The Ultimate Guide to Eternity Rings
Eternity Rings have long passed the stage of being a trend and evolved throughout its estimated 4000 years dating back to the ancient Egyptians. While the material and designs were vastly different and often included a snake biting its own tail, the symbolism of infinity as the result of its circular band remains true to this day.
Eternity Rings are a grand gesture of love and commitment to one another, representing undying love. Unlike engagement rings, that celebrate the upcoming devotion and start of a new life together, or a wedding that celebrates that commitment, Eternity Rings are often given for anniversaries or other special occasions like bringing new life into the world.
Below you will find a thorough guide on how to choose the perfect eternity ring, going over the wide range of design options, as well as tips that can save you a time and money, as well as headaches. Ensuring you make a purchase you will be happy with throughout your life.
What Are Eternity Rings?
Eternity Rings consist of bands made of precious metal. The most common is gold (white, rose, yellow), but Platinum is also a popular choice. Small Diamonds are the most sought after implementation of creating the sense of a row of precious stones surrounding the band, but other gemstones are also quite popular, especially when considering their meaning as birthstones. Not only are Eternity Rings romantic, but they are also the epitome of a luxurious look that is almost unbeatable, especially when rows of diamonds are implemented, which results in a seemingly never-ending row of gorgeous diamonds due to its circular shape.
What Types of Eternity Rings are there?
There are dozens of unique eternity band settings available, but first, let’s establish the three main categories of eternity bands, which are based in the amount of coverage of the eternity band itself.
Full Eternity Rings
The classic option that often comes to mind when hearing Eternity Rings or Bands. Those who can afford to enjoy the full appeal of an eternity ring often go for this one, as it captures the symbolic meaning intended for it (eternity). When done correctly, the light play is remarkable.
However, full Eternity Rings have some tremendous drawbacks when it comes to practicality. As they are near impossible to resize, and the solutions to do so will further diminish their charm. From cutting the ring open to removing or adding stones. Both options will not end up looking good, and reality is that at some point you will most likely need to resize or adjust your ring. Provided you are prepared to have your Eternity Ring destroyed and rebuilt in the future, you can enjoy the full effect of the eternity band. It is highly recommended to have the exact ring measurements of your partner and save you a lot of potential trouble, both immediate, and in the future.
Three Quarter Eternity Rings
A medium choice between Full Eternity Rings and Half Eternity Rings. The ¾ solution is as close you can get to the full display of diamonds while providing a bigger opportunity for resizing, and easier maintenance and repairs if need be. It is still very difficult to achieve, but a lot more feasible than the full eternity option. It is a popular choice, although from a practical point of view the next option is undoubtedly the best one.
Half Eternity Rings
As the name suggests, Half Eternity Ring settings cover half of the ring band’s width, and while half of something tends to have a psychological effect when hearing it being “less than”, the term less is more can also play an effect when done correctly in Half Eternity Rings. For example, you may choose to go with a higher quality of diamond with the half settings, as opposed to settling for a full ring band width of inferior settings. This is dependent on your budget.
What makes the Half Eternity Setting the most ideal, is that it provides ample space for cleaning, adjusting and resizing your ring, without having to completely have to destroy or diminish it in the future. This is why it comes so highly recommended, especially from a financial point of view.
Available Settings for Eternity Rings
The following is a list of some of the most sought after Settings for Eternity Diamond Engagement and Wedding Rings, as well as some of their pros and cons. While there are other settings not included, we made an extensive list which both showcases different ring styles as well as how the diamonds are held in place.
Prong Eternity Ring Settings
Arguably the most popular choice nowadays when it comes to eternity rings and bands is using prong settings. It is considered a traditional choice for added security Since each individual diamond piece is supported by four prongs, and can add to the lifespan of the ring, but does so at some cost as four prongs for each stone is quite noticeable from multiple angles to the outside observer. Prong settings do suffer for some wear and tear over time naturally, so with all the good they provide, they should still be maintained periodically.
