If you’ve ever admired someone’s engagement ring, you’ve likely oohed and aahed over the size or shine of “the rock,” as many like to call it.
The design of the diamond or other gem is a key part of most engagement rings, but the whole ring needs to be durable since it’s typically worn every day.
However, some of the most popular engagement ring styles throw practicality out the window in favor of aesthetics.
Business Insider spoke to Anna P. Jay, a private jeweler based in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Charleston, South Carolina, about engagement ring styles that aren’t practical for everyday wear.
Thin bands can be a mistake
Celebrities like Taylor Swift have been favoring chunkier engagement rings lately, but many people are still buying rings with really thin bands, which Jay said can be a mistake.
“I don’t like super-thin bands personally because sometimes they’re not sturdy,” Jay told Business Insider.
Although thin bands create a sleek look and can make a stone look bigger, they aren’t supportive, particularly if your ring has a large stone.
“When you have a larger stone on the top, it becomes top-heavy, so it’ll constantly be spinning,” Jay said. They can also bend with use and might need more prongs to keep a stone in place since there is less base support.
Jay said it’s better to get a slightly thicker band so the ring will last. Plus, the increased width likely won’t be noticeable to the naked eye.
“A matter of tens of millimeters makes a huge difference,” Jay added.
Less bling is sometimes better
Jay said another impractical engagement ring style that has become popular in recent years is a U-prong eternity band, sometimes called an infinity ring.
The entire band of an eternity ring is covered in diamonds or another jewel. There are multiple styles of eternity rings, but the U-prong setting is common — and the least practical, according to Jay.
“U-prong settings are incredibly impractical,” Jay said. “People like them because of the lack of metal, but I’ll make it, and I’ve had to reset or tighten prongs after a week of wear.”
“I think jewelry should be worn, and if you can’t wear it because it’s too fragile, what’s the point?” she said.
In addition, eternity rings cannot be resized because the whole band is made of diamonds or another stone.
As Jay told Business Insider, most people’s fingers change size throughout their lives, so the eternity band may have to be reset entirely at some point.
Jay recommends halfway or even three-quarter bands as an alternative, as having a partially metal band allows you to resize it.
With all aspects of engagement rings, Jay advises people to have open conversations with their partner about what they expect from a ring.
“Make sure you do talk to your partner about what you want because it’s not a cup of coffee,” she said. “We can’t just throw it away and start again.”
“This is often the most expensive piece of jewelry a lot of people will purchase, and it’s the first piece of jewelry a lot of people will purchase,” Jay added. “Let’s make sure we nail it.”
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