Eternity rings are beginning to quickly replace both engagement rings and wedding rings in bridal jewellery sets.   Aside from the visual appeal of using eternity rings in place of separate pieces of bridal jewellery, there are also numerous practical and financial benefits as well.

Cost is one of the driving factors behind the quickly rising trend of using eternity rings in place of engagement rings and wedding rings.  For starters, even though eternity rings may be slightly more expensive than engagement rings, eliminating the need for a wedding ring in the process makes eternity rings, on the whole, more affordable than a traditional bridal set.  If budget is a concern, eternity rings allow for a cost savings.  There is always the option for half eternity rings as well for an added cost benefit.  In cases where budget may not be an issue, the cost savings of eternity rings over a two piece set can simply allow for the purchase of more expensive eternity rings.  Single eternity rings also decrease the future cost of maintenance and cleaning as you are only dealing with single eternity rings, as opposed to multiple piece bridal sets.

Another cost factor comes from the fact that smaller diamonds used in eternity rings are significantly cheaper on a per carat basis than larger cut stones.  This price variations with eternity ring stones is driven by the reduced waste from cutting smaller stones and the more frequently occurring natural smaller diamonds than larger ones.  Once again, if cost isn’t as issue with the eternity rings, the money saved can be used towards higher quality diamonds in the eternity rings with regards to colour and clarity of the stones.  If for some reason a stone becomes lost or damaged in the eternity rings, it is much less costly to replace a small stone in eternity rings than it would be to replace the large stone in a solitaire engagement ring.

All in all, eternity rings offer a simple and easy solution to multiple pieces of bridal jewellery that is not only visually appealing, but practical and cost effective as well.

Traditionally, wedding rings were nothing more than plain pieces of metal, or even wood depending on how far back you go.  The circular shapes of the wedding rings was designed to represent the unending commitment a couple was making to one another through marriage and the placement of the wedding rings on the finger believed to bear the straightest access to the heart was designed to symbolize the importance of the commitment in a more romantic fashion.  While traditional wedding rings are still very common choices, diamond wedding rings are slowly growing on the popularity scales around the world.

One primary benefit of diamond weddings rings is that they give the husband a chance to have some sparkle as well.  While a typical men’s diamond ring may be too much for some, a carefully placed diamond (or two or ten) within their wedding rings will give them just enough sparkle to have their weddings rings noticed just as often as their wives’ wedding rings.  In most cases, men’s wedding rings that bear diamonds often have small stones set into the bands of the wedding rings themselves, commonly utilizing the bezel set method to offer a flush surface.  Geometric cuts, such as princess cut stones, are the most common choice for men’s wedding rings, offering a modern look with a masculine feel.

The wives also get their own benefit from diamond studded wedding rings as well and there are two unique ways she can take advantage of the dazzling wedding rings.  The first option would be to select wedding rings that match the husbands, opting for smaller stones set into the wedding rings for just the right amount of glimmer.  This option also plays well with the engagement ring, as the diamond in the wedding ring and the diamonds in the engagement rings will play well off one another, reflecting the beauty of one another.  The second choice is to go for full glamour and choose a diamond eternity ring to be used instead of standard wedding rings.  This creates the ultimate bridal jewellery set and gives the chance to have wedding rings surrounded with diamonds to complement the diamond engagement rings.

Nearly every woman either dreams of the day she will get proposed to or remembers every detail of the moment she was proposed to.  After she has said I do, there are still plenty of occasions that merit a diamond ring, but none as sentimental as the day she became engaged.  On the other hand, if you’re about to give your special someone an eternity ring for an anniversary or birth of a child, there are several creative ways to gift it so that every time she looks down at the eternity ring on her finger, she remembers exactly when and where you gave it to her.

There’s no reason giving an eternity ring can’t be done just as creatively as you give an engagement ring. Here are a few ideas to help spark your imagination before you decide how to give her an eternity ring.

