Your questions about Eternity Rings answered.

Eternity rings, sometimes also called infinity rings, are less well known than wedding and engagement rings because there isn’t a specific time that they should be given and people tend not to have parties to celebrate them. Why not? I’m not sure. I think it would be a lovely thing to have a party to celebrate a couple renewing their commitment to each other.

Eternity rings are the third and final ring to be added to your engagement and wedding ring on your ring finger. Traditionally, the order that these rings should be worn is for the wedding ring to be put on first, then the eternity ring and the engagement ring last. This seems strange because it’s not the order in which they are given but the idea behind this sequence is that your wedding ring was never taken off so it would be worn all the time. Your engagement ring, with a single high set diamond or other gemstones should be taken off regularly if you are exercising or cooking or doing things where it could get caught or damaged. An eternity ring, with small stones set into it can be worn more often than a solitaire or three stone ring but less often than a plain wedding ring.

Wedding rings are no longer always a plain band of gold and often have stones set in them so the order in which you want to wear a wedding, engagement ring and eternity ring is totally up to you. It is quite normal now for wedding rings to look like eternity rings and for the engagement ring to sit between two diamond rings.

It’s also not unusual to have an eternity style ring as an engagement ring. Audrey Hepburn was given a band set with diamonds in it as her engagement ring. When she was married, she was given two rings of a similar design without diamonds, one in platinum and one in rose gold. She didn’t stack the three rings together but chose to wear one at a time, changing them as the mood took her.

It was said that Audrey initiated the proposal by giving Mel Ferrer a platinum Rolex watch as a birthday gift. She had it engraved with “Mad About The Boy”. Shortly after receiving this gift, Ferrer proposed. I love that her confident, generous gift was returned with an even greater one.

So what makes an eternity ring an eternity ring? It is a ring that symbolises the commitment that a couple share to stay together forever. Traditionally it was a plain ring that was set with diamonds all the way round. The circle of the ring and the strength of the diamonds both symbolise an eternal unbreakable bond. It is also popular to have what is called a half eternity ring which is not half the time you will spend together but that the diamonds go half way around the band instead of all the way round. This means that the ring is stronger at the back where it takes more wear and some people find it more comfortable. You can also have just the front third of the ring covered with diamonds if you don’t like the feel of the stones between your fingers.

When is an eternity ring given? Traditionally it was given for a big anniversary, like a 25th or 40th. It was a romantic way to reaffirm that after your children had left home and you were no longer providing a parental role together that your commitment to each other was stronger than ever.

Today, it is common for eternity rings to be given as gifts when children are born or even at the first wedding anniversary. When you want to give an eternity ring is completely up to you.

Do eternity rings have to have diamonds? No they don’t. You can have a ring with any kind of gemstone combination set in it. It could be a collection of stones that have special meaning to you, birthstones for example, or it could be a combination of colours you love.

Do eternity rings have to have stones in them? No, they could have a romantic engraving like our Makar ring which is engrave “till a’ the seas gang dry” or any other phrase that symbolises something special to you both.

An eternity ring could even have a combination of gemstones and engraving like our Enigma ring design that has a secret meaning only the couple who commission it know.

Commissioning an eternity ring is a really special way to get a ring with special meaning. 

We have been making eternity rings since 1999 and each time we do, there's always a special reason why our customer wants a particular design or combination of gemstones. 

We might make a wedding ring to match with an engagement ring and add an eternity ring at a later date. 

If you would like to discuss ideas for a unique eternity ring, just get in touch.

If you want to see a selection of rings you can order or customise, have a look at our designs.

We are always available to give you advice and help on which eternity ring will look best with your wedding and engagement ring.