Need advice on Eternity band

[shinebrightlikea]

Hello there PS community! Sorry in advance for the long post! Last year I was on this forum a bit and posted to get some opinions on a diamond for the E-ring, and got some great feedback. I'm glad to say the proposal went off without a hitch and she said YES! Now we are planning the wedding and I am looking for some advice on the wedding band.

For reference in terms of visualization, the E-ring is a solitaire 1.8 ct. round on a customized platinum cathedral setting which is about 2.2-2.3mm wide. Pictures (sorry second is blurry):

For the wedding band, we have looked around at some larger jewelry chains and also small boutiques, to get an idea of preferred style and my fiancee has determined she wants a full eternity band, U-prong, size 5.25, set with round stones. I have contacted a local jewelry maker with good reviews to ask for the above specifications, with a band width of about 2.8mm. I asked for round diamonds in F/G colour, VS2/SI1 clarity, and preferably excellent cut. The quote he is giving me is that the diamonds will be about 0.08 point each, with a total of about 21-22 diamonds, for a total weight of 1.7 ct, set in platinum for about $3500 (Canadian dollars). Here is a picture of what we showed him of the general idea of what we want:



So with that information, I have a few questions:
1 - is there a good way to determine, based on band width desired, how many diamonds will compose the eternity band, and the size of the diamonds, and subsequently the total carat weight?
2 - is the quote fair?
3 - for the E-ring I prioritized cut over carat, but for these smaller diamonds, what is most important about the diamond grading?
4 - is there something important that I'm overlooking?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read!

 

[MegWeddingIdeas]

hey, this seems like a completely reasonable price, the only thing you should keep in mind that smaller diamonds are not certified which means that the "F/G colour, VS2/SI1 clarity, and preferably excellent cut" are as determined by your jeweler - so make sure it is a reputable one that deals with higher quality melee.

Love your ring BTW :roll

 

[Matthews1127]

Hello there PS community! Sorry in advance for the long post! Last year I was on this forum a bit and posted to get some opinions on a diamond for the E-ring, and got some great feedback. I'm glad to say the proposal went off without a hitch and she said YES! Now we are planning the wedding and I am looking for some advice on the wedding band.

For reference in terms of visualization, the E-ring is a solitaire 1.8 ct. round on a customized platinum cathedral setting which is about 2.2-2.3mm wide. Pictures (sorry second is blurry):

For the wedding band, we have looked around at some larger jewelry chains and also small boutiques, to get an idea of preferred style and my fiancee has determined she wants a full eternity band, U-prong, size 5.25, set with round stones. I have contacted a local jewelry maker with good reviews to ask for the above specifications, with a band width of about 2.8mm. I asked for round diamonds in F/G colour, VS2/SI1 clarity, and preferably excellent cut. The quote he is giving me is that the diamonds will be about 0.08 point each, with a total of about 21-22 diamonds, for a total weight of 1.7 ct, set in platinum for about $3500 (Canadian dollars). Here is a picture of what we showed him of the general idea of what we want:



So with that information, I have a few questions:
1 - is there a good way to determine, based on band width desired, how many diamonds will compose the eternity band, and the size of the diamonds, and subsequently the total carat weight?
2 - is the quote fair?
3 - for the E-ring I prioritized cut over carat, but for these smaller diamonds, what is most important about the diamond grading?
4 - is there something important that I'm overlooking?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read!

The quote sounds fair. Cut is king, even when dealing with smaller cuts, esp if you are matching it up to an ideal/super-ideal or even XXX cut diamond. Quality is everything; she will wear these rings for a long time, possibly, forever. With 0.08ct, you can get quality with SI clarity, and it won’t cause an issue. Just make sure they’re all “eye clean” SI stones. F/G color will be fine; small diamonds do not show color like larger diamonds do. Most Jewelers don’t use melee under H, from my experience.
The number of stones you will need will have to be calculated based upon mm width of the band, and her ring size.
This sounds exciting....can’t wait to see it!!!

 

[AprilBaby]

Go up half a size to account for pregnant and age changes down the road. Or leave 1 spot open in the back.

 

[lala2017]

@shinebrightlikea Are you located in Toronto? are you able to provide details for the jeweler? I am interested in purchasing a similar eternity band and would like to avoid buying from the states if I can. thanks!