If your woman loves chocolate, take a trip to a local chocolatier and buy her a box of her favourite assortment.  Take on piece of chocolate out of the centre of the box and replace it with the eternity ring.  She may get her hopes up for another eternity ring every time she sees a box of chocolates, but she will always remember exactly how her first eternity ring was given to her.

If you’re about to celebrate the birth of a child, find a special keepsake for the child, such as a small teddy bear or memorable baby toy, and attach the eternity ring around the bear’s neck or to the toy.  Not only will she appreciate the thought behind the baby gift, she will more than appreciate the eternity ring attached to it.

If she prefers flowers, attach the eternity ring to a card with a bunch of her favourite flowers.  The flowers will catch her eye, the scent will capture her attention, and the eternity ring will take her breath away.  There’s also no reason you can’t give this eternity ring technique a more personal touch and simply attach the eternity ring to a single flower that you present to her yourself.

Regardless of how you decide to present the eternity ring, the important thing is to make it memorable.  Make sure that every time she catches a glimpse of the eternity ring out of the corner of her eye, the special moment comes to mind.

We’ve already discussed hot to propose without an engagement ring in hand in a public setting. Here are some ideas if you plan to pop the question and present the engagement ring in a slightly more intimate way.

If you want to be truly creative, lead her on a scavenger hunt, with each stop on the way taking her one step closer to her engagement ring. This does take some time and a lot of legwork, but it is truly worth it. Time the event for when she would be coming home from work, meeting you someplace for drinks, or just getting back from running errands. Leave her a note with instructions to go to somewhere local, only giving her the address and leaving the exact nature of the stop a mystery.

The first stop on her journey could be a gourmet candy store, for example. Once she arrives, the sales person will hand her a box of chocolates with a card attached detailing the next stop, once again by address only. This stop could be a local florist where she would receive a bouquet of her favourite flowers. The flowers would, of course, have a card attached with the next address. If she likes perfume, send her to a nearby department store or other location where she would be given a bottle of her favourite perfume. The perfume would…….you guessed it…….include a card with yet another address.

Depending on how long you want the game to continue, you can include as many or as few stops as you like, though the more stops you include the more fun the game can actually become. Some other ideas for stops along the way could be her favourite cafe for a cup of tea or coffee. You could also send her to her favourite clothing store where she would receive a gift card. If you want to throw her off track, send her to a jewellery store where she would be presented with a small token of love such as a pendant or other inexpensive gift. This will help keep her off the scent of your true intentions for sure.

Make sure to add a few more stops after this one, using some of her other favourite places to visit, a performing arts centre for tickets to an upcoming event, a spa for a quick massage to help relax her after all the running around you’re subjecting her to, or any other place you know she would appreciate.

So, you already know you want to pop the question to your significant other. You’ve already picked out the perfect engagement ring that you want to place on her finger. You already have the perfect plan to drop down on one knee and ask her to marry you. You are a very lucky person and should stop reading now.

For the rest of you…….you already know you want to pop the question. The only flaw is that you either have no idea what her concept of the perfect engagement ring would be or you would prefer to give her the chance to pick the diamond ring herself. After all, it is one she would potentially be wearing for the rest of her life. With that significance given to the diamond ring itself, it is only fair that it should be one she truly loves. If you are ready to propose, but have no idea how to do it without the ring in hand, here are a few creative ways to make the proposal memorable, even without presenting her the engagement ring on the spot.

The easiest way is to, of course, have a substitute ring to use. This works best if you plan to have the proposal be a public event, possibly surrounded by friends and family. Since a ring-less proposal is slightly easier to pull off in a more intimate setting, a public venue requires the use of a ‘prop’ that will take the place of the real engagement ring. If you want to go the whimsical route, the 25¢ gum-ball ring is the perfect stand in. In some cases, the gaudier the ring, the better so bystanders will know that it is, in fact, a true stand in for the real thing. As you propose you can explain that you want her ring to be as perfect as your love for her is and, therefore, didn’t want to make the selection without her by your side.

