So my e-ring had its 6 month check-up today (part of my zales warrenty), and since we have about 6 months until the wedding I took a look at wedding bands. Well, I discovered that the type of band I thought I wanted (prong set, 1 carat or 1/2 a carat TW) totally leave a gap between my solitare and the wedding band...
So then the jewler showed me a solitaire enhancer... and my 1 carat beautiful ring suddenly was even better. He told me that some people buy an enhancer and wear it instead of a band... I've never heard of that, have any of you done this or heard of someone doing this? It is here http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2119772
So... should I get both the enhancer and the wedding band? Or just one or the other? I like the fact that I'd have options... I could just wear the band, or band+e-ring or all three. I travel a lot for work so having the flexibility would be great...If I get all three does that make me a diva?
The enhancer is more unique and the band is a very classic look. It depends on what you want. You could also get one or the other now and leave the remaining for a 1st anniversary present if you feel weird getting both (not that you should).
The "enhancer" is just a fancy name for a "wrap" wedding band. They were really popular when my mom got married about 20 years years ago, but the second option is pretty timeless. Simple and classy. All three seems a bit much to me.
I actually thought it was a bit much with all three... but I also don't wear any other jewelry, not even a watch... and just diamond stud earrings normally.... so it isn't over the top. Thanks for the info on the enhancer history... that makes me feel better about it.
i don't think it'd be too much with all three... but i think i'd only wear e ring + enhancer for most days. it'd be nice to have the band for special occasions, though, for a little extra sparkle. :) it sounds like a good 1st anniversary present to me!
A friend of mine had to have her enhancer (which is her wedding band) custom made because her e-ring is so unique. But it's totally normal and like you said, makes her e-ring look so good! I like the idea of getting one now and then the other as an anniversary gift later on.
i think the wedding band at the same time seems like a bit much, so i like the anniversary idea. but most people wear the enhancer exactly like a band, and i've never seen anyone wearing two.
I too have a ring from Zales..not that its only Zales rings that make a gap with your band!! I have a solaire ring and the band is very thin. Its delicate and feminine and I love it! However, I had no idea I would have to really think about the wedding band. I thought I have a solitare, I'll have endless possibilies, no big deal. We have gone several times and the only problem for me as well is the gap that is between the two bands. So of course I tried on the enhancers and loved the added sparkle but I want my wedding ring and band. With just the enhancer, it looked like one engagement ring. So I was also thinking of getting both. I don't wear any other jewlery either, no watches, just silver studd earings and thats it. So I loved the extra prettiness of the enhancer and band! But after we left Zales the last time (haha) I realized that the solitare ring I have looks very classic and beautiful alone, without any enhancers because with enhancers it helps with the gap but changes the entire look of the ring. My mom and my mother in law both have solitaires with bands and I want the same. Maybe if you do want both, you could pick one and get the other for an anniversary gift. Good luck in your decision.
I like the enhancer idea for now, and then adding an anniversary band later. Another option is to have a wedding band custom made to fit with your ring. This is what I did and I love it!
I have a ring wrap as my wedding band to go with my solitaire e-ring because I wanted to avoid the dreaded gap. It's now been almost a year, and most people who see my ring (which looks like one solid piece) ask me when my wedding is. I then have to explain it to them, take the pieces apart to show they're separate (never got them sodered) and smile politely when they tell me it's a neat idea.
Just make sure you're ok with having to tell a story every time someone congratulates you on your engagement or asks when the date is.
Solitaire with wedding band is always a classic. The only way to get away from the gap is having the wedding band custom made or resetting your engagement ring.
Without the enhancer, does the solitaire diamond touch the metal of the wedding band at all? If it does, be careful because the diamond will gouge out the white gold of the ring over time. Similarly, diamonds on the wedding band may cut into the prongs of the solitaire depending on how it sits. This happened with my mother's ring and she wears a plain, low-profile band in between her solitaire and wedding band to avoid damage to her diamond rings. The enhancer may solve this problem, so long as its diamonds don't get in the way either.
As a middle of the road alternative, maybe you could try something like this: http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2119789&fbc=0 It has the curve of an enhancer to keep your diamonds safe from one another, but since there's no "cut-out" like there was on the other enhancer you showed, it still looks like a wedding band and could be worn on its own. Best of both worlds?
I prefer to have it something on both sides. I like the single wedding band look, but it just wasn't for me. Do whatever you like and makes you happy! :)
@ chelseamorning - that is why you get the rings soldered together. It is only if they rub against each other that the metal wears away.
barbarabee - I think that you should get whatever you like. However, you should also think about whether you're planning on having the rings soldered - because once you do, you essentially have one ring, regardless of how it started out.
