An engagement ring, a wedding ring, and an anniversary ring are quite common, but a ring that represents your unending love is something truly special. Couples are now adding this "third ring" (Top UK ring styles in 2023) to celebrate a bond that goes beyond traditional milestones: The ETERNITY Ring.

Bound by love, we are committed to an endless journey together, and if you’re looking for a ring to express these feelings, an eternity ring is a piece you must have.

“Eternity isn’t just a word; it’s a promise, sealed in the circle of this ring.”

Inspired by Elizabeth Taylor's eternity ring or Jennifer Garner's stunning jewel, the rising trend of eternity rings is capturing hearts. Before considering purchasing them, you must have a good knowledge of what eternity rings are, when to gift them, their types, what differentiates them from others, how to determine the quality of these rings and a lot more. This comprehensive buying guide will cover everything you need to know about eternity rings, ensuring you're well-equipped for your purchase.

Let’s start with what are Eternity Rings…..

An eternity ring is a metal band crafted with a continuous line of identical diamonds or gemstones, to express endless love. With their brilliant sparkle from every angle, eternity rings make for a truly timeless addition to any collection. Eternity rings date back thousands of years ago from ancient Egypt times, where these jewel pieces symbolized endless love—originally crafted from braided reeds or simple metals rather than diamonds. Eternity rings are ideal for anniversaries, child births, vow renewals, or for celebrating any milestone.

Celebrate Forever: Eternity Ring Sale Won’t Last Long


Eternity Rings History…

It all started 4000 years back when Egyptians used these endless circles to express eternal love. The design of these eternal rings reassembled Ouroboros, which was an ancient symbol featuring a snake eating its tail, symbolizing endless cycles and cosmic harmony. During the middle ages eternity rings were praised as symbols of religious faith.

Though the trend faded for a time, it resurfaced in the Western world around the 18th century in the Victorian era, where it began to regain popularity. During this period besides engagement and wedding rings, promise rings and eternity rings became popular as symbols of commitment, offering more ways to express love.

In the 1960’s the popularity of these rings soared with the agreement between diamond merchants and the Soviet Union to purchase uncut diamonds from Russia1. These small diamonds crafted on gold bands to design diamond rings were favored as gifts for anniversaries and other milestones.

Today modern eternity rings crafted with colored and shining gemstones blend tradition with individuality. They feature personalized, sustainable designs, often with lab-grown gemstones, offering beauty and quality at affordable cost.

During these centuries, their style and symbolism have evolved, capturing the hearts of everyone from everyday wearers to celebrities. Some of the designs that you must see are:

  • Platinum eternity band of Marilyn Monroe featuring 35 baguette diamonds for her wedding ring.

  • White gold eternity band of Princess Letizia of Spain with 16 diamonds gifted by Prince Felipe.

  • Elizabeth Taylor's eternity rings gifted by Richard Burton during the wedding.

  • Jennifer Garner, Blake Lively, Jessica Biel and Mariah Carey eternity bands are some of the stylish jewel pieces that you must see.

When to Gift an Eternity Ring?

Eternity rings are meaningful jewelry pieces often gifted to celebrate a major milestone in a marriage or any other day of a romantic journey. To show your love and appreciation to the one, who walked with you at every step, these are the perfect gifts. Here are some of the best occasions to gift an eternity ring:

  1. Your Partner Special birthdays : Whether it’s your 30th, 40th, or 50th birthday, or your partner’s, an eternity ring makes a perfect gift to pamper yourself or express your love and commitment for your better half.

  2. Childbirth: Arrival of a child is a special time that everyone wishes to cherish for a long. To commemorate the journey of parenthood and the new chapter in their relationship, eternity rings are the best gifts.

  3. Valentine’s Day: Eternity rings are the best gift to express your unending love on the most romantic day of the year. This eternity ring is a timeless reminder of your deep connection, celebrating both the present and the future of your bond.

  4. Wedding Anniversaries: Your wedding anniversary whether its 10th, 20th, 25th, or 50th is a milestone that needs special celebration. Eternity ring can be the best gift for this occasion. Here is what you can choose :

    • Eternity Rings for a Golden Wedding Anniversary: A gold diamond eternity ring is the best option for this occasion.

    • Eternity Rings for a 45th Wedding Anniversary: A sapphire eternity ring is widely chosen as a gift for this day.

