Diamond Eternity rings set in platinum, with Oval, Asscher, Emerald, Radiant, Round, and Cushion cut diamonds.
Elizabeth Taylor racked up 10 in her lifetime, and Rachel Zoe has two. This sum isn’t referring to the number of the stars’ children or days spent on honeymoon. We’re talking about engagement rings. And if you’re thinking that numerous rings are only for the rich and famous, know they’re not, and that you, too, can join the club of multiple-ring owners for reasons more practical than you might imagine.
Amanda Gizzi knows firsthand the importance of having the right ring — or rings — in your jewelry box depending on the occasion or daily activities. [Hint: High mounted diamond rings are at risk for damage when gardening and in some hands-on jobs.]
“There are people who have travel engagement and wedding ring as well as everyday bands,” explains the director of public relations and special events at Jewelers of America in New York City. “My mother-in-law barely wears her original because it’s such a fine quality stone, but she does wear a less expensive one every day. In general, people are more lifestyle driven.”
Catherine Peridis, too, sees the draw in owning more than one engagement ring. After all, the celebrity and fashion stylist in New York City knows that fashion-forward women like to mix and match rings with wardrobes.
Platinum ring centered with a 4.80 carat Ruby featuring two half moon shaped and brilliant cut diamonds
“Maybe you didn’t like the ring he or she gave you, or it just doesn’t necessarily go with your life at that moment,” she observes. “There’s something to be said for having another one — with the bigger stone you’ve always wanted, or one with sentimental value because it is his or her grandmother’s or your mother’s ring remade into a modern setting.”
Platinum and diamond mounting featuring two kite shaped diamonds, pave diamonds, and centered with a 8.34 carat Radiant cut diamond
Jewelry blogger Danielle Miele of GemGossip.com even inked a post on the topic of multiple engagement rings over the summer. Declaring that there were “no rules” at all regarding them, she revealed that she had been “actively searching for a more user-friendly engagement ring for everyday wear” since her original was so delicate.
When you’ve decided to buy more engagement rings, heed these shopping tips from experts. Purchase a different metal and stone than you already own. Less-expensive varieties in silver or gold offer a distinctly different vibe than platinum, as do cluster effects versus single stones. To stack options with your original, consider purchasing rings with similar-size stones for uniformity but with different styles so the overall look of the ring will pop. Also consider scale.
Peridis has observed a few awkward celebrity engagement rings firsthand, thinking stars should have had alternatives. At a photo shoot three years ago, Peridis recalls seeing Kim Kardashian’s massive emerald-cut ring and thinking it was so big that it overpowered her petite hand. “I loved the cut, but the largeness of it made it seem somehow less romantic or beautiful,” she recollected.
“The first thing I did when I sold my book was buy a new wedding ring for my wife and asked her to marry me all over again.” — Nicholas Sparks
