A wedding ring is different from the other pieces of jewellery you have in your drawer, they embody much significance, and it is a piece of statement. Throughout history, the wedding ring is an emblem of love, a declaration from both parties of the unity and trust to each other.
Nowadays, the Singaporean way of asking “ will you marry me” not really counts on an engagement ring, but perhaps the “ BTO” proposal. However, many women still like to be pampered with materialistic value, with a ring that counts as a physical agreement or promise.
As a symbolism of your love for each other, the wedding ring is a crucial element of the wedding that needs careful consideration before getting it. You are going to wear your wedding ring forever, and every time you see it, it will remind you of your beautiful wedding day and marriage. In this article, you will know what the things you need to know about wedding rings before you head to the jewellery store are.
If you are really considering on an engagement ring, you would want to give an engagement ring that she’ll love at first sight, show off to her friends but most importantly, cherish forever (it’s expensive!!)
Here’s a ring shot we did. Check out the beauty of RINGS.
The symbolism of wedding rings
Circle
Dated back to about 5000 years ago, it started with the Egyptians using woven reeds to braid into rings for fingers. The circle was a symbolism of eternity, with no end. Representing eternal love, the hole in the centre of the ring also symbolises a gateway to another stage in life, moving on to the next phase of life together.
As time went on, different cultures begin to change the style and DesignDesign of the ring, but the symbolism of it remains unwavering. Here’s a link on the history of wedding rings if you would like to know more.
Ring Finger
Traditionally, the wedding ring is worn on the fourth finger (next to the pinky) of the left hand. This practice of the fourth finger was for a lovely and romantic reason. The early Romans believed that the fourth finger has a vein or nerve that connects directly to the heart.
As for the engagement ring, most brides usually wear their engagement ring on the right hand during the wedding ceremony so that the groom can slide the wedding ring on your left hand. Afterwards, you can move your engagement ring over to the left side. Usually, the wedding ring is below the engagement ring as it is closer to the heart.
Diamond
Diamond is the most popular choice of stone for wedding rings. More than just the dazzling beauty of it, the reason behind why it is so popular is because of the significance of diamond. Diamonds are considered the purest and hardest material, making it resistible to destruction. Therefore, diamonds are often used in wedding rings to represent unbreakable bond and unity between the couple.
See More: Other Types of Stones for Wedding Rings
Engagement ring vs Wedding rings
Many people have used the terms – engagement ring and wedding ring, interchangeably. However, there is a big difference between the two rings, each with different purpose and meaning. So, what is the difference? And do you need both rings?
What is the Engagement Ring?
The engagement ring is given to the bride during the proposal from the groom.
Check out our list of proposal videos.
The bride wears the engagement ring from the day she accepts the groom’s proposal, to signify that she belongs to someone and has a commitment with her partner. Traditionally, the more extravagant the engagement ring, the better it is, as it is a symbolism of the groom’s wealth and how much he values the bride.
What is the Wedding Ring?
Wedding rings are exchanged between the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony/solemnisation. Also commonly known as the wedding bands.
Differences in terms of DesignDesign:
The engagement ring usually has a diamond or any precious gemstone, whereas the wedding ring is often a plain metal band or a diamond-encrusted band. By comparison, engagement rings are flashier and more extravagant in DesignDesign while wedding rings are more straightforward. That being said, engagement rings would also be more expensive.
Do you need both Engagement and Wedding Rings?
Most couples have separate rings for engagement and wedding as they want to set aside a specific ring for a particular purpose. Furthermore, there are fashionable ways to wear rings. It is a popular trend of stacking the rings – layering different materials and stones makes your stack different from anyone’s else. Alternatively, you can also wear the rings separately on a different finger or different occasion. Or else, you may want to consider shouldering your engagement and wedding ring together so that you can wear both at all times.
But there is no hard and fast rule to it, as there are many couples who decide to just go for a single ring to symbolise both their engagement and married status. This allows you to save some money from getting another ring or invest your money in a unique standout ring. It also helps to spare you the stress of losing one of the rings.
Different materials for wedding rings
There are various types of materials for the wedding band and each with different characteristic. But the main thing to keep in mind would be the durability of the material. It is crucial to make sure that your wedding ring can withstand wear and tear as the wedding ring symbolises your marriage, and you wouldn’t want to see it deteriorate in a few years’ time.
1. Titanium
Titanium is a silver-grey metal that is highly durable. Due to its low density, it is also a lightweight material. It is resistant to corrosion, scratching and is hypoallergenic. However, due to its hard characteristic, it is tough to work with; thus, most jewellers don’t offer many titanium rings.
Suitable for: daily wear, frequent contact with water, sensitive skin
2. Tungsten
Tungsten is a darker colour metal, which is even more durable than titanium. Like titanium, it is resistant to corrosion, scratching and is hypoallergenic. However, it is a heavy metal; thus, tungsten rings cannot be resized. Besides, it is a metal that can conduct heat and electricity, making it a potential safety hazard.