I think that the standard wedding band is very nice, although most of the sets I looked at (which were custom) did not have a "wedding band" per se - either as a plain band or an eternity ring type of band, as in your photo. They all had a separate band designed to complement the e-ring, often as a wrap style, or with contours designed to complement the e-ring.
I too don't want the gap so I'm having a eternity band that will not be sodered to my ring ever and I like the way it looks, if it was sodered it would have that permanat gap and I hated it. But as you can see in the pic, it looks ok with minimal gap-age...lol
I love the enhancers, my ring woulnd;t have worked with one but I I have heard and seen them done as bands a lot!
Maybe go with the enhancer now, as it's more "the look" you seem to want, and get the band for a 1 year anniversary. Unless money isn't an issue they I say bling yourself out hunny! ;-)
First of all... never call yourself a diva for wanting more diamonds! Its just plain common sense... never say no to more diamonds! :)
That said... i personally prefer the look of the single band and the engagement ring without the enhancers. I think the gap looks more glamorous, like, "oh, i just threw these gorgeous diamond rings on my ringer..." It looks less forced or planned. My engagement ring is a very low setting on a very, very skinny band. I just picked out my wedding band last week and went with a diamond eternity band that is about a size and a half bigger than the band on my engagement ring. There is definitely a gap....
Go with what you think you will love though... everyone has their own opinion on this, and like other posters said, if you change your mind later you could always add to it.
Thanks for all of the ideas ladies! My FI says to get whatever I want...and since the band I thought I wanted was more I will either get both and be content with being a big diva, or get the enhancer now and get the band for later...
I loved all your pics of your gaps... made me realize this isn't just my issue, and I think I could learn to love the gap without the enhancer.
So my e-ring had its 6 month check-up today (part of my zales warrenty), and since we have about 6 months until the wedding I took a look at wedding bands. Well, I discovered that the type of band I thought I wanted (prong set, 1 carat or 1/2 a carat TW) totally leave a gap between my solitare and the wedding band...
So then the jewler showed me a solitaire enhancer... and my 1 carat beautiful ring suddenly was even better. He told me that some people buy an enhancer and wear it instead of a band... I've never heard of that, have any of you done this or heard of someone doing this? It is here http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2119772
Then I looked at a smaller diamond wedding band, and paired with the enhancer and my e-ring there is little to no gap. I like the idea of having a wedding band. http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2790764
So... should I get both the enhancer and the wedding band? Or just one or the other? I like the fact that I'd have options... I could just wear the band, or band+e-ring or all three. I travel a lot for work so having the flexibility would be great...If I get all three does that make me a diva?
So what would you do?
posted by barbarabee 25 posts 5 months agoThe enhancer is more unique and the band is a very classic look. It depends on what you want. You could also get one or the other now and leave the remaining for a 1st anniversary present if you feel weird getting both (not that you should).
posted by ErinMarieMack 263 posts 5 months agoThe "enhancer" is just a fancy name for a "wrap" wedding band. They were really popular when my mom got married about 20 years years ago, but the second option is pretty timeless. Simple and classy. All three seems a bit much to me.
posted by Niki 432 posts 5 months agoI actually thought it was a bit much with all three... but I also don't wear any other jewelry, not even a watch... and just diamond stud earrings normally.... so it isn't over the top. Thanks for the info on the enhancer history... that makes me feel better about it.
posted by barbarabee 25 posts 5 months agoi don't think it'd be too much with all three... but i think i'd only wear e ring + enhancer for most days. it'd be nice to have the band for special occasions, though, for a little extra sparkle. :) it sounds like a good 1st anniversary present to me!
posted by staceyb 178 posts 5 months agoA friend of mine had to have her enhancer (which is her wedding band) custom made because her e-ring is so unique. But it's totally normal and like you said, makes her e-ring look so good! I like the idea of getting one now and then the other as an anniversary gift later on.
posted by LeahB 342 posts 5 months agoi have seen a lot of people with enhancers.
i think the wedding band at the same time seems like a bit much, so i like the anniversary idea. but most people wear the enhancer exactly like a band, and i've never seen anyone wearing two.
