Not only are engagement rings and wedding bands beautiful, but they’re also deeply symbolic. The question is, is it best to wear an engagement ring alone, or paired forever with your wedding band?
Discover answers to the age-old question of whether to stack or separate these symbols of your love, and discover how to wear them in a way that reflects your unique relationship.
The History Behind Wedding Rings
The ancient Egyptians enjoyed wearing rings, symbols of eternal life and love, and sometimes exchanged them as a sign of loyalty and devotion between individuals who cared deeply for each other. This tradition later caught on in ancient Greece and Rome.
Betrothal rings became an important part of the wedding ceremony in ancient Rome, serving as a visual representation of the union between two people. Some rings depicted two clasping hands, bringing the focus to the agreement the couple made and the unity they now experience.
The practice of personalising wedding rings eventually grew in popularity. The bands could be customised with a carving, beautiful gemstones, or a special inscription.
Arrival of the Engagement Ring
While gold bands date back to the ancient Egyptians, and the tradition of exchanging wedding rings started in ancient Rome, the engagement ring as a concept was introduced later.
In Roman times the tradition of men sending iron rings to the women they loved and were betrothed to is believed to have been the start of the idea of the engagement ring.
Across cultures, rings represented wealth and status. Because of their value, they were exchanged between people deeply devoted to each other, and in the process, this practice continued to grow in meaning.
Initially, engagement rings were simple, undecorated bands. They meant that the couple was serious about a long-term commitment, and they represented the promise of love, companionship, and devotion between the two. Over time, engagement rings became more intricate, with inlaid stones and skilled carvings and etchings.
The Heart Connection
Did you know that the reason many people around the world pair their engagement ring with a band on the fourth finger of the left hand – the finger commonly referred to as the ring finger – is that the Romans thought this finger connected directly to the heart?
In Roman times it was believed that a physical connection existed between the left ring finger and the human heart, making that finger – its scientific name is digitus anularis – the perfect choice for engagement rings and wedding bands.
Differences in Ring Arrangement Around the World
Wearing both the wedding ring and the engagement rings on the ring finger of the left hand isn’t a universal practice. Actually - wearing both the wedding ring and the engagement rings on the ring finger on the same finger, is quite a new practice.
For example, in Austria, it’s common to wear the engagement ring on the left hand and the wedding band on the right hand. In many countries, it’s exactly the opposite. And in other regions, it’s commonplace to pair an engagement ring with a band and wear the two together on the same finger.
Katie g. Jewellery believes that how you wear your rings is completely up to you. There is no strict right or wrong here. We celebrate individual choice, and we encourage our customers to wear their rings however they feel most comfortable.
Changes Over Time
Even though the tradition and aesthetics of wedding and engagement rings have evolved over time, one thing remains the same: rings are works of beauty that add a distinctive style to the wearer. They share with the world a very important facet of your life – your love and devotion to another.
Traditionally, engagement rings were worn only for the duration of the engagement, after which they were replaced by the wedding band. In more recent years, it’s become commonplace to continue wearing engagement rings. It’s also become popular to wear the engagement ring and the wedding band on the same finger.
If you choose to pair an engagement ring with a custom wedding band, we invite you to take several factors into consideration to achieve a fit and look that’s right for you.
How to Achieve a Cohesive Look With Your Wedding Jewellery
If you plan to wear your wedding band together with your engagement ring on the same finger, pre-planning goes a long way in creating a cohesive design. These factors are especially important:
Dimensions: In particular the thickness of the wedding band should match that of your engagement ring. This ensures that the diamond of the engagement ring does not rub against the wedding band.
Aesthetics: We recommend that the width of the engagement and the wedding band is either the same or that the wedding band is noticeably wider.
Individual Style: Tastes change and sometimes you will just wear one of these rings at a time. So make sure you also like the look of each ring on their own
Complimentary Style: Finally, when choosing a wedding band to sit next to your engagement ring make sure it compliments it and does not overshadow it. When wearing rings together they should not both fight for your attention, rather they should complement each other as a set..
You can work with an experienced, professional jeweler to overcome potential challenges.
Ideally, your wedding band sits flush with your engagement ring without a gap between the two rings.
When your engagement ring features a round-cut diamond, this fit can be achieved easily. Other diamond shapes, including oval, emerald cut, pear shape, or marquis, may pose more of a challenge, depending on how they are set in your ring.