Nowadays there are what are known as Shared Prongs which are used for a variety of purposes, for example when using stones larger than what is recommended for other settings like pave, or channel. They offer the advantage of sharing a prong with the two opposing stones next to it, thus reducing the amount of metal needed, and increasing the light display of the ring itself.
Pavé Eternity Ring Settings
Paved Settings for Eternity Rings have also seen a great deal of success, as these settings actually use tiny metal beads of sorts to hold each stone in place. It is a wonderful choice if you chose to go the route of a larger amount of diamonds spread throughout your ring as the pave setting is much more suitable to support smaller diamonds, and create a sort of all-encompassing sparkle sustained throughout the ring, thanks to the subtle notice of its settings.
Bezel Eternity Ring Settings
While less common nowadays, Bezel Settings are undoubtedly the most secure and durable option for eternity rings, but it does come with even further reduction in visual appeal. The reason for this is the same reason that it is considered so safe. Each individual stone is thoroughly surrounded by metal, other than the top view of the diamond. They are also the easiest to clean, and are undoubtedly the practical and logical option for those reasons, provided you find one that can somewhat maintain the beauty and appeal to satisfy you, as that is a serious drawback.
Channel Eternity Ring Settings
Similar to pave settings, channel settings for eternity rings feature small diamonds surrounding the width of the band but do not use prongs like the pave, but instead are placed within a specially made channel, which is a much thicker layer of metal, and have unique rising portions of the metal for the added security of each piece. As such, not only are Channel Settings very popular (especially for engagement and wedding rings), they are also a great choice for active people that have concerns about their diamonds staying in place.
Flush Eternity Ring Settings
Not discussed as much as it should due to being more modern than the known eternity ring settings that everyone knows by heart, the Flush Eternity Settings are an innovative take on the classic. As opposed to most of the other eternity band settings listed here, it only showcases the table section of each diamond piece, and more often than not implemented with fewer diamonds compared to Prongs and other settings. The result is extra focus on each individual piece as well as the precious metal surrounding it, which gives a lot of opportunities for style and remarkable charm and character.
Eternity Ring FAQ and Buying Tips
There are many variants that separate good from bad when it comes to eternity rings and bands. While some have a lot to do with personal preferences, below are some helpful tips that can save you both money and time in the long run, as well as help you be satisfied with your purchase for years to come.
What Precious Metals Should I Go For in Eternity Rings?
Eternity rings are something you are most likely going to wear on a daily basis. So it is advisable to only go for precious metals. While one’s personal preference, of course, plays a great part, it is also wise to match your eternity band or ring to other jewelry you may be wearing, such as your diamond engagement and/or wedding rings. Some of the more popular choices in Precious metals are 18k Yellow Gold, White Gold Platinum, and Palladium, among others. One thing to always make sure of is that the color of the precious metal you chose, mixes well with the diamonds set into the eternity band and does not outshine them in any way.
What Type of Diamond Shapes Should I go For in Eternity Rings?
Like in many cases, the brilliant round cut diamond is the most popular one in Eternity Rings as well. However, shapes like Emeralds, Radiants, and Ovals among others are incredibly stunning and highly popular as well, among others. Nowadays, Shapes like the Baguette have also seen a massive gain in popularity due to the visual wall effect that putting them next to one another throughout the band creates.
What are the Recommended Size Diamonds for Eternity Bands?
The size of the diamonds used on your eternity band has a lot to do with the settings you opted for, budgetary concerns. The size of the diamond has a direct effect on the width and height of the band to support it properly. Generally speaking, individual small diamonds throughout an eternity ring or band can range from point diamonds like 0.4, 0.5 ct per stone, up towards 0.25 cts per stone. The size of the diamond of course also influences the number of diamonds that can be placed on the ring. The larger the diamond the fewer the pieces.
Do Diamonds Placed Within an Eternity Ring Come With a Certificate?
No, it would simply not be cost-efficient to ask for a lab certificate of so many small diamonds, and in many cases even double up the cost of the ring. As such, purchasing your Eternity Ring from a reliable and vetted seller is extra important. You should also see the diamonds yourself before committing to a purchase to make sure that your own eye test leaves you satisfied.