With the recent wedding celebrations of Prince Harry and Megan Murkle everyone seems to be getting engaged.
Wedding rings are pieces of jewellery that are worn by couples forever, symbolizing their eternal love for one another. The reason why wedding rings are known to be circular in shape is that a circle has no beginning and no end; hence why marriages are meant to last forever.
At Love Fine Diamonds we have come up with this useful guide on everything you need to know about the wedding band.
Find out the history of the wedding ring? Why the left hand and fourth finger? What styles are available and the different metal options?
| THE HISTORY OF THE WEDDING BAND |
The wedding ring or band is a timeless tradition that dates back centuries past; with some more modern twists in the last century.
Some historians believe the age-old tradition of exchanging wedding rings comes from ancient Egypt, more than 4,500 years ago. Over time this tradition gradually evolved from grass to rope, to leather, and finally, to a metal band.
These traditions were spread around the world, as new lands were discovered; thus, we have the tradition of the wedding band that is still highly recognised today across many religions and cultures.
|WHY THE FOURTH FINGER|
During a wedding ceremony, there are certain rituals that are followed before placing the rings on the hands; however, the ring is almost always placed on the fourth finger of the left hand, which raises the question ‘why?’
Thousand of years ago, there was a Greek and Roman belief that a vein from the fourth finger on the left hand ran directly to the heart. This vein was known as the ‘vena amoris’ also known as the vein of love. This belief led to the tradition of wearing the wedding ring on that particular finger, symbolizing the love amongst the couple being married. According to scientific evidence, this myth is not true, however many individuals still like to believe it is.
The Chinese developed a theory, if you look at your left hand, each finger is a representation of the past, present and future generations within your family. For example, the thumb represents your parents, your index finger represents your siblings, the middle finger represents yourself, your fourth finger represents your life-partner and the fifth finger, your pinkie, represents your future children.
So we've set the scene, so now lets start looking at the different options available to you. We would recommend starting with your choice of metal, helping you make an informed decision we have come up with this useful guide on the different options available to you and the pro's and con's of each metal type.
| THE DIFFERENT METAL OPTIONS |
| Platinum |
When it comes to wedding bands, platinum seems to be the most popular of choices these days.
Platinum is a naturally white metal with a cool lust that will showcase the brilliance and sparkle of any diamond.
It has an elegant sheen and will not fade or change colour over time. Due to its strength also it’s a popular choice for jewellers due to the strength it provides the diamond setting. It is hypoallergenic and due to its strength, it is also a perfect choice for the women who are always on the go.
Platinum is also considered to be the most precious of all metals due to its rarity and is mined much less frequently than gold. The density of this metal is much greater than gold, so the same ring will weigh significantly more in platinum than in gold. Here at Love Fine Diamonds, we strive to bring you both quality and value no matter what your budget is.
| Palladium |
Palladium is part of the platinum family. With a similar colour to platinum, the only real difference is the density of the metal, being nearly half the weight of platinum on its own, making it a cheaper alternative. Alike platinum this metal choice is hypoallergenic.
However although this metal choice is cheaper, it doesn’t come down the same durability or platinum. Also, it won’t give your ring the same lushes weight associated with Platinum.
| Gold |
Gold is a versatile metal and is a more traditional option. Gold comes in four main colours, Yellow Gold, White Gold, Red Gold.
The purity of the metal is divided into 24 Karats. Pure gold, meaning 24 out of 24 parts are gold. Gold generally comes in either 9 or 18ct.
The remainder is made up of other metals like silver, copper, nickel and zinc to provide strength, durability and most importantly it’s colour.
- Yellow Gold is a mixture of copper and silver to counterbalance each other so the metal keeps its yellow warmth.
- Red Gold has a higher percentage of copper to give it its unique red tint.
- White Gold is mixed with palladium, a member of the platinum family provides this metal with its cool lust.
| Yellow gold |
Yellow gold, is a traditional metal option when choosing a wedding band, providing a warm yellow glow.