The reason that some stone shapes are less ideal is that the stone may stick out a little too much, creating a noticeable gap between the rings.
Even common challenges can be fixed and overcome by an expert designer. For example, raising the setting of the diamond can lead to a better fit, with the wedding band tucked neatly underneath the stone.
It’s a simpler process to coordinate the engagement ring and wedding band from the beginning than to try to combine two conflicting designs later. We would be happy to advise you on this in a free consultation in our shop.
Consider The Setting Type of Your Engagement Ring
Another important consideration when pairing an engagement ring with a custom band is the setting type. There are different settings to choose from. When pairing two rings, a prong setting is ideal as it allows the wedding ring to smoothly slot underneath the stone. In turn, classical Bezel settings may cause problems as they don’t leave any space for the wedding band. If your engagement ring isn’t a solitaire but rather a memory ring, pave, chanel and other settings may be used as these rings which feature lots of small stones, will sit very well with any engagement ring
The Stone Will Affect the Setting Style
The setting style is both an aesthetic choice and a practical one. The hardness and durability of the stone used will influence which setting is selected.
The diamond is the hardest of all the gemstones, and as such, it invites almost any setting type.
But with certain other gemstones that are softer, consider going with a more protective setting.
A stone’s hardness is measured on something called the Mohs scale.
Diamonds are the hardest, with a hardness of 10.
Any stone with a hardness less than 7 might benefit from a bezel setting, to protect the gem. Even bezel settings can be tweaked to make them more suitable to be combined with wedding bands.
Prong settings are the most popular style, and they allow the most amount of light to shine into the stone, resulting in a greater sparkle effect. We highly recommend going with diamond when you choose this setting style as the setting is less protective to the stone
Prong settings are great for stacking rings, which is the art of styling different pieces of jewelry to accentuate the beauty of each piece.
Bezel settings can be harder to stack because of the slight gaps that are created.
When choosing your setting, consider how your rings will be worn.
For daily wear, any gemstone with a lower hardness needs a setting that will protect it. If you plan to wear your ring set only on special occasions, you can be more flexible with your setting style.
Dealing with Gaps Between Rings
The best way to deal with gaps between engagement and wedding rings is to explore solutions with your jeweller. If you have your heart set on a particular gemstone and ring style, there are ways to minimise the gaps. There are also alternatives to consider.
Talk with your jeweller about reducing the gap when you pair an engagement ring with a custom band. Options include:
Redesigning the settings for a smaller gap and more comfortable fit
Incorporating spacer rings into the set
Customising bands with subtle design changes so the rings can fit together more seamlessly
Since you’ll be wearing your ring set for many years to come, it’s important to get the look and feel right, from the start. Don’t be shy about bringing up concerns. There is always a possible solution to work with.
Open Wedding Rings
If you’re unhappy with the gap between the engagement and wedding rings you try, consider opting for an open ring. This type of wedding ring can be used to sit flush with your engagement ring. Instead of being a closed circle, it has an opening that allows the primary diamonds to slot in,, making it easier to wear the set. Here are a few examples.
Personal Style and Comfort
When you pair an engagement ring with a custom band, don’t overlook your comfort. You’ll be wearing your symbol of love daily. The design you choose needs to reflect your personal style while being comfortable to wear.
Prioritise your personal comfort. This often means going with a slightly thinner wedding band which will be more comfortable in the stack. In our wedding consultations, the width is one of the main focuses and we provide you with different example rings so you can make up your own mind about this.
Balance aesthetics with wearability.
In terms of gold colour, we either recommend having your engagement ring and wedding band crafted in the same alloy, or one that makes for a strong contrast (yellow gold with palladium white gold for instance). Colours which are too similar (yellow gold and subtle rose gold) often clash.
Your Choice Comes First When Custom Designing Your Wedding Rings
Whether you wear your rings together or on separate fingers is your choice, and it’s a very personal one. The wonderful thing about rings is that you have many options available, and what you choose is up to you.
If you decide to pair your engagement ring with a custom band, make the most of the pairing. Select what will create a cohesive, stylish look.
Visit our galleries online today for ideas and the possibilities of your future ring! Or Schedule a free consultation with us to begin the journey toward creating your perfect set.