Following along those similar lines, there is nothing wrong with presenting her a regular ring in place of an engagement ring. Find a simple ring you know she will like. It could be a birthstone ring or even one with her favourite colour stone. Even a simple band of precious metal with decorative engravings would work. If you want to add a special touch to the ring, have it engraved with something meaningful, such as the date you’re proposing, the date you met, or even something along the lines of “I hope you say yes”.

The princess cut ring has had a long standing career as the second most popular cut for diamond engagement rings.  The cut itself used for princess cut rings was perfected nearly thirty years ago and combines the brilliance of a round brilliant cut stone with the unique symmetry of an emerald cut.  Since then, the stunning square stones of princess cut rings have revolutionized the jewellery market.  Aside from just their appearance, princess cut rings also offer several benefits on a technical level as well.

One of the most important benefits of selecting a princess cut ring is the fact that the stone itself was created using up to eighty percent of the original rough diamond.  For round and oval cut rings, an average of fifty percent of the rough diamond is cut away to create the finished stone.  For example, a ten carat rough diamond cut for a princess cut ring would yield an eight carat finished stone.  A round cut ring created from the same size rough diamond would yield a five carat stone.  This not only allows for a lower per carat price, as well as a larger potential finished stone.

Interestingly enough, the American Gem Society released a set of standards for princess cut rings in 2005, making the princess cut the very first fancy cut diamond to receive rating credentials.  The new rating scale, however, called for a much higher waste percentage from the rough stone, decreasing the average size of a princess cut ring made from a ten carat rough stone from eight carats to as low as six carats.  Because of this fact, even today, most diamond cutters and jewellers continue to finish the diamonds the same way they did in the past, opting for larger stones with less waste than a princess cut ring with accompanying cut rating.

Visually, princess cut rings present an air of royalty.  The princess cut ring is the ideal type for use with three stone ring and eternity ring designs.  Princess cut rings, particularly engagement rings, are also most common bearing 76 facets and utilizing a prong type setting.  This is typically found in solitaire engagement rings utilizing the basic design of a princess cut ring.

Of all the various types of engagement rings on the market, the solitaire engagement ring is possibly the most versatile.  It can not only hold nearly any size or shape of diamond, it is also the easiest style of ring to customize with a variety of individual details.  If you are on the market for a solitaire engagement ring, you should look carefully at the variety of different setting types available for this particular diamond ring style.

The prong setting is probably the most popular and common choice for a solitaire engagement ring.  Typically consisting of four or more prongs, each extends upwards from the ring band and folds slightly over the top surface of the stone to hold it in place.  The prong set solitaire engagement ring became the most common setting style because it allows the stone to be raised above the ring, increasing the amount of light that can pass into the stone from underneath and further magnifying it’s brilliance.

The bezel set solitaire engagement ring is preferred by active women who don’t like how often a prong set stone can potentially snag on things and interfere with their daily routines.  A bezel set stone is set into the precious metal band, making the ring slightly thicker on top and wider across, but also creating a flush surface, eliminating the potential for snagging.  This ease of maintenance is essential for women on the go who want to look beautiful without the hassle often associated with certain types of jewellery.

The tension set solitaire engagement ring is one of the more modern designs that is quickly taking over the bridal jewellery market.  The band itself is split at one point and then slightly stretched apart.  The diamond is then set in between the splits and the tension on the band is released, holding the diamond in a firm grip.  This setting style for solitaire engagement rings not only allows light to pass through the underside of the stone, as in a prong set solitaire engagement ring, it also allows the top side of the ring to be flush, as in a bezel set engagement ring, offering the best of both worlds.  A tension set solitaire engagement ring also offers a unique visual appeal with a very well defined modern edge.

