A Complete Buying Guide to Diamond Eternity Bands

Find the right eternity metals, gemstones, and diamond shapes with this comprehensive guide to selecting, or designing your own eternity band.

All About Eternity Bands

Eternity bands, also known as eternity rings or infinity rings, feature a continuous circle of gemstones, typically diamonds, set into bands of premium metal. They often symbolize the never-ending nature of love and commitment, but like any other type of jewelry, an eternity band will take on the meaning that you give to it.

While eternity bands are often given on wedding anniversaries, they can also celebrate less traditional but uniquely important moments, like a career triumph, the birth of a child, or the arrival of a new phase of life. The main point: you don't need to be married to wear an eternity ring.

Selecting the Ideal Gemstones for Your Eternity Band

Gemstones are the heart and soul of an eternity band, and their color, shape, and size are what truly set them apart. Diamonds are the quintessential choice for eternity bands, renowned for their enduring elegance and dazzling sparkle. However, alternative gemstones can infuse your ring with a vibrant splash of color, or they can be tastefully interspersed with diamonds to create captivating patterns.

The size of the stones is another consideration. TACORI's eternity bands are set with bold, higher-carat diamonds that make for a brilliant sparkle. Thin eternity bands are easy to stack, and are a delicate way to add a subtle touch of elegance and sparkle to your finger.

While the majority of engagement rings feature a round brilliant diamond center stone, eternity bands commonly feature fancy-cut diamonds. Among the most popular are oval, emerald, and marquise cuts, which too can alternate with other diamond cuts. Even more eye-catching ceilings can be fashioned with dazzling mosaics of different diamond shapes, such as this stunning new marquise and pear cut eternity band design.

Finding The Perfect Fit: Sizing And Comfort Tips

Ensuring that your eternity band fits perfectly is essential for both comfort and aesthetics. The sizing of an eternity band is slightly different from traditional rings, as it needs to fit snugly without being too tight. Take these tips into a account in order to size accurately:

Be precise: Get your ringer professionally sized for an eternity band. Authorized TACORI retailers know the nuances of finding the right size of eternity band.
Consider width: If you’re not used to wearing rings, a narrow band might feel more comfortable initially. A width of 3mm or greater is considered a wide band, and this may have a tighter feel. Thinner bands offer more flexibility and comfort, but wider bands make a bold statement.
Consider your lifestyle: Think about your daily activities and lifestyle. If you work with your hands a lot, you may prefer a slightly snugger fit to prevent the ring from slipping.
Stacking compatibility: If you plan to wear your eternity band alongside other rings, think about how they will stack together. Consider the width and designs of your existing rings to create a harmonious comfort.

Be sure to try on different widths to find the one that feels best on your finger.

How To Wear An Eternity Ring

Many eternity rings are part of a bridal stack, so they’ll traditionally be worn on the third finger of your left hand. If you're following custom, your wedding band will be the first ring placed on your finger, then your engagement ring, and then your eternity band.

But it's completely up to you how you wear your stack. You may prefer the look of wearing the wedding band next to the eternity band, with the engagement ring on top. Or, you may not like the feel of so many rings on a single finger, so you can wear your eternity ring separately.

Your radiant eternity band certainly doesn't need the help of other rings to help it stand out, and many sport a single eternity band as a standalone statement piece. If your eternity ring fits comfortably on your other fingers, feel free to switch it up and wear it on your middle or index finger, or as a right-hand ring.

If you do plan to wear a daily bridal stack with an eternity band, choosing similar metals for you wedding band, engagement ring, and eternity band will help them wear at the same rate.

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Our Designer's Favorite Eternity Bands

At TACORI, every single diamond or gemstone that goes into an eternity band is painstakingly hand selected and matched to ensure consistent sparkle. Here are some of our Head of Design, Nadine Tacorian's, very favorite eternity bands.

Emerald & Pear Cut Diamond Eternity Bands

Classic Crescent RoyalT
STYLE HT2695712

This stunning diamond band features emerald and pear cut diamonds that are hand set into premium metal. The pear cut diamonds add a brilliant sparkle along the perimeter of the vertically emerald cut diamonds. The precise prong setting minimizes the metal and maximizes the radiance of each fancy cut diamond.

