Even though, eternity rings may not be as common as engagement rings and wedding rings, many jewelry stores still offer stunning collections.
There is little difference between wedding bands and eternity rings. Most typical wedding bands are made of plain metal such as gold, silver or platinum.
Eternity rings on the other hands are a bit more decorated; they consist of intricate designs and have small diamonds with no spacing between them you can’t tell where it begins and ends.
So did eternity rings come to be?
Eternity Rings – Where it all began
It is said that the ancient Egyptians were the first to introduce the concept of giving rings in romantic relationships to represent commitment for life. The tradition was then adopted by the Greeks and Romans. However, neither of these groups gave more than two rings (engagement rings/wedding rings), so where did the concept of eternity rings come from?
Like many other traditions in the West, the concept of eternity rings was also introduced and pushed by a corporation – De Beers to be specific.
The influence of De Beers
Today there is a general agreement that engagement rings should have diamonds but this wasn’t the case earlier. In the past people gave engagement rings of all kinds of metals and gemstones but that all changed in 1947.
In 1947, De Beers launched its iconic Diamonds Are Forever campaign. The campaign successfully strummed the heart strings of the youth with its romantic ads, their beautiful models and the “Diamonds are forever” slogan that implied that diamonds were better than all other gemstones. If you really want to show you love her - you’ll give her a diamond ring.
The campaign was a success not just in the local market, but around the globe. In a matter of years, diamonds rings were synonymous with engagement rings.
De Beers and the small diamonds from the Soviet Union
De Beers had a similar role to play in the growth of eternity rings. De Beers had an agreement with the Soviet Union and bought 95% of their uncut diamonds. These diamonds were much smaller than the ones that were typically sold at the time.
Being a leader in the industry, De Beers used the diamonds to create an entire new category – Eternity rings. Eternity rings had stunning arrangements made of small diamonds and were supported by a powerful ad campaigns that featured slogans like “She married you for richer or poorer. Let her know how it’s going”. The eternity rings were targeted at women who had been married for some time.
The trend caught on and other jewelers followed in De Beers’ footsteps.
When are Eternity Rings given?
There’s no rule for when eternity rings should be given. People give them after 10 years of marriage or after their first child is born – it’s totally up to the individual buying the ring.
Are you looking for an eternity ring? Check out Solitaire Jewelers selection of dazzling diamond rings and wedding bands.
You can check out our collection of fine jewelry online or head over to our store in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Work with our artisans to custom design a diamond ring!