Is it really a trend?

[reader]

I have seen article after article that states that women are opting to not wear their engagement rings in lieu of bands.

I am wondering, (especially those among you who have been married for sometime or did get larger rings)if this is true for you?

 

[Blair138]

I''ve been married less than a year but I know that I have never seen my mom wear her e-ring-it is too small now and she has lots of other bands she wears. Maybe as I get older or when we have kids, but I love my set and I love wearing it everyday! But I can totally see that trend possibly due to career or lifestyle that an e-ring would not be practical on a daily basis.

 

[jewelz617]

I only wear a plain band at the moment. But that''s only because I didn''t like my old ering and have a new one being made. I''ll be wearing it once it arrives.

 

[waterlilly]

can you point to one of those articles?

sounds odd to me.

 

[jewelz617]

Date: 3/20/2010 8:17:05 AM
Author: waterlilly
can you point to one of those articles?


sounds odd to me.

Here you go. It's not that odd, actually. I know lots of women (usually older) that only wear a band.

NYPost

 

[noelwr]

I decided my e-ring would be both my e-ring and wedding ring, so I do not have a wedding band.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 3/20/2010 6:03:30 AM
Author:reader

I have seen article after article that states that women are opting to not wear their engagement rings in lieu of bands.

I am wondering, (especially those among you who have been married for sometime or did get larger rings) if this is true for you?

The title of this thread is: Is it really a trend?

Until I opened the thread, I didn''t know to what you were referring. Now that I have opened it and ascertained that you mean wearing a plain wedding bands in lieu of a wedding band plus a solitaire or another ring set with stones, I have a definitive answer for you. It is, yes. It is a trend. I started it. I have been wearing a plain band for many years, although I own a lovely solitaire with good specs. (It is a 1.67 carat F colored VS clarity AGS Ideal Cut diamond.) I have been married for 33 years (give or take a week). So I meet all the requirements for being married for "some time" and having a "larger ring" (unless you are going by Texas standards of large).

Have I answered your question?

Deb/AGBF

 

[April20]

I wear my e-ring every day. I enjoy wearing it.

 

[iheartscience]

I don''t think it''s a trend. The vast majority of women I see with a band also wear an engagement ring. My mom has been married to my dad for 42 years and she wears her engagement ring every day.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I know a lot of people in NYC who just wear bands, or nothing, but I also know many who wear big honkin rocks and awesome RHRs

 

[iluvcarats]

I''ve been doing this lately, but I didn''t know it was a trend

I''ve been married almost 15 years. I love my ER, but sometimes it seems a bit much for my *mom life*
I''ve been wearing an eternity band with a wedding band. It''s easy, understated, and I like the classic look.

 

[HVVS]

Date: 3/20/2010 8:36:54 AM
Author: PinkAsscher678

Date: 3/20/2010 8:17:05 AM

Author: waterlilly

can you point to one of those articles?
sounds odd to me.

Here you go. It''s not that odd, actually. I know lots of women (usually older) that only wear a band.

NYPost

"lots of women (usually older) that only wear a band" never got a larger diamond. They were engaged and married in an era of huge markups in B&M store jewelry. They probably received a .25ct or .33ct RB of average cut, and then they were into the child rearing and all those expenses, and just never could afford that diamond of 1ct or more. Loads of husbands do not believe it''s necessary to get an upgrade or anniversary larger diamond ring, and loads of women do not ever talk back to such men, nor will they go out and buy a diamond ring for themselves.

My great aunt in NYC wore a spectacular half-eternity band of large Asschers in high colors, not a wedding set.

 

[elle_chris]

I''ve also been doing it. Not sure if it''s a trend though. But i''ve always liked understated and minimal. M e-ring, while it doesn''t get tons of attention, at least not that I''m aware of, started making me feel self-conscious. My 5 stone is pretty big and in the last year, i can count on both hands the number of times I''ve worn it. Maybe it is the econmic downturn, not sure. I do know that I''m most comfortable just wearing my original wedding band.

 

[jewelz617]

Date: 3/20/2010 10:24:25 AM
Author: HVVS

Date: 3/20/2010 8:36:54 AM

Author: PinkAsscher678

Date: 3/20/2010 8:17:05 AM


Author: waterlilly


can you point to one of those articles?

sounds odd to me.

Here you go. It''s not that odd, actually. I know lots of women (usually older) that only wear a band.


