Figure 1. Choosing wedding rings
Engagement rings are the most important attribute of a wedding. It is believed that the rite of exchange of rings appeared in the times of ancient Rome. It is from there came the belief that on the ring finger goes “vein of love”. Therefore, the ring, dressed on this finger to the beloved, fastens the love of two by the power of the noble metal.
If we move away from the historical legacy, then today the wedding ring – this is primarily an indicator of the status of a person. The jewelry on the ring finger broadcasts to the environment that in front of them is a family man.
About how to choose wedding rings so that it was happy at the time of purchase and wedding, as well as not to be disappointed in the choice in 10-20 years – we will tell you in our article.
Criteria for choosing engagement rings
If the purchase of an engagement ring is the prerogative of the groom alone, then the purchase of wedding rings is the first big joint affair. There is even an omen: engagement rings should be purchased together. That is, both the groom and the bride should be present when buying them. Moreover, it is considered a good sign to buy two rings at the same time – for future wife and husband.
Moving away from traditions and omens, let’s discuss more material aspects. The first thing to decide on is the metal.
The choice of metal and gold grade of wedding rings
Traditionally, engagement rings are gold pieces. The optimal strength is 585. These products are durable, little subject to deformation and relatively inexpensive.
750 proof – higher and more expensive. But also more capricious: to protect the ring from scratches and other traces of time, it will have to be removed from time to time.
As for the color of gold, the choice can be any: classic yellow, elegant pink or white. At the moment, any of the options is considered perfectly equivalent.
Rings made of palladium and platinum, if you are interested in white metals, will also be appropriate. But it is worth remembering their price: it is much higher than gold.
In more detail, the question of choosing the metal and grade for wedding rings, we dealt with in a separate article.
Smooth rings or with stones
Many people have heard the saying that the wedding ring should be smooth for a “smooth family life”. The origins of this statement come from wedding rings: the church was against any excesses. However, now the situation has changed: even wedding rings can have gemstone inlays. And certainly if we are talking about jewelry that will be used only for the marriage ceremony in the registry office, then about “smoothness” you can safely forget about “smoothness”.
Top inserts for wedding bands are diamonds. Colorless or stones with a slight tint are perfectly combined with various outfits and are ideal for everyday wear. And if the diamond has a “gypsy” type mounting (when the stone is recessed in the body of the ring) and does not cling to anything, such jewelry will not interfere with any daily activities.
Rubies, emeralds and sapphires are less commonly used as engagement ring jewelry. But if you are a fan of a particular stone, there is nothing stopping you from buying an engagement ring with it.
Choosing a design and profile
The classic among engagement rings is the plain smooth piece. But even among the smooth ones there are different variants: what distinguishes them is their profile. In Russia, the most common variants are flat and convex profile.
Fig. 2. The most common profiles of wedding rings: flat and convex.
Of course, there are many more profiles. But in the case of wedding bands, it is worth remembering that the roundings on the inside of the ring are not called “comfort” for nothing: such products do not cut into the fingers and are really more comfortable for constant wear.
Fig. 3. Variants of ring profiles
As for the design itself (if just a smooth ring seems boring), it can be both standard – with the application of diamond cut or openwork elements, and exclusive. For example, quite often wedding rings are engraved, including the outer side.
Due to the fact that women’s rings traditionally more often have inlay and various decorative elements, it is not always possible to buy a pair of identical rings. In this case should be guided by the rule of combinability: optimally, if the rings of the bride and groom will have a similar shape and design of the bezel.
How to choose the right size of rings
The wedding ring should sit comfortably on the finger. For this purpose, it is important to choose jewelry at the moment when your fingers are in their “optimal” state. Keep in mind that:
Jewelers recommend taking a ring with a tiny reserve of 1-2 mm. Such a piece of jewelry is slightly loose on the finger, but through the joint passes “tightly”. Also remember: technologically it is easier to reduce the ring than to roll it out. Especially if it has a complex design and there are stone inserts.
How to choose the width of wedding rings
In addition to personal preferences, the width of the ring depends on its size. On large fingers (size 19 and above) look better quite weighty and wide rings (width of 6-8 mm). At the size of 18 and less, give preference to models of medium (4-6 mm) and small (2-4 mm) width.
Combination of the wedding ring with the engagement ring
If the bride has an engagement ring on her finger, and she plans to wear it in the future, it is not superfluous to make sure that the wedding and engagement rings match each other. Echoing elements in the design will suffice.
In extreme cases, you can move the engagement ring to the other hand: so the jewelry will be less conflicted with each other.