While the appearance of the solitaire engagement ring might be the most common style people are familiar with, there are a wealth of other designs currently on the market that are becoming increasingly popular for engagement rings as well.  These include cluster rings, three stone rings, and even eternity rings.  There are, however, several reasons why selecting a solitaire engagement ring may still be your best bet.

The solitaire engagement ring is timeless in it’s appearance.  It is the most traditional design, and will most likely remain so for a long time to come.  The design itself is simple enough to match with any personality, any time period, or any budget.  A solitaire engagement ring has a classic look that never becomes outdated or goes out of style.  While the other designs available may seem trendy now, not all of them will be able to weather the test of time like the solitaire engagement ring has done.

The second benefit of choosing a solitaire engagement ring is their versatility.  While it may seem like you have more design options going with a more complex ring design, keep in mind that the solitaire engagement ring offers the ability to use any size of stone, in any shape, with any precious metal.  Eternity rings and three stone diamond rings, for example, are often restricted to princess or emerald cut diamonds.   Cluster rings are typically designed to hold smaller centre stones.  Solitaire engagement rings, on the other hand, are literally unlimited in the diamond options it will work with, making it the most versatile of all engagement ring designs.  Even though you’re setting options may seem limited, a solitaire engagement ring is also able to accommodate a range of options, including tension settings, bezel settings, and more.

A solitaire engagement ring can also be one of the most affordable options when it comes to bridal jewellery.  Since the stone size a solitaire engagement ring can hold is completely variable, allowing small stones to work just as well as larger ones.  Solitaire engagement rings also tend to use a significantly lower amount of precious metals, further reducing the overall cost of this style of ring.  The cost is also eliminated for accent stones and other accentuations that are typically found in other engagement ring styles.

The Twilight Diamond Ring Stirs Up Controversy

Who would have thought one of the hottest jewellery crazes to hit the market this year would center around a diamond ring replica of a movie prop? We’ve all seen replica rings from blockbusters such as The Lord Of The Rings, Titanic, and other Hollywood masterpieces on the market before. Celebrity ring replicas are commonplace once the original has gained a certain level of notoriety. However, retailers believe that this will be the first piece of movie based jewellery that will be in such high demand. Unfortunately, it will also be one of the only ones to come with such a wave of controversy attached to it.

While I will admit that reading Stephenie Meyer’s was a guilty of mine that I kept well hidden from friend’s an co-workers in the beginning before Twilight mania hit full force, it’s very easy to see that the vast majority of the Twilight fan base is comprised of young girls in the pre-teen category. Given this age group’s natural propensity to follow hot trends, paired with the not so unattractive appearances of the movie’s leading men, this growing army Twilight didn’t surprise anyone. This fan base, however, is the main reason the new replica ring is causing such a stir.

The ring itself, a beautiful pave diamond design, is designed to be an engagement ring, just as it is in the latest Twilight movie Eclipse. Aside from the price tag of £1,300 for the genuine gold and diamond version, critics are wondering why an engagement ring would be marketed to such a young fan base. Granted, there are less expensive models that go for £330 and £400, with the lower price design better intended as novelty jewellery than an actual engagement piece, but this hasn’t stopped the controversy. Parents and other groups are concerned that this latest piece of merchandise to come from the Twilight phenomenon will do nothing but encourage younger kids that teen engagements are perfectly acceptable. While other celebrities with fan bases the same age has encouraged items such as purity rings, or abstinence rings, an engagement ring marketed towards kids of the age group seems preposterous. Critics claim the Twilight ring, on the other hand, is doing little to encourage abstinence and, instead, makes the idea of high school girl engagements seem like a great idea (even if the guy proposing is more than a few centuries older than his bride to be).

Hottest New Celebrity Engagement Ring Sightings

As we all know, one of the hottest bits of gossip when it comes to celebrity sightings is which girls are sporting diamond rings on their engagement ring fingers. Recently, a bevy of beauties have been snapped donning their new diamonds.

