If you’ve always wondered what an eternity ring is, when you should give one, and what they’re actually for then you’ve come to the right place!
It was recently revealed that, following the birth of their son Archie, Prince Harry presented Meghan Markle with a gold and diamond eternity ring. Harry designed the ring himself with the help of world-renowned jewellery Lorraine Schwartz. The ring features conflict-free diamonds alongside the birthstones of Archie, Harry and Meghan to really lend it a personal touch.
This generous gesture by one of the most famous couples in the world has thrown the eternity ring back in the limelight. Gifting a woman an eternity ring following the birth of her first child is a time-honoured tradition, and one that more couples are choosing to honour.
Here’s everything you need to know about the history of the eternity ring, and how to pick the perfect one:
The History of the Eternity Ring
An eternity ring, sometimes known as an infinity ring, is a gift designed to show eternal (or infinite) love. It is constructed of a simple metal band (usually in gold, white gold, or platinum) with a continuous line of coordinating gemstones running around the length of it.
The eternity ring is not a new concept: in fact, the first eternity ring was given approximately 4,000 years ago during Egyptian times. These first eternity rings were presented as tokens of love, and often featured the imagery of a snake eating its own tail. At the turn of the century eternity rings tended to only be gifted after a couple were already married; they were given to either commemorate a significant wedding anniversary or, as with the case of Harry and Meghan, to celebrate the arrival of a new baby into the family.
The eternity ring is the perfect gift to celebrate a new baby as it represents the circle of life: infinite and unbroken, reinforced by the arrival of a new child. Modern jewellers now produce full eternity rings (with stones around the whole of the ring) or half eternity rings (with stones around just half of the ring). But how do you go about picking the perfect eternity ring for the woman that you love?
Choosing an Eternity Ring
When choosing an eternity ring it’s important to think about the finger of the woman who will be wearing it: If she is already wearing a thick set engagement ring or chunky wedding ring with plenty of stones then she might not be able to comfortably wear anything other than a narrow eternity ring on the same finger. Having said that the wider the ring, the bigger the diamonds will be, and the more sparkly and impactful the ring will look. It’s a delicate balance between style and practicality.
Ensure that the eternity ring that you choose is the correct size: it’s very difficult to resize a full eternity ring because of its stone frequency, so you should measure your partners finger correctly to ensure the ring will fit. If you’re buying a ring as a surprise gift and don’t know what size to choose then a half eternity ring would be a safer choice.
Finally, you should always consider your partner’s lifestyle when choosing her eternity ring. Full eternity rings are more prone to damage, because the gems on the underside of the finger are more vulnerable to wear and tear. If you work with your hands then a full eternity might not be the right choice for you.
