An anniversary ring is a symbol of a marriage milestone. Like a wedding band, it features a metal band that may or may not be decorated with diamonds or gemstones.
Although milestone wedding anniversaries are typically celebrated every five to ten years, anniversary rings can be given at any time in the marriage. Regarding who gets them, anniversary rings are usually given to the wife. However, some couples choose to exchange matching anniversary bands with each other.
Traditional diamond anniversary bands have always been a popular choice, but nowadays you will also find a range of contemporary designs at most jewelry stores. You can also opt to design your own custom anniversary ring. Read on for our guide to anniversary rings to help you find the perfect anniversary gift!
For centuries, jewelry has adorned various body parts in the form of earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, nose rings, and neck rings.
Then, when the jewelry industry became linked to the fashion industry, apparel designers started to collaborate with jewelry designers. Every season, the designers were challenged to create new pieces that would eventually become timeless classics.
As new materials were discovered, new trends would also be set. Beads, natural and synthetic gemstones, metals, and alloys would all be combined, resulting in innovative creations.
While established jewelry houses were (and still are) reluctant to change their old designs, young designers and small independent jewelers are churning out trendy new creations with the turn of every season.
Anniversary, wedding, and engagement rings are not exempt from these modern trends, with many designs exhibiting a move away from traditional patterns and styles.
Wedding anniversaries are often associated with certain precious metals and gems. These are usually quite traditional, and many people choose not to follow lists like the one below when picking out the perfect anniversary ring. Nonetheless, these lists can help to generate ideas when you’re feeling stuck:
When choosing an anniversary ring, it’s a good idea to opt for a mixture of modern charm and timeless elegance. That way, you can be sure that your anniversary ring will never go out of style. That being said, many anniversary rings are worn alongside the wedding band, so another option would be to choose a design that will pair well with your wedding band and perhaps even your engagement ring. When all is said and done, however, it all boils down to personal choice.
You can find a stunning collection of wedding and anniversary rings at reputable jewelers like James Allen and Blue Nile. These two online jewelry stores offer a range of contemporary and traditional styles crafted with the utmost attention to detail. They also offer engravable wedding bands that you can personalize by having a special message inscribed on the inside of the band.
You can also find rings in various sizes, settings, and precious metals, including platinum, yellow, white, and rose gold.
Many couples celebrate their first anniversary with an anniversary ring, while others decide to wait until their fifth, tenth, or even twentieth anniversary. But there are no hard and fast rules regarding the most appropriate time to exchange anniversary rings. Indeed, some people may choose to gift their spouse with an anniversary band on Valentine’s Day or another special occasion.
Unlike a wedding or engagement ring, there is no designated finger for an anniversary ring. However, many people choose to wear it on the ring finger of their right hand. In this way, the anniversary ring’s beauty stands out without taking any attention away from the engagement and/or wedding ring.
Along with flowers, rings are a common and popular anniversary gift. Other popular anniversary gifts that take the form of jewelry include necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
But you don’t have to wait for a specific anniversary to gift your spouse with an anniversary band – they also make the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day and birthdays!
As mentioned above, anniversary rings are often quite similar to wedding bands and feature many of the same designs. Popular ones include the eternity and half-eternity, chevron, three-stone, and five-stone ring styles.
While multi-stone rings like the three and five-stone designs look amazing on their own, eternity, half-eternity, and chevron styles are much easier to pair with wedding sets due to their relatively simple designs.
If you’re planning on choosing the latter option, why not opt for a tri-tone ring stack featuring a mix of yellow, rose, and white gold? Two-tone diamond stackables in yellow gold and sterling silver are another trendy option.
There are some beautiful gemstone cuts for these types of rings, including round brilliant, oval, pear-shaped, and marquise. The modern Asscher cut is also sometimes seen in more contemporary designs, which is a mixture of an emerald and a princess cut.
Speaking of gemstones, you also have a choice when it comes to the origin of the gem you choose. For example, if you’re looking at buying a diamond anniversary band, you have a choice between lab-created diamonds and natural diamonds.
So, even if you decide to choose a traditional gemstone and metal type for an anniversary band, there are other ways for you to make it as unique and special as your relationship with your spouse.
An anniversary ring does not replace your wedding or engagement ring unless you want it to. If your wedding and engagement rings match your anniversary band, you can choose to wear them all together.
If you want to buy your wife a new wedding or engagement ring for your anniversary, but she wants to hold on to the original ones, you can either get her a matching or contrasting anniversary band. That way, she can either wear the new ring on the same finger as the originals or the finger on the opposite hand.
A diamond anniversary ring is always a classic choice. However, nowadays you’ll find many other rings to choose from. So, whether you want a ring in a contemporary or vintage style, a natural or lab-created diamond or gemstone, an oval or a marquise cut, the choice is ultimately up to you.
But with so many options to choose from, it sometimes helps to do a visual search of the various types of rings. That way, you can get a feel for the different ring styles, gemstone cuts, and precious metals and which ones will match your partner’s aesthetic.
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