Oval Cut Diamond Eternity Band

Classic Crescent RoyalT
STYLE HT266265

This high-carat diamond band features bold oval-cut diamonds that wrap all the way around a premium band of platinum. Delicate accent diamonds on the inner face of the ring create peripheral sparkle, and the Classic Crescent fabric adds radiant windows of light.

Baguette & Round Diamond Eternity Band

Classic Crescent RoyalT
Style HT2682Y65

Baguette and round brilliant diamonds alternate across the ceiling of this 18 karat yellow gold band. This band is thin and delicate, and perfectly balances the fire of a classic round diamond with the geometry of a step cut baguette. The dainty size makes it a great eternity band for stacking with an engagement ring or wedding band.

Types of Eternity Bands

There are three main types of eternity bands: full eternity bands, 3/4 eternity bands, and half-way eternity bands:

Full Eternity Bands

Perfect for those seeking uninterrupted sparkle, full eternity bands adorned with gemstones encircling the entire band, truly symbolize unbroken love. They are best suited for special occasions like milestone anniversaries or as a grand gesture during engagements, representing everlasting commitment.

Three-Quarter Eternity Bands

Balancing elegance and practicality, these bands feature gemstones covering three-quarters of the band, ideal for those who want a touch of shimmer while allowing for easier resizing. They are versatile and suitable for celebrating personal achievements, birthdays, or as anniversary gifts.

Half Eternity Bands

With gemstones adorning only the top half, these bands offer comfort and elegance for everyday wear. They are perfect for commemorating smaller milestones, birthdays, or as tokens of affection to celebrate meaningful moments in a relationship. These have a lower carat weight than other eternity bands.

Wedding Ring vs. Eternity Ring

The defining feature of eternity rings is that they are always decorated with diamonds or other precious gemstones. In contrast, wedding rings are generally simple in design and are more understated, often featuring a metal band with light embellishments of diamonds or milgrain. Of course, more decorative wedding rings also exist.

The more simplistic design of wedding bands reflects the fact that they're meant to be worn every day - they're crafted for durability and comfort. Eternity bands may also be worn every day, and can be worn as a wedding band. However, they are more often reserved for special occasions.

See this post for more on the difference between wedding rings and eternity rings.

How To Choose A Metal For Your Eternity Band

Ultimately, the best metal for your eternity band is the one that you love the look of, so don't heed rules of thumb if they don't align with what you want.

Durability - You may also want to choose a metal that is durable enough to withstand wear and tear. Some metals, such as platinum, will weather scratches and nicks better than gold.

Hypoallergenic properties - If you have sensitive skin, you will want to choose a metal that is hypoallergenic. This means that it is less likely to cause an allergic reaction. Platinum is naturally hypoallergenic, as is TACORI's palladium-alloyed white gold.

Price - The type of metal will have a significant impact on your ring's cost. Platinum is often more expensive than gold, but because of its purity and durability, is often worth the upgrade.

Complementary gemstones - You should choose a metal that complements the color of the stones that you plan to set your eternity band with. For example, white gold is a good choice for diamond eternity bands, while rose gold can be a warm and colorful choice if you plan to set your eternity band with rubies.

Skin tone - Platinum, white gold, and platinum are all good choices for fair or cool skin tones. The warm, golden hue of yellow gold and rose gold are good choices for warm skin tones.

The History Of Eternity Rings

The origin of eternity bands can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where they were believed to have protective and spiritual significance. These early versions of eternity bands were often made with simple designs and featured symbolic gemstones like lapis lazuli and turquoise.

Eternity bands surged in popularity during the 1960s, propelled by a De Beers campaign aimed at advocating the use of smaller, melee diamonds in jewelry, contributing significantly to their fashionable status. They were often given as anniversary gifts or used as wedding bands.

Today, the concept of a continuous band adorned with gemstones often symbolizes eternal love and commitment - hence the name, eternity band.

We can't measure whether or not love is actually eternal. Nevertheless, people often perceive love as a force capable of enduring the passage of time itself. The boundlessness of eternity can be hard to grasp, but an eternity band can serve as a tactile representation of the profound and intuitive feeling that love is eternal.