posted by vee 172 posts 5 months agoI too have a ring from Zales..not that its only Zales rings that make a gap with your band!! I have a solaire ring and the band is very thin. Its delicate and feminine and I love it! However, I had no idea I would have to really think about the wedding band. I thought I have a solitare, I'll have endless possibilies, no big deal. We have gone several times and the only problem for me as well is the gap that is between the two bands. So of course I tried on the enhancers and loved the added sparkle but I want my wedding ring and band. With just the enhancer, it looked like one engagement ring. So I was also thinking of getting both. I don't wear any other jewlery either, no watches, just silver studd earings and thats it. So I loved the extra prettiness of the enhancer and band! But after we left Zales the last time (haha) I realized that the solitare ring I have looks very classic and beautiful alone, without any enhancers because with enhancers it helps with the gap but changes the entire look of the ring. My mom and my mother in law both have solitaires with bands and I want the same. Maybe if you do want both, you could pick one and get the other for an anniversary gift. Good luck in your decision.
posted by Queenkle 1 posts 5 months agoI like the enhancer idea for now, and then adding an anniversary band later. Another option is to have a wedding band custom made to fit with your ring. This is what I did and I love it!
posted by caliocteach 720 posts 5 months agoI have a ring wrap as my wedding band to go with my solitaire e-ring because I wanted to avoid the dreaded gap. It's now been almost a year, and most people who see my ring (which looks like one solid piece) ask me when my wedding is. I then have to explain it to them, take the pieces apart to show they're separate (never got them sodered) and smile politely when they tell me it's a neat idea.
Just make sure you're ok with having to tell a story every time someone congratulates you on your engagement or asks when the date is.
posted by kandaceandjason 12 posts 5 months agoSolitaire with wedding band is always a classic. The only way to get away from the gap is having the wedding band custom made or resetting your engagement ring.
posted by AprylHzle 43 posts 5 months agoWithout the enhancer, does the solitaire diamond touch the metal of the wedding band at all? If it does, be careful because the diamond will gouge out the white gold of the ring over time. Similarly, diamonds on the wedding band may cut into the prongs of the solitaire depending on how it sits. This happened with my mother's ring and she wears a plain, low-profile band in between her solitaire and wedding band to avoid damage to her diamond rings. The enhancer may solve this problem, so long as its diamonds don't get in the way either.
As a middle of the road alternative, maybe you could try something like this: http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2119789&fbc=0 It has the curve of an enhancer to keep your diamonds safe from one another, but since there's no "cut-out" like there was on the other enhancer you showed, it still looks like a wedding band and could be worn on its own. Best of both worlds?
posted by chelseamorning 214 posts 5 months agoI went the enhancer route for my wedding band. I got this one.
http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3028809&kpc=1
I prefer to have it something on both sides. I like the single wedding band look, but it just wasn't for me. Do whatever you like and makes you happy! :)
posted by hbowar 129 posts 5 months ago@ chelseamorning - that is why you get the rings soldered together. It is only if they rub against each other that the metal wears away.
barbarabee - I think that you should get whatever you like. However, you should also think about whether you're planning on having the rings soldered - because once you do, you essentially have one ring, regardless of how it started out.
I think that the standard wedding band is very nice, although most of the sets I looked at (which were custom) did not have a "wedding band" per se - either as a plain band or an eternity ring type of band, as in your photo. They all had a separate band designed to complement the e-ring, often as a wrap style, or with contours designed to complement the e-ring.
posted by suzanno 1,976 posts 5 months agoI too don't want the gap so I'm having a eternity band that will not be sodered to my ring ever and I like the way it looks, if it was sodered it would have that permanat gap and I hated it. But as you can see in the pic, it looks ok with minimal gap-age...lol
I love the enhancers, my ring woulnd;t have worked with one but I I have heard and seen them done as bands a lot!
Maybe go with the enhancer now, as it's more "the look" you seem to want, and get the band for a 1 year anniversary. Unless money isn't an issue they I say bling yourself out hunny! ;-)
posted by Sweeney2Be 1,488 posts 5 months agoFirst of all... never call yourself a diva for wanting more diamonds! Its just plain common sense... never say no to more diamonds! :)
That said... i personally prefer the look of the single band and the engagement ring without the enhancers. I think the gap looks more glamorous, like, "oh, i just threw these gorgeous diamond rings on my ringer..." It looks less forced or planned. My engagement ring is a very low setting on a very, very skinny band. I just picked out my wedding band last week and went with a diamond eternity band that is about a size and a half bigger than the band on my engagement ring. There is definitely a gap....
Go with what you think you will love though... everyone has their own opinion on this, and like other posters said, if you change your mind later you could always add to it.
posted by LaborDayBride 101 posts 5 months agoThanks for all of the ideas ladies! My FI says to get whatever I want...and since the band I thought I wanted was more I will either get both and be content with being a big diva, or get the enhancer now and get the band for later...
I loved all your pics of your gaps... made me realize this isn't just my issue, and I think I could learn to love the gap without the enhancer.
posted by barbarabee 25 posts 5 months ago