Eternity Rings: Their Meaning and History

Eternity rings have been a traditional anniversary gift for decades. They are the definition of elegance, signifying eternal love between two people. But where did eternity rings originate from? What started the tradition? Read on to discover more about the meaning and history behind the eternity rings which we've all grown to love.

An eternity ring symbolises never-ending love between two people. In terms of design, an eternity ring typically consists of a continuous band of cut gemstones. Although there's no set rule as to when someone should receive an eternity ring, they tend to mark a particular milestone in a couple's life. Usually, a couple will exchange eternity rings once they've reached their ten year anniversary or longer.

As mentioned previously, eternity rings are a symbol of eternal love - a promise of lifelong commitment.

But it doesn't stop there.

These rings also symbolise the circle of life. They are commonly given to a partner after the birth of a child; marking another journey of eternal love.

As mentioned previously, eternity rings are a symbol of eternal love - a promise of lifelong commitment.

1. Promise Ring
2. Engagement Ring
3. Wedding Ring
4. Eternity Ring

Both eternity and promise rings are symbols of eternal love and commitment, but the latter is usually given on special occasions, such as anniversaries or to mark a special event (for example - the birth of a child).

Promise rings, on the other hand, are usually given before marriage commitments have been made. They are a sign of mutual love and respect for one another; a sign of what's to come.

Although promise rings and eternity rings are given at different stages in life, the designs aren't too dissimilar. Both feature a continuous thin band of diamonds, resembling the neverending love between each other. The only difference between the appearance in both types of rings is that promise rings may hold a feature gemstone, in oppose to the linear design of an eternity ring.

While the popularity of eternity rings is growing each year, their origin can be traced back to around 4,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptians used them as tokens of both eternal love and life.

The original eternity rings were very similar to the ones we receive today. Some ancient designs also featured a snake devouring its own tail, symbolising the circle of life and death.

Lost in the shadow of times for centuries, eternity rings regained their popularity in the 60s, thanks to diamond merchants. It all started with an agreement between diamond merchants and the Soviet Union to purchase uncut diamonds from Russia.

Since those diamonds were small, diamond merchants came up with the idea of mounting them in gold or platinum bands as diamond rings and advertised them as gifts for husbands to give to their wives.

Nowadays, some women even choose to wear an eternity ring instead of a traditional wedding band, while others wear an eternity ring alongside their wedding band and engagement ring.

Eternity rings come in 'half' or 'full-eternity' styles. The type you choose will entirely depend on your budget and preferred design.

Half-eternity rings are often cheaper than full-eternity rings, as they only have stones set on the upper side of the ring. Full-eternity rings feature a continuous circle of diamonds, instead. Take a look at our Diamond Eternity Ring for an example of a full-eternity ring.

At Monica Vinader, we offer a large selection of eternity rings designed to be worn alone or stacked with any ring style.

Our collection includes rings made from various precious metals, including sterling silver, gold, and rose gold eternity rings.

Experience has taught us that most ladies prefer to wear their eternity ring to complement their ring stack. For this reason, we focused on designing skinny eternity rings that celebrate elegance. For those who prefer originality, however, we also propose a range of teardrop-shaped eternity rings.

Said to represent a life-lasting commitment, our full-eternity rings are beautiful gifts for your beloved one, no matter the occasion.

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