Suitable for: active lifestyle, sensitive skin
3. Gold
Pure gold is too soft to be used for wedding rings; thus, gold rings are often mixed with other metals to form the ring. This also means gold is usually less durable than other materials such as platinum.
- White Gold
A mixture of pure gold with white metals such as palladium and silver. One important thing to note is that white gold will yellow over time. You will need to rhodium plate the ring every few years to keep the ring looking pure white. Though the white gold ring may be cheaper than platinum, adding up the cost of maintenance over time may not seem that much less expensive.
- Yellow Gold
A mixture of pure gold with alloy metals such as zinc and copper. The yellow colour gives a very warm and classic look to the wedding band. Though the colour wouldn’t get any yellower like white gold, it is less durable and will be worn down over time.
- Rose Gold
A mixture of yellow gold with copper alloy gives off a warm, pink hue. This unique and romantic colour is gaining popularity amongst brides who opt for gold material.
4. Platinum
Platinum is a white-silvery metal that is a trendy choice for wedding/engagement rings. It is exceptionally durable and doesn’t need much maintenance. Also, it is hypoallergenic, so you don’t have to worry about allergies.
Due to its rarity and high density, it is one of the most expensive and prestigious material. Compared to gold, platinum is five times rarer and purer. But it can be seen as a long-term investment as you don’t have to go for regular maintenance or worry about damaging the stones in your ring.
Suitable for: active lifestyle, sensitive skin, popular for rings with a diamond stone
5. Palladium
Palladium is part of the platinum family, which is similar in both durability and appearance. It has a lower density than platinum which makes it lighter and less expensive than platinum. It is also hypoallergenic, which is good for couples with sensitive skin.
Suitable for: couples on a budget for platinum
See More: Wood Wedding Band
Things to take note of your wedding rings
1. When should you buy?
Production of customised rings takes about 3-4 months to complete. In addition, there will be a fitting session to ensure that the ring fits perfectly on your finger. With the resizing and final touches, you will need to factor in an extra few weeks to get the end product.
Therefore, give yourself ample time and start shopping for your wedding rings at least 4 months before your solemnisation – you wouldn’t want to stress about the rings not arriving in time for the vows.
2. How much does it cost?
Depending on the complexity of the DesignDesign and materials used, wedding bands usually cost from $1,000 onwards. Whereas for engagement rings, the average cost is about $5,000. There’s a saying that a ring should be a minimum of a guy’s three months’ pay or more, but that is not necessarily true. The cost ultimately comes to how much you want to spend on an engagement ring. Do keep in mind of other costs that you might require to save up on, like your wedding and your future house.
It is not necessary to have a really costly ring to pop the question, but you can afford, then go for it! The pricing depends on these 4Cs of gemstones -Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat and these 4Cs will help you in deciding the best shade and size of gemstone for your budget.
3. Things to note when buying diamond rings
If you are considering to get diamonds for your wedding ring, do take note of the 4 elements of a diamond.
Cut – cut refers to the reflectivity of the diamond. The cut is the more critical variable as it affects the ability of the diamond to reflect light, which creates the glitter and sparkle of the diamond.
Clarity – clarity refers to the diamond’s purity. Most diamonds contain ‘inclusions’ that are not visible to the naked eye but under magnification. Though inclusions do not significantly affect the diamond’s brilliance, the number of additions will affect the worth of the diamond.
Carat – a carat is the unit measurement of a diamond. One carat is equilibrium to 200mg.
Colour – colour refers to the composite of the diamond. A diamond with no colour allows maximum light to pass through, making it more sparkly.
4. Consider your lifestyle
When deciding on the design of your wedding rings and materials used, take into consideration of the lifestyle you have. If you are going to be working a lot with your hands daily, it would be wise to get scratch-resistant materials.
5. Personalised Ideas
Through personalisation, even simple wedding bands can contain much meaning and significance to the couple. Engraving is a popular and common way to personalise your wedding band, with each couple engraving something unique only to the two of them.
Jewellery Store in Singapore
For commercial Jewellers, their engagement rings are priced at an average of $2,000-$6,000 due to its cater for the general public and its fixated collection. Luxury engagement rings are priced at such a high cost, amounting up to $15,000-$200,000 due to its intricate ring details, best quality gemstones (based on clarity of colour) as well as the tediousness in cutting and polishing.
Physical shopping can be tiring and if you don’t like the fuss, there are also online retailers that you might want to check out for convenient marketing and check-outing. Here are some retailers for you to go and see :
Liv Lov Jewelry – specialises in bespoke wedding rings and customised engagement pieces of jewellery
Vault Fine Jewellery – specialises in wedding rings and pieces of jewellery of 四点金 (used for Guo Da Li)
Gioia – specialises in bespoke jewellery creation and offers a large range of gemstone variety.
Ultimately, there is no right or wrong about getting your wedding rings. The wedding ring is a symbolism of the love you have for each other. It is personal between you and your partner, and the decisions lie on what both of you like. Don’t be affected by what is the current trends, but think about what you want. At the end of the day, you need to love your wedding ring as you are the one who is going to wear it for the rest of your life.