Jude Law, Hollywood bad boy extraordinaire, is keeping the rumour mills buzzing with talks of his reconciliation with once jilted Sienna Miller. Victim of the infamous nanny scandal, Miller is said to have been seen on several recent occasions wearing the original engagement ring that Law had given her before their initial split years ago. Sources are split on whether or not the couple truly has reconciled, or if Miller is simply sporting the ring as a sentimental piece. After all, the engagement ring was impressive enough in appearance to make nearly any woman want to wear it, regardless of their current relationship status.

In more wholesome news, teen heartthrob and Disney good boy, Joe Jonas, is rumoured to be shopping for a promise ring for his equally wholesome sweetheart, Demi Lovato. While a promise ring is the step before an engagement ring by tradition, it still represents a major step for the two lovebirds if the gift giving does take place. With their anniversary approaching, sources say that Jonas has been actvely searching for the perfect ring with jewellers such as Tiffany & Co. as his possible sources. The promise ring route does not come as a surprise for Jonas given the resurgence him and his brothers have created with more wholesome values amongst young adults.

If the promise ring rumours are true, it won’t take long for the engagement rumors to begin flowing in. Fans are also wondering if Lovato would eventually expect a ring similar to the one Joe’s brother Kevin presented to his girlfriend Danielle Deleasa last year. When photos of her engagement ring surfaced, fans were wowed by the nearly 3 carat center diamond surrounded by nearly a carat of pave stones. If Lovato was as impressed with the ring as everyone else was, we’re sure she’ll be hoping that Joe takes a cue from his brother regarding his selection of engagement rings.

Finally, Australian TV sweetheart Ruby Rose has confirmed to the press that she is, in fact, engaged to supermodel Catherine McNeil. Rose is sporting an emerald cut diamond ring while McNeil is said to have been seen with a diamond and sapphire ring.

More Celebrity Engagement Rings Spotted

The one gear in the rumour mill that never seems to stop turning is the one directly tied to engagement ring spottings. The need to be ‘in the know’ when it comes to the latest celebrity engagements is one of the strongest factors when it comes to keeping gossip at the top of the headlines. Now, more than ever, celebrities seem to be giving fans just what they want, as witnessed by the latest batch of hot engagement ring sightings.

Carrie Underwood, country starlet and American sweetheart, recently garnered top honours at the 2010 ACM Awards and went down in history as the first female country singer to receive the award for Entertainer of the Year on two occasions. More importantly, she was seen donning a seemingly massive diamond ring on her all important finger at the awards show. Sources have confirmed that Underwood is, in fact, engaged to Mike Fisher, a 29 year old hockey player with the Ottawa Senators. The couple have been together for nearly a year and sources also say that friends and family of the 26 year old Underwood couldn’t be happier for her.

Know for her portrayal of Kelly Bundy, blonde bombshell daughter of the nowhere near father of the year Al Bundy on the hit TV show Married….With Children, Christina Applegate’s sources have confirmed her recent engagement. Said to have taken place on Valentine’s Day this year, Applegate was proposed to by long time boyfriend Martyn Lenoble. One of the original members of the alternative rock group Porno For Pyros, Lenoble decided that two years of dating was long enough for him to know that Applegate was the ‘one’. Sources close to Applegate are happy to finally see some positive changes in her life after recovering from breast cancer as well as the death of ex-boyfriend due to drug overdose. After making a full recovery, both physically and emotionally, the recent engagement seems to be a fresh start for the blonde beauty.

In not so happy news, new light has been shed on the bitter end to the engagement between reality TV star Kim Kardashian and her New Orleans Saints football boyfriend Reggie Bush. Though its been quite some time since she was seen wearing her engagement ring, the truth about alleged infidelity, coupled with her notorious Playboy magazine spread, make it much clearer why the split was inevitable.

Diamond Engagement Rings – No Longer a Game of Solitaire

Trends change over the years and, apparently, as the love of diamonds grows, so does the number of stones in diamond engagement rings.

