The Ultimate Guide for Engagement and Wedding Rings
A one-of-a-kind – eye-catching ring perfectly solidifies your love story. With so many options these days, you can add any kind of ring to your wish list; you can go for a traditional gold wedding band or a gemstone ring with your birthstone. There are a ton of options out there and a lot of history behind those options, and in this article, we’ll tell you everything about engagement and wedding rings.
The Tradition behind Engagement Rings and Wedding Rings
The tradition of engagement rings dates back to Ancient Rome when women wore copper, ivory, iron, bone and flint rings to affirm mutual obedience and love or to signify a contract. The Romans usually owned two engagement rings, one iron ring to wear at home and a gold ring to wear in public. Gold rings were also found in the ruins of Pompeii, which proves that shiny metal became the popular choice for engagement rings in the Common Era.
The engagement ring got the official meaning in the 850s when Pope Nicholas I declared that they represent a man’s intent to marry. Gold rings were the most popular during this time. Diamond engagement rings became a thing in 1477 when Austria’s Archduke Maximilian proposed to Mary of Burgundy, but they didn’t gain widespread popularity until 1947.
Diamonds gained popularity when De Beers, a British company mining diamonds in South Africa, launched a full-fledged marketing campaign to boost sales. You may have heard the phrase diamonds are forever; that phrase came from this marketing campaign. De Beers used Hollywood stars, popular magazines, etc., to promote diamond engagement rings and as a result, their sales increased dramatically. Diamond engagement rings are still the most popular option, but the preferences are increasingly changing and people are now choosing colored stones.
Men’s wedding bands date back to World War 2 when soldiers began wearing rings as a sign of affection and reminding themselves of their partners back home.
Engagement Ring vs. Wedding Ring
Typically, the traditional engagement ring has one dominant stone (diamond in case of a diamond engagement ring) and smaller stones surrounding the dominant stone, but that’s not always the case. There are several ring designs in which the dominant stone stands alone. On the other hand, wedding rings are actually wedding bands and they are traditionally made with plain metal, but that’s not a rule. You can buy a diamond wedding band (eternity band) for your significant other or customize one to include any gemstone you want.
Traditionally, you give an engagement ring to your partner when you propose, but some people do give engagement rings at an early point in the engagement. In contrast, you exchange wedding rings when you exchange your vows during the wedding ceremony.
Now let’s talk about the price. Wedding bands or wedding rings generally cost significantly less than engagement rings, even if the wedding band includes diamonds or gemstones like moissanite, topaz, morganite, blue sapphire, etc. The total carat weight of wedding bands is also less than engagement rings, which also makes them cheaper.
The Difference between Male and Female Rings
You may be surprised to know how often jewelers get this question; how can you tell a man’s ring from a woman’s ring? So if you are wondering that too, don’t feel left out and know that it is a fairly common question. The main differences between male and female rings are size, design, and thickness.
Generally speaking, men have larger and wider fingers than women, so their ring size is bigger than that of the women. The average ring size of men is around ten, while the average ring size of women is six.
Usually, a man’s ring features a bold design with distinct decorative elements and larger stones. On the other hand, a woman’s ring features intricate detail and setting. Both male and female rings are flashy, but a man’s rings are usually less flashy and minimal, while a woman’s ring is more flashy and grabs attention with an eye-catching design and gemstones. A man’s ring also doesn’t feature fragile design and settings that may easily break due to strenuous work. For instance, a typical wedding band for men is a thick ring of gold or white gold with a center stone.
Popular Ring Materials
If you are thinking about getting a custom engagement ring, then you can consider the following materials for the band.
Rose Gold
Rose gold is a combination of pure gold, copper and sometimes silver. The ratio of different metals in rose gold is 75% gold, 22.5% copper and a minor percentage of silver. The pink hue of rose gold comes from copper, and jewelry designers alter the concentration of copper to change the color of the jewelry.
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is a mixture of pure gold and alloy metals like zinc and copper. The caratage of yellow gold determines the amount of pure gold. 24 Karat yellow gold wedding jewelry is 99.9% pure, but it isn’t as popular as 10K, 12K, 14K, and 18K. 12K yellow gold is more durable than the 18K, while 18K is more golden in color.
White Gold
White gold wedding and engagement rings are made by combining gold and white metal, usually palladium, nickel, or silver. The mixture of metals and the types of metals play a huge part in the variation of the color of white golds, but the “white” of white gold comes from rhodium plating. 14K white gold is one of the most popular variants since it is durable enough to wear for everyday use.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is a combination of silver and other metals (usually copper). By weight, it usually contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper or any other metal. The least millesimal fineness of the sterling silver is 925 and it is prone to tarnishing.
Tungsten
Tungsten is a rare natural Earth metal and the most scratch-resistant metal known to man. Rings contain around 85% tungsten and 15% nickel. These days, tungsten is the most popular choice for matching wedding bands.
Popular Ring Designs
Lots of people are choosing custom designs to create unique engagement rings or unique wedding rings, but there are a few designs that stand the test of time, including.
Solitaire Rings
Solitaire engagement rings feature a design that never goes out of style and contain a single center stone, which is usually a diamond. You can choose any kind of cut diamond for solitaire rings, including rose-cut, round cut, Asscher cut, baguette cut, marquise cut, etc. If you want to custom design a ring, then you can also choose from different types of diamonds including, white diamonds, black diamonds, salt and pepper diamonds, etc. The bezel is the most popular setting for solitaire rings in which a groove holds the gemstone in place.
Half Eternity Rings
Half eternity rings have stones on the top half and usually cover half or three-quarters of the ring or band. Half eternity rings allow for larger stones than full eternity rings because the gem sits at the top and people believe that the former is more comfortable and practical than the latter.
Milgrain Rings
One of the most popular designs in vintage rings, milgrain design still remains fairly popular. Milgrain rings feature details on the borders and around the diamonds of the rings. People say that milgrain rings are simplicity and elegance at its finest.
Art Deco Rings
Art deco rings became popular in the 1920s and are still going strong. They feature abstract designs and geometric patterns and uses gems and diamonds in contrasting colors.
When to Buy Wedding Rings?
There’s no one right time to buy wedding rings, but the best time is just after or right before your engagement. You’ll be full of excitement at this point and you can easily channel your romantic feelings into unique wedding bands that you and your partner adore.
How to Choose Wedding Rings?
The best way to choose wedding rings is to buy a bridal set or a wedding ring set because it eliminates the frantic search to find matching rings at the last minute. A set usually contains somewhat similar rings for both the bride and the groom; that’s why they are especially popular and we recommend the same. Brides can choose stackable wedding rings in which you keep the engagement ring in the middle with an eternity ring and wedding band on either side.
Whether you want to buy an engagement ring or a wedding ring, remember that the type depends entirely on you. If you want to go for a traditional 24k gold wedding band, then go for it; if you want to go for a gemstone ring, then go for it. There’s no one right type of engagement and wedding rings; they are supposed to strengthen and your love story so choose one that does just that.
