity ring!

I am in the UK and reading what you wrote, I find this interesting, because I always think it is weird how people in the USA use an eternity band as a wedding band. In the UK a wedding band is plain or patterned gold or platinum and recently people have had wedding bands with a diamond or three set in them level with the gold in the way the etoile band is, however an eternity band here is an eternity band. An eternity band here is given on the birth of the first baby or the first year of marriage, it was on the tenth year of marriage some years back.

If the woman in question wants an eternity band as an engagement ring then I say go for it.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 6/16/2007 3:16:47 PM
Author: Pyramid

Date: 6/16/2007 12:21:26 PM
Author: risingsun
I would ask your GF how she feels about having an eternity ring as an e-ring. For me, I would not care for the idea, because it is--in reality--a wedding band. But it is really about what she would love to wear as her e-ring. I just don''t think I would surprise her with an eternity ring!

I am in the UK and reading what you wrote, I find this interesting, because I always think it is weird how people in the USA use an eternity band as a wedding band. In the UK a wedding band is plain or patterned gold or platinum and recently people have had wedding bands with a diamond or three set in them level with the gold in the way the etoile band is, however an eternity band here is an eternity band. An eternity band here is given on the birth of the first baby or the first year of marriage, it was on the tenth year of marriage some years back.

If the woman in question wants an eternity band as an engagement ring then I say go for it.

I find the cultural differences very interesting. I wonder if it is also that things have changed with the times?

I think that eternity bands were given for anniv in the US maybe 10-15 years ago but sometimes the woman took off her wband and wore the eternity. Anyone remember?

I agree with the other posters that you need to be sure your GF wants an eternity band for an e-ring.

 

[risingsun]

I''ve worn a "half-eternity" band as my wedding ring for the past 10+ years. It was the ring I was married with and when we did my upgrade, the eternity was upgraded...well, replaced...as well. I haven''t worn a plain band since my first marriage and that ring, along with the marriage, was retired a long time ago

 

[snlee]

If your girlfriend is happy with an eternity ring for an ering, go for it! I see nothing wrong with that.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 6/16/2007 11:11:50 PM
Author: Stone Hunter

Date: 6/16/2007 3:16:47 PM
Author: Pyramid

Date: 6/16/2007 12:21:26 PM
Author: risingsun
I would ask your GF how she feels about having an eternity ring as an e-ring. For me, I would not care for the idea, because it is--in reality--a wedding band. But it is really about what she would love to wear as her e-ring. I just don''t think I would surprise her with an eternity ring!

I am in the UK and reading what you wrote, I find this interesting, because I always think it is weird how people in the USA use an eternity band as a wedding band. In the UK a wedding band is plain or patterned gold or platinum and recently people have had wedding bands with a diamond or three set in them level with the gold in the way the etoile band is, however an eternity band here is an eternity band. An eternity band here is given on the birth of the first baby or the first year of marriage, it was on the tenth year of marriage some years back.

If the woman in question wants an eternity band as an engagement ring then I say go for it.

I find the cultural differences very interesting. I wonder if it is also that things have changed with the times?

I think that eternity bands were given for anniv in the US maybe 10-15 years ago but sometimes the woman took off her wband and wore the eternity. Anyone remember?

I agree with the other posters that you need to be sure your GF wants an eternity band for an e-ring.

I got my half eternity channel set band 16 years ago as my 15th anniversary ring. Eternity rings were called anniversary rings then. I wore it along with a plain gold wedding band as my wedding set for many years. (I could no longer wear my original wedding set because my knuckles enlarged after my second baby.) So, I guess you could say I was wearing the eternity ring in place of an engagement ring. I think it is a great look. The Eternity band can be an engagement ring, an anniversary ring or a wedding ring. Your choice.

 

[surfgirl]

I think it''s fine to wear an eband for an ering. BUT...is that what SHE wants? First, I dont think the band you''ve posted in your first post is what I would consider an eternity band at all. It''s a wedding band, albeit an embellished one. Eternity bands are almost exclusively bands with a row of diamonds going halfway or all the way around them. Different shape stones make for different looks. And the way they''re set also can give a distinctly different look as well. In fact I was going to go for a full round eband as my ering but after trying them on, I found the full rounds to be uncomfortable on my finger - too chunky between my fingers. Some people like that feeling but if your gf''s very active, the only eternity band I would consider would be channel set because they''re less likely to get banged up on a daily basis - if she''s active, as you''ve said.

But I''d go with the other rec''s here and take her shopping and see what she really loves best. I think the option that Skippy showed above - simple plat band with bezel set center stone - is simply GORGEOUS and it''s very practical for an active woman. I''d go for that one over an eband any day.

