Engagement rings, with their (traditionally) flashy, attention-catching gemstones, typically get the lion's share of attention over wedding bands. Yet both men and women wear wedding bands, and a wedding band is not only a statement of undying love but a chance to offer a truly heartfelt, lifelong gift. They deserve as much attention and forethought from prospective buyers.
In this article, we're going to offer some insight into diamond wedding bands for women and answer some questions associated with them.
When to Start Shopping for Wedding Bands
Unlike the engagement ring - which is likely to come as a surprise to the bride - couples have the ability to shop for wedding bands together.
Since a wedding band is a symbol of eternal love, you should start thinking about the purchase as far in advance of the wedding as possible. While it's generally a good idea to start shopping for wedding bands well in advance of the wedding, you don't necessarily need to make definite purchase decisions more than 3 to 4 months out.
That will give you time to respond to any last-minute changes in planning. Moreover, if you start talking about wedding band design and material well in advance, you'll have plenty of time to work over the details together before making any final decisions.
Who Buys the Wedding Bands?
Traditionally, men have purchased both the engagement ring and the wedding bands, but as more and more couples share the expenses of the wedding, it's not uncommon for the couples to shop and share the experience together. It's your wedding; go about it as suits you.
Wedding Bands for Men vs. Wedding Bands for Women (And Do They Need to Match?)
Wedding bands for men tend to be more simplistic and straightforward in design than wedding bands for women. Often, men's wedding bands are made from undecorated white or yellow gold.
By construct, it is common for women's wedding bands to be more ornate or elaborately decorated. They may also be arrayed with gemstones, such as diamonds, in the case of diamond wedding bands for women.
There is no necessary reason for wedding bands to match, although many couples choose to buy wedding bands in matching metals or designs. More often, the style of the engagement ring is a consideration for the bride, as she may want the two rings to complement each other.
Matching Engagement Ring and Wedding Band Style
Some ladies may desire a wedding band that matches the stone, metal, or overall aesthetic of the wedding band. In the case of traditional engagement rings with a central diamond, there are few better ways to align their designs than with matching diamond wedding bands for women.
One of the more popular modern trends in diamond wedding bands for women comes in the form of rings known as eternity wedding bands.
Eternity wedding rings typically contain a continuous line of similar or identically cut gemstones that encircle the ring. This symbolizes eternal love and they can be matched easily to wedding bands in terms of metal, color, width, finish, and gemstone.
Metals in Diamond Wedding Bands for Women
Many diamond wedding bands for women are made from either yellow gold or white gold, although they can be made of rose gold or from other precious metals as well.
Gold is a beautiful metal to pair with diamond wedding bands for women, specifically eternity bands, because, like the ring of diamonds that encircles the band, the luster of the gold lasts forever. Both white and yellow gold will never tarnish or lose their luster, an ideal symbol of lasting love and commitment.
Band Width and Finish
In addition to matching the metals and gemstones of the wedding band and engagement ring, you may also wish to match the band width and finish.
Many wedding bands will range between 2mm to 4mm, but they can be as small as 1mm or wider than 6mm. If you want to match your wedding bands to each other or the wedding band to the engagement ring, it's best to pair the width, or they will look mismatched when next to each other on the woman's ring finger.
Metal finish is also an important consideration when matching wedding bands or engagement rings. While many wedding bands are still finished with a traditional high polish, more contemporary finishes like matte, brushed, or even hammered finishes are becoming popular. Matching the finish of the wedding band to the engagement ring will give a sense of continuity, which some couples see as just the perfect effect.
The Four C's (Plus Polish): Matching Wedding Bands and Engagement Rings
The traditional four C's of diamonds - color, cut, clarity and carats - apply mostly to the engagement ring, but in some cases will become relevant if you are trying to pair a wedding band to an engagement ring.
For example, it's common for the diamonds in diamond wedding bands for women to be too small to take clarity or color into significant consideration. However, the larger the diamonds on the wedding band, the more color and cut will matter. If they're large enough to draw significant attention, you will definitely want the color to match between them and you may want a similar cut. Depending, again, on the size of the diamonds in the wedding band, you may also want the polish to match the gemstone in the wedding band.
Determining Ring Size
The easiest way to ensure the proper ring size for a women's wedding band is to pair it to the size of the engagement ring or visit a jeweler that can help you determine your ring size.
We'll Help You Find the Perfect Jewelry for the Occasion
Whether you need help with ring sizing or you're interested in purchasing an eternity diamond wedding band for a woman in your life, our experienced stylists are here to help you celebrate life's special moments.
Let us know your vision and we'll help you make it a reality, whether that means pairing a wedding band and engagement ring or simply helping you find something that's truly one of a kind and hasn't a peer in the world!
If you need any help while shopping our online store, please feel free to call us at 1-515-451-9292 or email us at Celebrate@KormanATX.com and we'll help you enjoy the Korman Experience.