A: There are no rules, but usually it is to mark an important milestone event in someone’s Life. 

Traditionally, the eternity ring comes after the engagement ring and the wedding ring.

Often it is given to celebrate a special wedding anniversary. -You might choose the first wedding anniversary, or maybe the fifth, or the tenth. 

A popular reason for giving an eternity ring is to celebrate the birth of a baby.

Eternity rings can be given to celebrate birthdays too; especially one of the “big” ones that end in a zero.

You might choose to give an eternity ring just to say "I love you".

A: A ring that one person would describe as a diamond wedding ring, another might call an eternity ring. 

Diamond wedding rings are sometimes “blind-set” which means there is no hole under the stones, whereas eternity rings normally have “back-holes”.

Finding a wedding ring that complements your engagement ring perfectly can be difficult. However many rings you look at, it could be that none looks quite right with your engagement ring. The answer is to commission a bespoke wedding ring. This allows you to specify every aspect of the design. Aurum individually designs and makes wedding rings to individual requirements. We are experts in creating wedding rings specifically to complement the customer’s engagement ring.

Ideally, the two rings should look like they were designed and made together as a matching pair.

They need to have features in common. If you want the wedding ring to be wider than your engagement ring, the thickness and the profile or cross-section of the band can still match. If you want diamonds they can match the stones in the engagement ring. Book a free design consultation to discuss some possibilities.

A traditional full-eternity ring has stones set all around the band, so that when you turn the ring there is no beginning or end to the row of diamonds . - This symbolises eternity. 

 These days, half-eternity rings are more popular.

A half-eternity ring has diamonds set on the top half only, with the back of the ring left plain. 

There are pros and cons to both types.

Rings can sometimes turn on the finger, and with a half eternity ring, the plain back can come to the top, but with a full eternity ring the stones are always showing and there is no need to turn it back into position.

The area under the finger is the part of the ring that takes most wear-and-tear. 

Keeping the diamonds on the front of the ring means the stones and their settings are less likely to be damaged and are less subject to wear.

The plain underside of a half-eternity leaves an area that can be worked on in future. If the size of your finger changes over time, which is quite likely, an alteration can be carried out. With most full-eternity rings re-sizing is not possible.

A half-eternity ring takes fewer diamonds, which can mean either that you spend less on the ring, or that can have larger diamonds for the same sort of price!

A: An eternity ring traditionally sits alongside the engagement ring and wedding ring, so you should keep this in mind when choosing it. 

All three should complement one another. 

If the wedding ring is a fitted one, it makes sense to balance it with a fitted eternity ring.

These days many people wear the eternity ring on the right hand.  Sometimes this is because the engagement ring and wedding ring do not leave enough room for a third ring.

In this case, it is not necessary to match the other rings. 

If the eternity ring is to be worn alongside other rings, it is usual to go for the same metal. 

Usually, the stones in a diamond eternity ring are much smaller than those in the engagement ring, so the engagement ring remains the main focus of attention.

A: Round brilliants are the most popular, but we work with all shapes — channel-set, claw-set, pavé — and can advise on what will suit your hand and complement your existing rings best.