Wedding and anniversary rings

The band that stays on

A wedding band is the ring you wear the longest, so comfort comes first. Ours are slim enough to sit next to an engagement ring and solid enough to be worn every day. Some are plain, some carry a line of moissanite, and a few come in two or three tones of silver and gold plating twisted together. Try the band with the engagement ring before you decide, because the pair is what people will see.

Half or full eternity

An eternity band carries stones along the band. On a half eternity ring they stop halfway, which keeps the underside smooth against the other fingers and makes resizing possible. A full eternity ring goes all the way round and sparkles from every angle, but it cannot be resized later, so the size has to be right from the start. Baguette cuts give a cleaner, more architectural line than round stones.

Rings for the years after

Anniversary rings mark a date. Many couples choose one stone per year of marriage or per child, set side by side, and our five stone band in green diopside follows that idea. Others add a ring guard, a curved band that frames the engagement ring on both sides, or a chevron that points toward the center stone. There is no fixed rule about which anniversary deserves a ring. The tenth is a common choice, the first a romantic one.

Matching the metal

If your engagement ring is white, a rhodium plated band will match it exactly, while a yellow or rose band next to it gives a two-tone look that many prefer. Wear the wedding band closest to the hand and the engagement ring above it, the tradition being that the band sits nearer the heart. Take both off before the gym or the garden, since silver scratches more easily than gold.