 

[Stone Hunter]

In the adds in today''s paper an eyeglass company had a woman with a plain wedding band and an eternity band on without the traditional e-ring.

Maybe this is the new trend? But do ask your GF what she wants.

Love knowing that eternity bands were called anniversary bands 15 yrs ago in the US. Thanks.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

The band you linked is beautiful, but it just doesn''t look e-ring to me. I do like the idea of an eternity ring as an e-ring, but more of a ''traditional'' eternity band ring.

 

[eac]

John, you are right to check on this. An eternity ring would look strange as an engagement ring, especially a ring as detailed as that; and that ring looks too delicate to stand up to an active lifestyle.

If fleur de lyse are important...when you mentioned that, I had an image of a ring pop into my mind; a single round diamond in a low bezel setting, flanked on each side by a fleur de lyse. How would that work? A jeweler would make the ring setting, carving it in wax, and show it to you for your approval before casting the setting in white gold or yellow gold.

You can get wedding bands with medieval/Celtic carvings on them, so with a fleur de lyse ring, that would be a pretty set, if it was her style.

 

[staci76]

If you are looking for something low set with a Fleur de Lis pattern in it...here is a link to some custom wedding bands / engagement rings I found...

http://www.custom-wedding-rings.com/fleurdelis-rings.htm

I have not ordered from them personally but have heard good things about them. I''m sure they could add a low set / bezel set diamond to any of these bands if you were interested or they could make something completely custom for you with a Fleur de Lis design added in. They have a bunch of items listed on their website under "Our Newest Creations" to show custom work they have done recently.

 

[lisaC]

I agree with the others that the Beverly K ring you posted is not sturdy enough for an ering. I love the look of a diamond eternity paired with another band ring- a la Tiffany''s stacked celebration rings- though I''m not keen on their prices- Facets/Signedpieces are more my speed.
I hope you come back to let us know if your intended likes the idea of stacking rings or perhaps something bezel set like the etienne perret posted in the first reply.

 

[happilyeverafter]

I agree with the others that if an eternity ring is what she wants, then GO FOR IT! Who cares if people think she''s married, she will be soon anyways, and she can correct who she wants to. I am thinking of having a big 5 stone band made as an ering - as I can''t seem to find anyone who will make me the exact setting I want for a traditional solitaire setting. There are MANY people who stop wearing their erings after the wedding anyways.

Also, a "traditional" ering would make a nice anniversary gift down the road!

 

[fanboy]

There''s no reason to stick to tradition for tradition''s sake when you and your fiance have an overriding personal preference. So long as you don''t care about other people immediately recognizing it as her engagement ring, then who cares?

 

[vizsla]

i have 2 1/2 eternity rings as my engagement rings from facets. i think they are beautiful, a true statement piece (especially since i have 2 offer up all of the bling needed and are easy and comfortable to wear. i say go for it!

 

[anne_h]

I think the fleur de lys ring in WG should be okay for everyday wear... IMO, it would look great with a thin plain white-metal band beside it!

Anne

 

[Delster]

Date: 6/15/2007 9:37:53 PM
Author:john_cantius
She doesn''t wear much jewelry so I have been given all liberty in picking out a ring but I wonder if an eternity ring would look strange next to a wedding ring? I might bring up the idea this weekend and hope I get a strong reaction either way.

You really do need to talk to her and ask her if she wants one ring or two, and if she wants the ''traditional'' engagement ring look. The ring you posted is very ''pretty'' - is that her personal style? Or is she more of a sleek & classic kind of girl - like the ring Skippy posted? Both are beautiful, but they are quite different.

Date: 6/15/2007 9:37:53 PM
I need a "low set" ring because my girl is very active and would score big points if I can incorporate Fleur de Lis into the design.

One option might be to do an eternity band as the engagement ring and then a band with fleur-de-lis engraved on it as the wedding band?

Date: 6/15/2007 9:37:53 PM
Author:john_cantius
I would be interested to hear some thoughts about the use of eternity rings for engagement.

My BF''s mother wears a channel set eternity band with her plain gold wedding band and it looks great, the look she has is very simple and elegant. She''s a very active person and has had no problems with the setting. The only thing that has come up is that because the rings are two different percentages of gold (18K and 14K), one ring has worn the other down and now she says the edge of one of the rings is sharp as a result.

Wedding bands here (Ireland) have traditionally always been plain or engraved gold bands and eternity rings were given on the birth of the first child or on an anniversary. A lot of women lately though seem to be going for a ''traditional'' engagement ring paired with an eternity ring as the wedding band.

Just talk to her about her preferences - what matters is that you pick something she loves, not what''s usual or what other people have. It''s lovely how much thought you''re giving this and you''ll do great! Good luck!