While solitaire diamond engagement rings still remain very popular, trends continue to emerge on the market spotlighting multi-stone diamond rings for popping the question. For the most part, these new styles of diamond engagement rings still have a significant center stone that remains the focal point. The difference is, the center stone, once set within the band of precious metal all by itself, has finally gotten some company. Center stones can be shouldered by diamonds of the same shape in slightly smaller sizes. They can also be surrounded by small diamonds that completely encircle the setting. Diamond studded bands are also common on both of these styles.

One of the first things most people notice about these multi-stone diamond rings is their resemblance to vintage pieces, particularly from the art deco period. In order to make up for the high cost and rarity of diamonds during the art deco period, jewelers accommodated for smaller center stones by encircling them with diamond chips or very small stones. This took the emphasis off the size of the center stone and, in most cases, made it seem much larger than it actually was.

Whether you are looking for a more affordable way to buy a diamond ring that gives the illusion of being more substantial than it actually is, or you simply want the extra diamonds to surround your already substantial center stone, multi-stone diamond engagement rings are the perfect solution.

Diamond Rings Are Not Just For Fools In April (continued)

I will once again remind you that this is by no means your typical diamond ring engagement story. Keep in mind we are talking about the person that everyone knew as the perpetual bachelor (everyone has at least one of these in their circle of friends) who is out for a drive on April Fool’s Day and decides to propose marriage to his girlfriend. I am fairly certain it was the absolute last thing his girlfriend of two years had ever expected him to do on that day, or any other day for that mater. In his best attempt to show he was serious about his proposal, he went to retrieve the loose diamond stone to show her that he was, in fact, genuine with his offer. Unfortunately, as he pulled his hand out of his pocket, he lost his grip on the stone and it fell to the floor of the car. Here I must state for the record that my friend’s car was never the model car for cleanliness. While it was never dirty per se, it was also never free from a wealth of clutter. Frantic over loosing the quite pricey stone, he immediately ordered his girlfriend out of the car so he could try and retrieve the stone. She remained outside of the car, still stunned and speechless, not quite sure what to think of the entire situation. She sat and watched for nearly fifteen minutes as he tossed every bit of clutter out of the car and onto the ground, followed by a frantic search within the pile of objects he had tossed out to make sure the stone had not been caught up in one of them.

Broken and defeated, he told her to get back in the car as they drove home in complete silence. When they got home, he silently went into the house, his girlfriend following close behind him, grabbed the brightest flashlight he could find, and then proceeded to spend the next hour and a half in the dark if night, nothing but a flashlight and the dim interior car lights to guide him. I would continue the story, but it is too tempting to finish it tomorrow instead……..

Simon Cowell Idolizes His Girlfriend With A £250,000 Diamond Ring

Ever wonder what kind of diamond engagement ring buys when he’s been quoted as saying he’ll never marry? A rather expensive one in fact. Bold, often brash, and NEVER outspoken, American Idol judge and Britain’s Got Talent personality, Simon Cowell, has apparently popped the question to his girlfriend Mezghan Hussainy. Hussainy is the long time head of the America Idol make-up department and met Cowell for the first time back in 2003. News recently broke that the couple has been dating for just over six months. The Valentine’s proposal did take many by surprise given Cowell’s past comments that he would never consider marriage to anyone.

Witnesses say that Cowell presented his bride to be the stunning Graff diamond ring during dinner on Valentine’s day. Reportedly valued at $450k, the diamond ring was only glimpsed briefly as they exited the restaurant and hopped in their limo. While the details of the diamond ring design may not be clear, the fact that she was wearing it on her ring finger were quite obvious. Cowell was recently quoted talking about Hussainy and announcing to the world that ‘She’s the one’. Apparently, judging from the size and cost of the diamond ring on her finger and engagement news, he wasn’t exaggerating.