If you love the warmth of yellow gold, you can opt for 9ct or 18ct ring. We recommend the tarnish-resistant and durable 18ct yellow gold. But, 9ct yellow gold is a great option for those on a budget. However it is less durable with a tendency to tarnish.
However not to worry at Love Fine Diamonds we offer a lifetime complimentary inspection of your rings along with a polish to help from your bring back to showroom standard.
Why not 24ct Yellow gold you might ask? 24ct is the purest form of gold however as it’s so soft the metal won’t hold its shape even with normal wear.
| White gold |
A contemporary choice, white gold has a clean white tone and is ideal for those who want the look of platinum with the tradition and heritage associated with yellow gold.
Surprisingly, however, white gold in terms of price is on par with platinum due to the current market. White gold doesn’t rust, tarnish or corrode.
Unfortunately, when gold is scratched or even just polished, some of the molecules are actually worn away, resulting in the slight loss of mass of your ring.
| Rose gold |
The fashion industry has a long history with Rose Gold, which has in more recent years has become a more popular choice. People are finding that the subtle, warm and rich tones of this copper alloyed gold suits different skin tones.
Due to its Fashion driven past, at Love Fine Diamonds we feel brides are concerned after a few years this metal will fall out of fashion. However more and more we see this becoming a more popular choice of metal amongst couples.
Unfortunately due to the other metals being mixed into red gold to give it its unique colour is not necessarily hypoallergenic.
| THE DIFFERENT STYLES |
At Love Fine Diamond we have a range of popular styles available each with it's own unique characteristics. All our rings are handcrafted in our Hatton Garden studio. We are able to produce your ring in your favourite metal choice.
The French court
The French court wedding band is the most traditional shape. The rounded inside and out means the wedding band will sit comfortably as it beds into the finger.
Flat soft edge
This flat soft edge ring was designed for the ultimate comfort. It has an unobtrusive design with a contemporary style.
Low court
The low court wedding band has a more subtle curve to the top and insides, give the ring a soft elegant style.
D shape
The D-Shape wedding band is a traditional choice, popular with both ladies and gentleman. Flat on the inside and curved on the outside providing a comfortable shape which sits close to the finger.
Halo
Halo wedding rings are perfectly round when viewed as a cross section. The most classic style, giving a snug fit alongside your engagement ring.
Flat edge
The flat court style is exactly how it sounds; flat on all surfaces, inside and out. The result is a solid contemporary style with a nice heavy fee.
The knife-edge
The knife-edge is a truly contemporary and unusually styled wedding band. The ring is made with an edge that slopes and meet in the middle to form a minor point on the surface of the ring, providing the ring with an angled appearance.
Diamond cut
Is a unique style by Love Fine Diamonds. This flat soft edge ring was designed for the ultimate comfort; an unobtrusive design with a contemporary style. With two parallel diamond cut lines encircling the outside band.
Bevel edge
A unique contemporary style exclusive to Love Fine Diamonds. Similar to the flat court wedding band, however with a spun bevel edge.
Mill grain
This wedding band has a traditional french court style, with a mill grain detailing on the edge.
| PROVIDING YOU WITH THE ASSURANCE |
Well we hope we have given you the insight to go off now and purchase your wedding bands with confidence.
At Love Fine Diamonds, we are a family of jewellers bringing time-honoured traditions of craftsmanship and quality to London’s famous jewellery district, Hatton Garden.
With skills that have been passed through the generations we meticulously handcraft your wedding ring to order to endure a lifetime.
We strive to go above and beyond for all our clients merging quality with value. Book an appointment today to visit our Hatton Garden studio.
+ Adding that personal touch
Give your wedding bands that added sentimental value to commemorate the occasion. At Love Fine Diamonds we offer an in house complimentary engraving service on all engagement and wedding rings to your specification.
+ Life time complimentary polishing service
The professional cleaning of your wedding ring is recommended as often as once a year. To help you bring your rings back to showroom standard at Love Fine Diamonds we offer a lifetime complimentary polishing service.