NYPost

''lots of women (usually older) that only wear a band'' never got a larger diamond. They were engaged and married in an era of huge markups in B&M store jewelry. They probably received a .25ct or .33ct RB of average cut, and then they were into the child rearing and all those expenses, and just never could afford that diamond of 1ct or more. Loads of husbands do not believe it''s necessary to get an upgrade or anniversary larger diamond ring, and loads of women do not ever talk back to such men, nor will they go out and buy a diamond ring for themselves.


My great aunt in NYC wore a spectacular half-eternity band of large Asschers in high colors, not a wedding set.

Hmmm... that''s an interesting theory I guess. I''m using women in my family and a few former co-workers as an example really, but they do have engagement rings. They just don''t wear them anymore. It''s not because they are afraid to talk back to their husbands, or never got a diamond. I definitely found for me that once the "show me the ring" phase was over and I was home with my daughter all the time I really didn''t want to wear an ering anyway. It was always getting dirty and I would hit it on furniture all the time.

I''m getting a new ring now, but it''s really just because I want it.

 

[jewelz617]

Date: 3/20/2010 10:39:22 AM
Author: elle_chris
I''ve also been doing it. Not sure if it''s a trend though. But i''ve always liked understated and minimal. M e-ring, while it doesn''t get tons of attention, at least not that I''m aware of, started making me feel self-conscious. My 5 stone is pretty big and in the last year, i can count on both hands the number of times I''ve worn it. Maybe it is the econmic downturn, not sure. I do know that I''m most comfortable just wearing my original wedding band.

That''s another good point. I don''t doubt the economy is making people feel self conscious about the size of their jewelry.

 

[HopeDream]

I''ve notices engagement ring styles getting increasingly ornate over the last several decades - in my opinion pave just isn''t a daily wear design.

Take a look at the bare bones styles from the 1030-1940s - designed for daily wear and worn accordingly - protected girdles, diamond set flush etc.

Modern styles have so many more places for dirt to acumulate, and so many more stones to come loose.

 

[elrohwen]

I''ve only been married for 6 months but I already hardly wear my ering! I would wear it to the office and out to dinner or parties, but I don''t wear it around the house. I do wear my wband around the house and basically all the time. If I got a thin diamond band, I think I would be more willing to wear that than my ering.

Funny enough, my mom recently stopped wearing her original wband and started wearing a new ering she designed for herself. She hated her old ering and never wore it because it was high set and snagged on everything. When she inherited a diamond from her mom, she had it set into a vintage style bezel setting (very low set and easy to wear, she hates thing set high) and she wears that all the time now.

 

[Sizzle]

I still love diamonds. Im sorry, I know the economy''s bad and they''re becoming less politically correct, but I still love the look of a big ole honkin rock, or three big ole honkin rocks! Why does everything fun turn in to "greed and excess". Most people who have fun toys work for it, why should they have to hide it!

 

[kenny]

I wear a diamond for myself, not for others.
I like what it does with light.

Trends are for trendy people.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

Date: 3/20/2010 12:00:08 PM
Author: HopeDream
I''ve notices engagement ring styles getting increasingly ornate over the last several decades - in my opinion pave just isn''t a daily wear design.

Take a look at the bare bones styles from the 1030-1940s - designed for daily wear and worn accordingly - protected girdles, diamond set flush etc.

Modern styles have so many more places for dirt to acumulate, and so many more stones to come loose.

I agree. I have not worn my original ering in a long time because of this. Instead I mix it up with some 1930''s/40''s pieces (protected diamond, low), carved bands, plain plat band, sapphire/diamond half eternity ring, family garnet ring from the early 1900''s and then I bought a really pretty cz full eternity ring for when I go to the gym or to the inlaws during the summer. They have a swimming pool and I took off my original wedding band to go swimming and somehow lost it. It has got to be somewhere....just somewhere hasn''t been found in four years

 

[jewelz617]

Date: 3/20/2010 12:22:46 PM
Author: Sizzle
I still love diamonds. Im sorry, I know the economy's bad and they're becoming less politically correct, but I still love the look of a big ole honkin rock, or three big ole honkin rocks! Why does everything fun turn in to 'greed and excess'. Most people who have fun toys work for it, why should they have to hide it!

I totally agree. I don't think anyone should have to hide their jewelry because the economy is bad, or because they think others will find big jewelry "tacky." I worked darn hard to afford a custom ring and I'll wear it proudly once it arrives. I think people should wear what makes their heart sing.

