If you’re anything like me, you’re never one to say ‘pass’ on the opportunity to receive jewelry – particularly when that jewelry holds a truly momentous significance for you, and your life. The eternity ring is, arguably, far less common than, say, an engagement diamond or a wedding band – but no less special, given its meaning.
The eternity ring holds two different meanings. In some instances, it is a gift given from husband to wife in order to celebrate their first decade of marriage. In others – and perhaps more commonly today – it is given following the birth of their first child (a tradition which, in recent years, has been relabeled as a ‘push present’ – though these gifts are not always jewelry).
Going the classic route, and choosing a special piece of jewelry to wear alongside your engagement and wedding bands is, in my opinion, wonderfully symbolic. Not only is it a classic choice with plenty of tradition attached to it, but it is a beautiful way of representing your growing family – and your journey as a couple – all together.
So, if you’re tempted to mark your milestone together with an eternity ring, read more for some useful tips.
Add it to Your Insurance
As soon as the confetti was swept to one side, and all the well-wishers left you in peace, your first move was to insure your engagement ring, right?
Hopefully, the answer to that question was a resounding ‘yes’. If not, then that’s certainly a task to bump to the top of the To Do list.
The same goes for any additional valuable jewelry you come to possess – and that definitely includes an eternity ring. Insuring your ring means that, in the case of damage, loss or theft, you are able to submit a claim to replace/repair your ring without needing to empty your savings. It’s really easy to get coverage – for instance, getting a jewelry insurance quote by Lemonade only takes a few minutes, but offers you a lifetime’s worth of peace of mind against accidents and mishaps.
Choose it Together
This isn’t your engagement. First of all, the chances are that this bundle of joy – or, of course, your 10 year anniversary – is not coming as a complete surprise. What’s more, the tradition of the eternity ring is such that you needn’t pretend its wholly unexpected.
For that reason, going out and choosing an eternity ring together is a great couples’ activity – particularly as you prepare to uproot your life together and make room for a growing family.
Turn it into a special occasion: drive to the city, go out for a leisurely lunch, then take a stroll into the jewelry district and wile away an hour (or more) finding the perfect ring for the occasion.
Match it to Your Existing Jewelry
Your eternity ring holds a great deal of significance, and represents the moment you and your partner became a family. While they may seem like relatively small considerations, matching your eternity ring to your wedding jewelry means that you can wear everything together, on one finger.
If you opted for yellow gold, for instance, then sticking to the same color theme for this piece will make everything look more cohesive and beautiful.
Similarly, make sure that it can be worn comfortably alongside your engagement and wedding bands. The traditional design of the eternity ring is an unbroken ring of small stones set within the band, which makes it easy to wear alongside a larger stone. Spend some time trying it on alongside your other jewelry, to ensure a good fit.
Consider Any Temporary Changes to Ring Size
Ring size and pregnancy is a complicated topic. Whether you’ve had to temporarily remove your existing rings, or just put up with a little more ‘snugness’ than you would like, pregnancy has a habit of causing certain measurements to be thrown off kilter – at least for a little while.
If you know your ‘usual’ ring size, then it may be worth sticking to that number – rather than choosing your new ring based on a little (temporary) extra fluid in your digits.
If in doubt, talk to your jeweler when you go to look at rings – or, of course, wait until a few weeks after baby has arrived and make a family trip to the jewelers together.
An eternity ring represents a unique and incredibly special token – and an important moment for any couple to share. It represents the start of your life as a family or more than two, and should take pride of place alongside your engagement and wedding rings. Happy hunting, and congratulations.