 

[sarahb]

Ditto a small spot in the back for re-sizing. Life indeed does happen & now years later, I can wear mine, otherwise I would've had to sell it! Her ering is beautiful, & the wedding band she's picked out will look great with it. Mine was made with .02 melee, with a small sizing bar in the back:

Here is the .02 stone size WF Harmony shown with my ER for reference:

 

[shinebrightlikea]

Go up half a size to account for pregnant and age changes down the road. Or leave 1 spot open in the back.

Does leaving 1 spot open make it look kinda weird? Would it look better to have maybe 4-5 stones length just as smooth band? My fiancee and I talked to a jeweller today about it and he discussed the dangers of eternity bands (which we have heard many times before), but I guess now it's getting more realistic. He recommended just having the diamonds go for 2/3 of the band.

Any thoughts on that? Anyone with some bad experiences losing stones from their eternity bands, especially those who have u-prong settings?

 

[shinebrightlikea]

Ditto a small spot in the back for re-sizing. Life indeed does happen & now years later, I can wear mine, otherwise I would've had to sell it! Her ering is beautiful, & the wedding band she's picked out will look great with it. Mine was made with .02 melee, with a small sizing bar in the back:

Here is the .02 stone size WF Harmony shown with my ER for reference:

Those look awesome together! Thanks for the input especially the pictures!

 

[gregchang35]

agree with other comments about not full eternity.
I have a full eternity with carre cut stones. i spin my rings alot so the thought of a gap was the real reason i went for the full eternity. ANd, foolishly, I thought i was impervious to weight fluctuations, but who did i think i was???? I still have my carre eternity which i wear, but it is a little snug now.
Options of 2/3 or 3/4 eternity are good for resizing down the track. also 2/3 or 3/4 means less diamonds and therefore lower costs!!!!! yay!!!
If i were to get another eternity made now, i would consider the 2/3 or 3/4 eternity. i reason that if i spin my rings, i will spin them such not to show the 'empty' band part to others.

 

[Matthews1127]

I’d* go with the 3/4 Eternity, depending on her lifestyle. If she’s active, or her job requires her to use her hands a lot, a full Eternity is going to take a beating.
My WR is 1/2 Eternity. So is my Anniversary Band. I have a second band that I wear as a RHR that is 3/4 Eternity, and I’m going to be making an Anniversary Band that will be 3/4 Eternity. As much as I love full eternities, my lifestyle just won’t allow for them, right now. I don’t have sizing issues, but most people do, and will allow space for weight fluctuations.
My WR 1/2 Eternity is engraved on the bare metal left past the stones to match my ER, and to give it some decorative appeal, since it is only 1/2 Eternity. It covers my finger well, but if it spins, the beautiful artwork shows, and looks stunning. My DH insisted the detail be added to my WR; he loves the detail on my ER. The 3/4 Eternity Anniversary Band I’m making will also have the same detail on the metal left, after the Diamonds to match my set.
Just a little hint of something other than just metal, if you’d prefer something different.
Here’s a photo of my set:

I don’t think you can tell they are 1/2 Eternity.
Here’s a side view to show the detail:


I believe you’re safe with 3/4 Eternity. You can have fun with the idea, as well.
Please let us know what you decide!!

 

[rockysalamander]

A 2/3 is easier to resize than a 3/4.

 

[Miki Moto]

Hi! I think if you get an eternity band, keep it true and keep it 100% full eternity. I am not a fan of partial eternity bands as I think they look awkward. Part of the appeal of an eternity band is the symbolism... one love, no beginning no end, for an eternity. I love that symbolism.

Jewelers and marketing folks can call them half-eternity or three-quarter eternity bands, but to me, they are not true eternity bands. A true eternity goes all the way around.

If her fingers change, just remake the ring. You already have the core materials such as the diamonds. which is your biggest cost.. remaking a ring is easy to do. You cannot predict life and I would not plan for what may or may not happen if it compromises the look of the ring. And to me, anything but a full eternity is not the same. People gain weight and lose weight.. no one buys a new wardrobe in advance of the pending 10 pound weight gain. I say get a full eternity now and enjoy it.

For me, I would go with the symbolism of a true eternity band.
Not to mention...a full eternity is gorgeous... there is nothing more beautiful than waving your hand seeing a row full of diamonds, even from the underside. Any half eternity to me, is just another wedding band with diamonds.

Just my thoughts. I hope this was helpful.

UPDATE: By the way, her e-ring is beautiful!