Given Cowell’s substantial net worth, it was no surprise that he turned to Graff for the diamond ring. Known for their preference by celebrity clientele, Graff diamonds are renowned for their beautiful design as well as their substantial price tags.

Wedding Rings – Decisions, Decisions…

With biological clocks ticking and the threat of being left on the shelf an all-too-possible reality, many of my friends decided that 2009 would be the year they would assuage their fears and finally take the plunge – for me, this was a summer of weddings. With varying styles, sizes, colours, locations, dresses, speeches, cakes, receptions and of course wedding rings, the last few months have been a dazzling display of matrimonial excesses – each function reflecting the individual tastes of the newly espoused couple. But when the cake has been eaten, the dress stored away forever, the images preserved in photographs and memories and all the fun is at last over, perhaps the most meaningful choice was the wedding ring itself.

Choosing a wedding ring may seem a lot more straightforward than an engagement ring, however there are still decisions to be made to ensure you are satisfied with your purchase for years to come. Traditionally, wedding rings were a simple band made from gold. Over the decades, they have evolved to include different designs, metals, settings, shapes and prices, making settling on a wedding ring all the more difficult. Although it may seem a daunting task, certain steps should make the decision-making process a little easier.

First of all, you would be wise to decide on a budget and once you have one, visit several reputable jewellers to see the type of ring you would get for your money. Next, think about the design and whether or not you are intending on having matching rings – in which case you should shop together. If possible, you should avoid choosing a ‘fashionable’ design, as fashions date quickly where wedding rings should not. If you are thinking about having diamond cut wedding rings, the same rules regarding the quality of the stone apply as with engagement rings – the 4 Cs should be considered; colour, cut, clarity and carat. Try not to leave it to the last minute, especially if you are commissioning bespoke rings. A good rule of thumb is approximately 8 weeks. Lastly, don’t feel pressured. You need to be happy with your wedding ring for many years and with anything that must last a lifetime, you should not make a rash decision.

Ultimately, there is no right or wrong wedding ring, in the end it all comes down to individual taste. As with all the newly wedded couples I saw walk down the aisle this summer, no two weddings, couples or wedding rings were the same.

Wedding Rings – Are they really necessary?

You have accepted the proposal and are now looking forward to the most important day of your life. You’ve got the perfect engagement ring on that finger and are stealing glances at it at any given opportunity. In fact, you have found yourself unnecessarily brushing hair away from your face, just to see it’s sparkling radiance once more. You breathe a sigh of happy relief with every glimpse. Soon a wedding ring will accompany it but unfortunately, will not trigger the same excitement as its predecessor, making the true symbol of your imminent union with another person, pale in to insignificance in comparison.

A friend of mine has always had a strong aversion to the wearing of any jewellery, even watches, and has now found himself in the predicament of being soon-to-be-married. He is panicking at the very idea of having to wear a wedding ring, but is insisting he will brush any issues aside, purely out of a sense of duty. Is this fair? Should he be made to wear a wedding ring simply due to what it seems have become societal expectations? After all, a married man without a wedding ring on his finger suggests nothing other than he probably has an agenda… So are wedding rings really necessary? Apart from telling the world to keep their hands off your other half, what do they actually stand for in today’s society?

As well as being steeped in tradition, today wedding rings perform an important function by being a physical symbol of the bond that you have with the person you love. They not only behave as an outward sign conveying your relationship status to the world, wedding rings are also a reminder to the wearer of the emotional relevance of their presence. Throughout history, wedding rings have symbolised eternal love and companionship. They have existed for centuries, in many different cultures, and consequently it is difficult to establish the true origin of arguably one of the most symbolic articles belonging to the human race.

In a society that has more or less rejected conventional codes and practices, it is surely a positive sign to retain an object that not only unifies generations of people, but defies language and cultural barriers to communicate in a universal language, understood the world over. Many old traditions have been replaced by new over the centuries but the wedding ring remains. There are undoubtedly many explanations for this, but perhaps one theory is that in their shiny, metal, form, wedding rings wholly embody the human desire to belong, and therefore find themselves to indeed be, necessary.

