Rings

Rings really came into vogue during Medieval times, when both the rich and the poor wore them. Usually made of iron, copper, silver, or gold, the metal used to make the ring indicated the class of the wearer. Faceted jewels weren’t added to rings until around the 14th century. In modern times, you can find rings made of just about any kind of material, from gold, silver, and copper, to wood, plastic, and glass. People get and give all kinds of rings: engagement rings, class rings, birthstone rings, mother’s rings, eternity rings, right hand rings, promise rings, and now even singles rings. If there’s an occasion – or no occasion at all – you can bet that someone will think of a ring to commemorate it.

Ring Shopping Tips

Many women enjoy wearing a variety of rings in any type of setting. Engagement rings are a whole other topic entirely, so this is just going to focus on rings in general.

If you’re looking for a ring that you plan seldom to remove, such as a birthstone ring, promise ring, or some other type of meaningful ring, it is best to get one that is set in a precious metal such as gold or silver. Gold-filled rings are also fine for this purpose, but gold- or silver-plated rings will lose their plating, and you’ll end up with a dull, cheap-looking ring. Plated rings are best for occasional wear, such as cocktail or fashion rings. The difference is that plating is put on top of the underlying metal, so it’s kind of like a coat of nail polish on your fingernails – looks good for awhile, but eventually it flakes off. Gold-filled, on the other hand, has the gold mixed in with the underlying metal, so it bonds to and becomes part of the metal. It will not flake off or turn your finger green.

If you’re looking for a ring with a gemstone set in it, the possibilities are nearly limitless. Stones can be faceted into many shapes, including:

• Cushion - similar to a square-shaped cut; looks very vintage;
• Emerald - rectangular-shaped with diagonal corners;
• Heart-Shaped - heart-shaped;
• Princess - definitely square-shaped;
• Pear-Shaped - shaped like a teardrop;
• Marquise - shaped similar to a canoe, with pointed ends;
• Trillion (sometimes misspelled “trilliant”) – triangular;
• Cabochon - rounded and smooth on top, rather than faceted; you will see star sapphires and star rubies as well as cat’s-eye gems with a cabochon cut.

Of course, oval and round cuts are old standbys as well, and other faceted cuts are out there, but the above-mentioned cuts are the most common.

Ring Storage

A few tips for storing your rings:

• Keep your diamonds separated from other jewelry, as they can scratch other stones (as well as each other).
• Since sapphires and rubies are next in line on the hardness scale, you should keep them separated from other gems as well.
• Without question, pearls are one of the softest, most easily-damaged gems, and they should be stored in a soft, cushiony environment (like a silk or satin bag, or wrapped in a soft cloth).

This doesn’t mean you have to have a separate jewelry box for each ring. If you have one with the separate cushioned slots made for rings, you should be fine. When you’re thinking of adding to your ring collection, visit Jeweler.com for the best information on all types of rings.