ETA: But I do understand *why* some people might not be totally comfortable. It's a personal preference.

 

[tyty333]

I used to not have a wedding band and only wore my e-ring (1.08 pear) for 10 years. Now that I have a wedding
band (.81 ctw 5 stone) I do find myself wearing the 5 stone without my ering quite a bit. I think mostly its because
its winter and my ering is spinning right now but I also like just admiring my 5 stone and its hard to when there is a
bigger stone sitting right next to it.

 

[Smurfysmiles]

I wear both everyday. I know how much we paid for it which is a large amount of money (at least to us) and it would seem like a waste not to wear it...

 

[bee*]

I wear both every day and never really take either of them of. I adore them together.

 

[joelly]

Date: 3/20/2010 10:24:25 AM
Author: HVVS

''lots of women (usually older) that only wear a band'' never got a larger diamond. They were engaged and married in an era of huge markups in B&M store jewelry. They probably received a .25ct or .33ct RB of average cut, and then they were into the child rearing and all those expenses, and just never could afford that diamond of 1ct or more. Loads of husbands do not believe it''s necessary to get an upgrade or anniversary larger diamond ring, and loads of women do not ever talk back to such men, nor will they go out and buy a diamond ring for themselves.

My great aunt in NYC wore a spectacular half-eternity band of large Asschers in high colors, not a wedding set.

I wonder, what makes you come to this conclusion?

 

[AprilBaby]

I wear my ering without my band a lot. Sometimes I think the diamonds in my band take away from my center stone.

 

[february2003bride]

I don''t believe plain bands ever went out of style for them to be a trend.

I had read an article about 2 years ago that women in NY were going for a simple 2-3mm plan platinum bands instead of e-rings/diamond wedding sets so I''m not surprised to see this pop up again. In some ways I think it goes hand in hand with our economy. About 2-3 years ago is when it started to go downhill.

I''d never seen my mother''s e-ring until the day she decided to sell it. She alternates between a plain gold band and a gold diamond anniversary band (pics posted here on PS). In fact, none of my Aunts or any of my mother''s friends wear any engagement rings, only plain bands or bands with small diamonds and/or gemstones.

All of my friends, cousins, and neighbors that are married where both their e-ring and wedding bands. Personally, I wear mine 24/7. I adore my set and only take it off to put lotion on my hands or my kids after their baths. I''m done changing/upgrading, whatever you want to call it. I''ve been searching for a diamond band and keep coming back to that I love my plain platinum band more with my e-ring. If I ever did stop wearing my e-ring or wore it less often, my 3mm band is the perfect "alone" ring.

 

[Indylady]

Date: 3/20/2010 10:24:25 AM
Author: HVVS

Date: 3/20/2010 8:36:54 AM

Author: PinkAsscher678

Date: 3/20/2010 8:17:05 AM


Author: waterlilly


can you point to one of those articles?

sounds odd to me.

Here you go. It''s not that odd, actually. I know lots of women (usually older) that only wear a band.


NYPost

''lots of women (usually older) that only wear a band'' never got a larger diamond. They were engaged and married in an era of huge markups in B&M store jewelry. They probably received a .25ct or .33ct RB of average cut, and then they were into the child rearing and all those expenses, and just never could afford that diamond of 1ct or more. Loads of husbands do not believe it''s necessary to get an upgrade or anniversary larger diamond ring, and loads of women do not ever talk back to such men, nor will they go out and buy a diamond ring for themselves.


My great aunt in NYC wore a spectacular half-eternity band of large Asschers in high colors, not a wedding set.

I do not think that older women who wear plain bands do so because they secretly want a diamond ring and but are submissive and won''t "talk back" to their husbands. I think its because engagement rings were not stressed and simply not a big deal.

 

[yssie]

..that's one trend I'm definitely not jumping on! I have seen lots of older women preferring only a plain band around here, though.

 

[charbie]

I''m not sure it is a trend persay, more just a preference. None of my friends only where a band, but where both. So it must not be a trend around here.

Since my band is a guard, I have to wear it with my ering, which is an heirloom from the 1940''s. I do have the original wband too, and I do occasionally where it on its own, as it is a simple wgold carved ring.

My hope is to get a thin pave half eternity ring to wear daily, and just wear my original set when going out. My set is nice, and sentimental, but not something I have to wear.