    • Eternity Rings for a 40th Wedding Anniversary: A ruby eternity ring symbolizing your deep love is a classic choice for your special day.

  5. Any Milestone Celebration: Eternity rings can be the best gifts to celebrate your partner's dedication, hard work, or new beginnings. Your gift will be a reminder of your support and love throughout their journey.

Difference Between Eternity Rings and Other Commitment Rings

Difference Between Eternity Rings and Other Commitment Rings

Type of Ring The Meaning Origin Cost
Eternity Ring The symbol of Eternal Love usually gifted to celebrate milestones in relationships. Traced from Ancient Egyptian times Eternity rings price can vary depending on the gemstones.
Promise Ring As the name suggests it symbolizes a promise between couples for a shared future together. Usually given before engagement. Already existed, but became popular in 1900s. These designs are mostly minimal with less sparkle, so generally less expensive.
Engagement Ring Engagement rings usually symbolize your promise of marriage. They are a symbol of your commitment.

The first engagement rings are linked with Ancient Roman times.

Engagement rings are generally expensive.
Wedding Ring Exchanged by couples on the wedding day these rings are a sign of their lifelong commitment to each other. Wedding rings were used by ancient Egyptians, and the tradition dates back to around 4000 BC.

Wedding rings are mostly metal bands with less sparkle.

Full Eternity Rings VS Half Eternity Rings

Eternity rings are of two different types full and half, based on their style. When stones cover the entire band, it's a full eternity ring. While when the stones cover only the top half of the band, it’s a half-eternity design. Both styles are loved and widely chosen for their extra sparkle and luxurious design. If you are confused what you should choose, here is a quick comparison for you:

Aspect Full Eternity Ring Half Eternity Ring
Number of gemstones More gemstones add more sparkle to the design. Fewer gemstones but still radiant.
Alignment Alignment doesn’t matter, it sparkles from all angles. Alignment matters for best visibility.
Cost More Expensive Less expensive than a full eternity
Versatile Less versatile Suitable for daily wear
Resize Cannot be resized Can be resized
Durable Durable More durable due to fewer stones
Care Needs more care Less care needed

Bottomline: What should you choose?

Your choice will ultimately depend on your personal style, lifestyle, and budget. Both full and half eternity rings make stunning additions to engagement or wedding rings, each offering a unique look to match your preferences.

Types Of Metal Used In Eternity Rings

God, silver or platinum eternity rings are crafted in a variety of metals. Selection of metal can greatly impact your eternity ring’s look, durability and price. So here is what you should know:

  1. Gold: The most traditional metal is known for its classic appeal and excellent durability. This hypoallergenic metal comes in different tones including yellow, white, and rose.

    • Yellow gold preferred for its timeless and warm look comes in 10K, 14K and 18K options to meet varying budgets and tastes.

    • White gold preferred for a contemporary edge can add a stylish touch to your eternity ring. It is a versatile metal that suits almost all designs.

    • Rose gold, a pink hued metal adds a romantic and vintage feel to your eternity ring.

  2. Silver: Sterling silver is a more budget-friendly option with a bright, cool appeal. Its affordability and elegance make it a popular choice, especially if you're allergic to other metals. While softer than other metals, it requires regular care to prevent tarnishing and maintain its luster.

    The metal you choose will shape your ring’s style, comfort, and longevity. Consider your lifestyle, budget, and personal taste to find a metal that complements your commitment and stands the test of time.

    Tip: If you have a traditional taste, then it would be better if you match your eternity ring’s metal with existing rings. Like if you have a yellow gold wedding and engagement ring, then choose an eternity ring in the same metal to complement them.

Diamond Or Other Gemstone Eternity Rings

Rings featuring other gemstones or diamonds make different types of eternity rings with different meanings and appeals. In the world of personalization, eternity designs are customized to meet unique tastes.

Diamond eternity rings feature round, oval, heart, baguette shaped identical diamonds all around the band. The uniform look adds a classic and elegant appeal to the ring. They symbolize eternity and enduring love which the couples share.

Gemstone eternity rings feature colored gemstones like sapphires, emeralds, rubies, or even semi-precious stones like amethysts or garnets to make a meaningful and unique ring. These gemstones can be chosen according to the vibrant taste or birth month of the wearer. Sapphires standing for loyalty, emeralds symbolizing growth, and rubies representing passion can add a special meaning to your ring.