 

[shinebrightlikea]

Thanks so much for sharing your set - it's beautiful! I like the alternating stone types and all the custom engraving - definitely gives the whole set a very personal touch.

I’d* go with the 3/4 Eternity, depending on her lifestyle. If she’s active, or her job requires her to use her hands a lot, a full Eternity is going to take a beating.
My WR is 1/2 Eternity. So is my Anniversary Band. I have a second band that I wear as a RHR that is 3/4 Eternity, and I’m going to be making an Anniversary Band that will be 3/4 Eternity. As much as I love full eternities, my lifestyle just won’t allow for them, right now. I don’t have sizing issues, but most people do, and will allow space for weight fluctuations.
My WR 1/2 Eternity is engraved on the bare metal left past the stones to match my ER, and to give it some decorative appeal, since it is only 1/2 Eternity. It covers my finger well, but if it spins, the beautiful artwork shows, and looks stunning. My DH insisted the detail be added to my WR; he loves the detail on my ER. The 3/4 Eternity Anniversary Band I’m making will also have the same detail on the metal left, after the Diamonds to match my set.
Just a little hint of something other than just metal, if you’d prefer something different.
Here’s a photo of my set:

I don’t think you can tell they are 1/2 Eternity.
Here’s a side view to show the detail:


I believe you’re safe with 3/4 Eternity. You can have fun with the idea, as well.
Please let us know what you decide!!

 

[shinebrightlikea]

Man you're making a great point, and I think that's kinda how we saw it from the beginning. We both like the idea and symbolism, not to mention the look, of a full eternity, but at some point the idea of being practical crept into our thoughts and we are trying to justify why one choice is better than another. I really like your analogy of weight gain/loss and buying a new wardrobe in preparation (although I think some people do that to motivate themselves?.. haha). At the end of the day, this will be my fiancee's own choice, and I hope she decides soon because we're getting closer to the big day!

Hi! I think if you get an eternity band, keep it true and keep it 100% full eternity. I am not a fan of partial eternity bands as I think they look awkward. Part of the appeal of an eternity band is the symbolism... one love, no beginning no end, for an eternity. I love that symbolism.

Jewelers and marketing folks can call them half-eternity or three-quarter eternity bands, but to me, they are not true eternity bands. A true eternity goes all the way around.

If her fingers change, just remake the ring. You already have the core materials such as the diamonds. which is your biggest cost.. remaking a ring is easy to do. You cannot predict life and I would not plan for what may or may not happen if it compromises the look of the ring. And to me, anything but a full eternity is not the same. People gain weight and lose weight.. no one buys a new wardrobe in advance of the pending 10 pound weight gain. I say get a full eternity now and enjoy it.

For me, I would go with the symbolism of a true eternity band.
Not to mention...a full eternity is gorgeous... there is nothing more beautiful than waving your hand seeing a row full of diamonds, even from the underside. Any half eternity to me, is just another wedding band with diamonds.

Just my thoughts. I hope this was helpful.

UPDATE: By the way, her e-ring is beautiful!

 

[lovedogs]

FWIW, I can say from personal experience that I got a 3/4 eternity, and almost immediately regretted not getting what I really wanted, which was a full eternity. Waited over a year, and finally caved and went with the full eternity. I should have just gotten the full eternity from the beginning, since it would have saved time and money. I know I need to be slightly more careful, and I run some risk of chipping underside stones, but it's what my heart wanted Overall I agree with @Miki Moto about just getting what she wants from the beginning.

Not to say that 3/4 eternity isn't more practical--because in many ways it is--but if you guys get one to be practical then you might end up changing it later.

 

[Miki Moto]

By the way, I hope you encourage her and tell her it’s ok not to be practical. This is your special time, a new life together, so the heart needs to weigh in. You are half of a one, and I am sure she would love to hear from you that you like a full eternity for her.

I am the practical one when it comes to buying bling, my heart always wants a little bit more but the practical side of me will settle for less as I don’t want to be too greedy. My husband, who is super cool, will always tell me to get the bigger one, and once I know he wants that for me also, somehow it makes it ok for me to be greedy and get the “bigger one”. If he had never said that, I would somehow feel I should not splurge, even though he always says “get what you want.” Hearing him say “you should the big one”, makes it ok for me to be greedy.

I hope that makes sense and you can share that with her. Then, she will know your thoughts and can truly make her decision. No lady turns down bling!