A Ring For Every Stage Of Your Relationship: Bespoke Engagement Rings & More

There are many opportunities for when an individual will have to search for the perfect ring. First, we have the promise or eternity ring which acts as a token of wanting to spend the rest of your life with that person. Then we have the engagement ring, which as you know symbolises the promise of being wed.

Lastly, the wedding ring is the final ring that makes your life together official. Each ring is immensely special to both the receiver and the proposer, which is why our customisation services can support you in making it a true memento of your love.

In today’s article, we’re going to dive deeper into the meaning of each ring, as well as give you examples of rings that’ll go down a treat with your partner. We're also going to give you an insight into our bespoke engagement rings which are made through our in-house bespoke jewellery service. 

Promise/Eternity Rings

The promise ring, also known as the eternity ring, is given to a loved one as a gift that represents lifelong commitment and love. To determine the difference between the two, an eternity ring more so represents the love that has already lasted for years with that special someone. Whereas the promise ring goes beyond this by covering many other areas of dedication which is determined by the giver.

The History of Promise Rings

To go into a little more detail, the promise ring dates back to the Ancient times where Roman brides in the 2nd century BC wore a promise ring to symbolise a promise of marriage. This correlated with the rule that couples had to wait a certain amount of time between announcing their wedding and the ceremony itself.

Then, posy rings, a trend that hit England in the 15th & 17th century took the stage. A posy ring often featured an engraving of a romantic poem which stood for romance & devotion. Posy rings, although had their time to shine back in the day, still are worn to this very day.

However, from a posy ring came the Acrostic ring which was favoured in the Georgian and Victorian eras. Acrostic rings almost always spelt out a word such as love with gemstones and again, acted as that symbol of companionship.

So, as you can see, the promise ring has and always will continue the meaning of a promise to love and romantic union. It may not always necessarily come in the form of a ring, but jewellery will always carry this importance. See below for celebrities couples who have executed the loving tradition of either promise or eternity rings:

Types of Promise Rings

What you might not know is that there are several types of promise rings that you can get your hands on. From the pre-engagement to the promise ring for oneself, it just all depends on the recipient and the meaning behind the ring you're giving. See below for some examples of the different types, and for an example ring from our eternity ring collection:

Engagement Rings

The all-known and loved engagement ring is here. Since the Roman era, wives wore rings attached to a set of keys which indicated that they were owned by their husband. However, that doesn't explain where the diamond engagement ring originated from. The first-ever glistening engagement ring was recorded in 1477 when Archduke Maximillian of Austria commissioned one for his betrothed Mary of Burgundy.

Since then, the Victorians decided to mix it up and add beautiful gemstones and unique designs for a truly authentic touch. Engagement rings, from the beginning, signify love, commitment and devotion while acting as a representation of the wonderful journey they're about to embark upon together.

Engagement Ring Cuts

Although there's only one reason one may wear an engagement ring, there is a vast array of designs, cuts and profiles to choose from to make it truly unique to the wearer. The most popular cut being the round brilliant for diamond engagement rings which consist of 58 facets that portion the stone into a top and bottom half. Then we have the princess, cushion, flat court, rounded flat, d-shaped, Paris profile and bevelled edge.

If you want to see just how magnificent an engagement ring can be, here are our favourite celebrity picks:

Bespoke Engagement Rings Service

When it comes to an engagement ring, it's good to have an idea of how you vision it fitting in with your everyday style. This isn't a ring that you'll wear every now and then, but a ring that you traditionally wear always. With that being said, it shouldn't come as a surprise that choosing the right ring for you isn't always as easy as it seems.

By vising our store in Hessle, Hull, it's not a one-size-fits-all situation. Bespoke engagement rings from Joshua James involves couples joining us in-store for a fully tailored ring service that allows couples to make their vision a reality. You may be thinking that it's odd for both partners to make this decision, but in actual fact it's becoming more and more popular for couples to use a placeholder ring to begin with.

In a recent survey carried out by Ringspo, it is said that 29.6% of the public chose the ring together, but the proposer bought it alone, 9.4% purchased the ring together, and 25.9% at least discussed it beforehand. It is becoming more and more popular for couples to come together during this process, and this is because it avoids any disappointment, and can almost add to the magic of this soon-to-be forever partnership. With that in mind, placeholder rings are becoming more and more popular!

If you decide that you want to do the same and you're in the Yorkshire area, visit us in-store for our bespoke ring service which covers both bespoke engagement rings and bespoke wedding rings. Or if creating your own from the very base of the profile, gem and cut isn't for you, check out some of our classic engagement rings that you can order online today:

Wedding Rings

Lastly, we have the wedding ring. This time wedding rings date right back to the Ancient Egyptians where they exchanged rings that were made from braided reeds and hemp. This was, as the tradition goes, placed on the left-hand's fourth finger as this finger supposedly carried the 'vein of love' that ran from the hand straight to the heart.

Since the beginning, wedding rings are known as the 'ring of love' and acts as an official symbol of commitment to one another. The Egyptians even saw the circular shape as a signifier of the endless circle which correlates with the promise of eternal love.

It wasn't until the 15th century that we saw wedding rings looking more detailed and personalised using gemstones and mixed metals. And of course engraving! The truly romantic touch was first introduced in the inside of the ring for a private special message that the wearer could keep close to them at all times. We've given some examples of wedding rings that have stood out to us over the years:

Bespoke Wedding Rings

While these are all traditions, there are no rules when it comes to wearing or choosing your wedding ring. It's all about your preferences and desires that'll help you decide on what works for you. When you choose to purchase a bespoke wedding ring from us, you are able to fully design every last detail before we'll work alongside you to recreate your vision.

As ring experts at Joshua James, we know what it takes to not only offer exceptional customer service but an experience that keeps the magic of romance and wedding planning alive. To find out more about our bespoke engagement ring services, get in touch with us today and let's begin the journey to your dream ring.

Looking for something traditional? We also have a wide range of wedding rings available in the Wedding Room section of our website:

Still interested in our bespoke engagement rings & wedding rings service? Please feel free to drop us a message or book in for your initial consultation through our online calendar! From the 17th of May, and according to the lockdown roadmap, weddings will be making an even bigger comeback with up to 30 guests allowed to attend. So, now is the time to start prepping for your Winter/Spring wedding in the upcoming months.

Don't forget, our ring services stem further than just the marital kind, you can also design your very own bespoke signet ring or any other kind that takes your fancy. In the meantime, shop our entire ring collection.