Most Popular Settings for Eternity Rings

Most Popular Settings for Eternity Rings

Setting plays a great role in enhancing gemstones shine and othe verall appeal of the ring. So if you are planning for a vibrant and sparkling appeal, here are ring-setting options that you must know about.

  • Prong Setting(also known as the claw setting) : Prongs hold the gemstone tightly in place, ensuring its proper shine by allowing maximum light to pass through.

  • Bezel setting: A more secure setting that covers the stone completely with metal.

  • Bar setting: A bar of metal separates the gemstones and holds them securely offering a modern and sleek appeal.

  • Channel setting: In this setting gemstones are set in a channel with metal walls on either side. Closely placed stones look stylish and can be easily chosen for everyday wear.

  • Pavé Setting: Pavé settings feature small diamonds or colored gemstones embedded along the band for a glittering and luxurious look. If looking for an eternity ring with extra sparkle and delicate appearance then this setting is a great option.

Caring Tips For Eternity Rings

Keep your eternity ring shining bright to reflect your lasting love, it’s a symbol of your commitment, so a little care goes a long way. For this understanding how to clean, store and what not to do is important. Check here:

  • How to Clean?

    Your eternity ring can be cleaned at home, with a mild soapy solution and soft brush. If it's an occasional wear piece, you should remove dust and debris with a soft cloth before storing everytime. Day to day wear rings should be cleaned regularly. Don't use harsh chemicals for cleaning.

  • How to Store?

    Jewel boxes lined with soft linen cloth should be used for storing. Never store your eternity ring with other jewel pieces. Keep a check that the ring is completely dry before keeping it in a safe.

  • How To Maintain By Going to a Jeweler?

    Professional inspection in a year is quite helpful in maintaining the long life of your ring, as:

    1. They can check loose prongs to keep gemstones secure.

    2. They have specialized equipment to reach hidden corners for deep cleaning.

    3. They can address the minor issues which we can not notice with the naked eye.

In Which Order Can You Wear Engagement, Wedding and Eternity Rings?

Wearing your engagement, wedding and eternity rings together is a great idea to cherish all the love together. Traditionally the wedding ring symbolizing the foundation of your marriage should be closest to your heart, so should be placed first. Next wear the engagement ring representing your promise and commitment. Above it an eternity ring on the outer position should be worn.

However depending on the designs of your different rings you can adjust the order for comfort or style. Eternity rings have a uniform shape and this helps in making a stunning stack. Feel free to shift the rings up and down to create a look that feels uniquely yours.

As we know engagement rings and wedding rings are traditionally worn on the left-hand ring finger, so you can stack them here.

How to Determine The Quality Of An Eternity Ring?

Not only the aesthetic appeal but the quality of eternity rings is equally important. Different aspects can be considered when evaluating the quality of a ring, which usually starts with the gemstones used in the ring, the setting in which they are placed, and the metal in which they are crafted.

Gemstones used in eternity rings are usually smaller, look at their cut (for sparkle), clarity (fewer flaws), color, and carat weight for uniformity. The setting should enhance the brilliance of the stone besides keeping it secure, so choose it wisely be it pavé, channel, or prong. Metal should be durable and at the same time comfortable for daily wear too. It should complement well with the gemstones colors too. A well-crafted eternity ring combines these elements seamlessly for both elegance and endurance.

Conclusion:

Your eternity ring is a symbol of your lasting love and milestones shared with your partner, so it’s more than a piece of jewelry for you.With a rich history and a trending appeal today, this heirloom piece is destined to be treasured for generations to come. So choosing the right eternity ring is important and it involves considering various elements, from the type of gemstones and metal to the style and setting, each adding a unique dimension to this timeless piece. Whether it’s a full or half eternity band, adorned with diamonds or vibrant gemstones, an eternity ring should reflect personal taste and values, blending durability with elegance. With proper care, this ring becomes an enduring emblem of your shared journey, shining brightly with each passing day.

Inspired by the design and beauty of eternity rings? Look no further than Rosec Jewels as your one-stop destination. With a wide array of high-quality, sparkling gemstones and a spectrum of vibrant colors, we have a ring for every style and occasion. Our commitment to quality is reflected in each certified gemstone and hallmarked metal used in our pieces.


Let’s check what speaks to you!

Rosec Jewels Staff