Engagement ring envy: mine’s bigger than yours

If you have ever witnessed the hoo-ha that accompanies the very public unveiling of an engagement ring, you like me perhaps, have also wondered whether engagement rings and more specifically, the rivalry associated with them, would benefit from Freudian analysis. Comments relating solely to the size it seems, are top of everyone’s agenda. Approval is only met when it has been decided by committee, that the size of the diamond accurately reflects the love in the relationship. The bigger the diamond on the engagement ring, the more he loves her, clearly.

For the bestower of the ring, this attitude can cause unnecessary pressure. If the act of choosing an engagement ring is not difficult enough – the stealth mission to correctly identify measurements, the phone calls to friends and family to ascertain any disclosed information, the casual comments whilst passing the high street jewellers as to the type of ring one might like if they were to say, ever be engaged, to then also ensure the size of the diamond does not become an object of ridicule, is surely enough to put your partner off ever asking.

So when it comes to engagement rings, does size really matter? Unfortunately for the smug lady with the biggest rock on her finger, there are also other factors to consider when determining the quality, and ultimately the value of a diamond engagement ring. In the jewellery industry, the value of a diamond is calculated by the four Cs – colour, clarity, cut and carat. The more colourless, clear of imperfections, and well cut the diamond is, the more valuable the engagement ring. In other words, a larger, cloudy, yellowish diamond is less valuable than a smaller, clearer and colourless one, and so the size of the diamond alone, is not directly proportional to the value of the engagement ring.

This will possibly come as bad news for the guilty ones among us who, owing to the size of their diamond, have unduly paraded engagement ring superiority in order to make others feel inadequate. It may come as good news for some, who can put their size anxiety and engagement ring envy aside and be confident that it’s the quality that counts. Next time you find yourself amid engagement ring frenzy and size matters creep in to conversation, you can rest assured that on this occasion, size alone really doesn’t matter.

Engagement Ring – To Keep, Or Not To Keep?

It is always a very sad affair when the engagement of former lovers arrives at an abrupt end. Undoubtedly never an intended outcome, it seems the situation is often made doubly worse by the dilemma of who gets to keep the engagement ring. An old friend of mine found herself in exactly this predicament when a long engagement came to its bitter conclusion after 5 eventful years. Having always been very pleased with her engagement ring, she was loathed to even offer its return to her now ex-fiancé, while he demanded it back due to its recently redundant significance, as well as of course, its hefty price tag.

Traditionally given as a form of contract confirming the acceptance of a proposal, the engagement ring today still represents the impending union of two people. Although it is no longer legally binding in the UK, societal expectations and perhaps conditioning, make the acquiring of an engagement ring almost as consequential as it always was. If, as is now quite often the case, the couple in question no longer wishes to proceed with marriage, who should become the sole beneficiary of the engagement ring? In the past, it was almost always without question that the engagement ring was returned to its rightful owner – the giver, unless of course they wished for it to be retained by its recent wearer. Nowadays however, many people on the receiving end of the proposal believe the engagement ring is rightfully theirs, having been intended as a symbol of the love in that relationship. After all, how many of us would want to be proposed to with the same ring that was used in a previous and failed engagement?

There is perhaps no universally correct outcome to this problem. Essentially the engagement ring belongs to both the people in the relationship; its intention is to bring no one but them together in marriage. When sadly the engagement is no more, perhaps the best course of action to take would be for the two recently single parties to decide on an unhappy, but necessary settlement. If both individuals wish to possess the engagement ring as much as each other, maybe another significant artifact belonging to their relationship could be used as currency for a negotiation. In the case of my friend, her messy separation finally ceased when both her and her ex came to a begrudging compromise – she walked away with the engagement ring, while he got the cat.

Pia Chaudhuri