It’s become fashionable lately for celebrities to renew their wedding vows as a statement of their love and it’s catching on! But you wouldn’t want two wedding bands, would you? Instead of swapping these why not give your loved one an eternity ring? You don’t have to be a superstar to afford one!
What is an eternity ring?
An eternity ring is a lady’s ring of precious metal set with a continuous line of identical gemstones. Worn on the left ring finger alongside the wedding band and engagement ring this piece of jewellery is said to symbolise never ending love. With an eternity ring in the shape of a complete circle it is said to represent eternal devotion and the placement on this particular finger is symbolic too. The fourth finger on the left hand contains the vena amoris (vein of love) and connects blood flow to the heart. Eternity rings are traditionally gifted after the birth of the first son but in modern years the sentiment has developed. Give an eternity ring after the birth of your first child whatever sex or to commemorate a milestone wedding anniversary. 40 years together is traditionally gifted with rubies and if you are lucky enough to spend 60 years together there is nothing better than diamonds; so put a ring on it! If you are buying an eternity ring then make sure it compliments her other jewellery! And by now you should know her style and ring size, so no excuses!
History of eternity rings
Love and relationships go back as far as Neanderthal times when cavemen bound themselves together using cords of woven rushes to represent the joining of their spirits. Thankfully we have moved on since then as that would be rather inconvenient in modern life! A circle in ancient cultures was often seen to represent holiness and peace, and there are records to suggest Egyptians over 4,000 years ago wore rings to represent eternal love and life. Rings similar to the modern day eternity ring first surfaced in the 18th century where paste gems and white topaz were encrusted. The modern day eternity ring was invented by a diamond merchant, De Beers, in the 1960s when a close working relationship with the Soviet Union gave an abundance of small gems. De Beers couldn’t use these in engagement rings and, as a result, created the eternity ring; a ring for the older, married women. The first ever slogan read: “She married you for richer or poorer. Let her know how it’s going”. Since then the eternity ring has remained very similar but there is a lot more choice. Rings vary from white gold to platinum, and you can pick a cubic zirconium alternative but remember: diamonds are a girl’s best friend!