Eternity rings
Rings that hold
an occasion
In German and French this ring is called a memoire ring, from the word for memory. An eternity ring is given for an occasion that will not come again, and worn every day afterwards. Four constructions from my atelier, each with a different character.
Eternity rings from the MXHM atelier in Munich: four constructions, prongs all round, prongs set halfway, channel or baguettes, in 18 kt white, yellow or rose gold or 950 platinum. From 3,100 to 12,100 €, made to order in your ring size.
The construction
Two questions, no more
An eternity ring is a row of small stones on a circle. Everything else hangs on two decisions: How does the metal hold the stones, gripping with prongs or clamping in a channel? And how far does the row run, once all the way round or only over the upper half?
The second question is the more important one, and it is the one asked least. A ring set all round looks the same from every angle and does not turn noticeably. But it can never be resized, because there is a stone at every point. A ring set halfway forgives later changes and sits more quietly next to other rings.
That is why there are three settings and four rings here: Griffé comes in both degrees of setting. The range in weight is larger than the pictures suggest. The lightest weighs one and a half grams, the strongest almost four, at the same ring size.
The four constructions
From above, at the same scale
In detail
In profile
The row of stones lengthways
From the side you see what the three-quarter view keeps to itself: how closely the stones stand, how much metal lies between them and how high the ring rises. For an eternity ring this is the most honest view.
For orientation
Your ring
Construction
Stone Ø
Quality
Metal
Ring size (EU)
Sizing bar
- Setting
- set all round
- Stones
- 20 brilliants
- Total weight
- 2.00 ct
- 18 kt gold
- 2.0 g
Including VAT, calculated at the day's rate. Stone count and gold weight follow from the chosen ring size.
The sizing bar
Why a ring set all round needs one
Fingers change. Over the day, over the season, over the years. With a plain ring that is no problem: it can be made larger or smaller. With a ring set all round it cannot. There is a stone at every point, and wherever the band was cut open a gap without stones would appear.
The sizing bar is the answer to that: a fine bar on the underside that changes the size by up to two sizes without touching the row of stones. You do not see it on the finger, you do not feel it, and it takes the finality out of the ring.
Can be added in the tool. Not needed for the Griffé set halfway: the Griffé demi can be resized in the usual way.
On the finger
How wide it really wears
Photographs on a model hand, all at the same scale. An eternity ring looks narrower on the finger than it does on the white background.
In a stack
An eternity ring rarely stands alone
Usually it sits next to an engagement ring. Then it is not the single ring that decides but what the row adds up to together, and that can be planned.
The solitaire sits in the middle here, and that is no accident. Its prongs stand higher than anything else on the ring; between two neighbours they knock against no edge and stay where they belong. An engagement ring at the edge of the stack loses its prongs first.
Titanium is unusual in a fine jewellery workshop. It cannot be soldered like gold, it is welded, and it stays matt grey for as long as you wear it: it does not tarnish and it takes no polish that would disappear again. Next to white gold this grey takes nothing away, it sets off. Then there is the weight: four titanium bands weigh less than one in platinum.
A stack wants to be discussed beforehand. The heights have to match one another, otherwise the rings tilt against each other. The settings must not rub against one another. And the order on the finger is not a matter of taste but the question of which ring protects which. That is settled in ten minutes, and later corrected only with difficulty.
Titanium and other special materials are not in the tool. They are made as individual commissions; ask me about them.
Price table
All constructions compared
| Construction | Stone Ø | Stones | Total | Gold | Wesselton SI | Top Wesselton VS | River VVS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griffé fin | 1.70 mm | 36 | 0.72 ct | 1.5 g | 3,150 € | 3,300 € | 4,100 € |
| 2.00 mm | 30 | 0.90 ct | 1.7 g | 3,650 € | 3,750 € | 4,700 € | |
| 2.40 mm | 25 | 1.25 ct | 2.0 g | 4,450 € | 4,600 € | 5,850 € | |
| 3.00 mm | 20 | 2.00 ct | 2.5 g | 6,000 € | 6,350 € | 8,000 € | |
| Griffé demi | 1.70 mm | 19 | 0.38 ct | 2.8 g | 3,100 € | 3,200 € | 3,600 € |
| 2.00 mm | 16 | 0.48 ct | 3.2 g | 3,400 € | 3,450 € | 3,950 € | |
| 2.40 mm | 14 | 0.70 ct | 3.7 g | 4,000 € | 4,100 € | 4,800 € | |
| 3.00 mm | 11 | 1.10 ct | 4.5 g | 4,650 € | 4,850 € | 5,750 € | |
| Rail | 1.70 mm | 36 | 0.72 ct | 3.8 g | 4,450 € | 4,650 € | 5,450 € |
| 2.00 mm | 31 | 0.93 ct | 4.3 g | 5,050 € | 5,150 € | 6,150 € | |
| 2.40 mm | 26 | 1.30 ct | 4.8 g | 5,950 € | 6,100 € | 7,450 € | |
| 3.00 mm | 21 | 2.10 ct | 5.7 g | 7,400 € | 7,800 € | 9,550 € | |
| Baguette | 1.70 mm | 37 | 0.74 ct | 4.0 g | 5,200 € | 5,450 € | 6,600 € |
| 2.00 mm | 32 | 0.96 ct | 4.5 g | 6,050 € | 6,200 € | 7,550 € | |
| 2.40 mm | 26 | 1.30 ct | 5.1 g | 7,100 € | 7,300 € | 9,100 € | |
| 3.00 mm | 21 | 2.10 ct | 5.9 g | 9,200 € | 9,750 € | 12,100 € |
Prices include VAT, for 18 kt gold, ring size 54 (EU). Other sizes change the number of stones and the weight, and with them the price; the tool works that out. Platinum on request. The prices are on the level of the large houses; what stands behind them is different: stones matched to one another by hand and a ring made for your hand. Stone prices move daily; for a binding quotation I calculate at the day's rate. Handed over in person or sent insured, free of shipping charges. Grades according to GIA: Wesselton SI = H · SI1–SI2, Top Wesselton VS = F–G · VS1–VS2, River VVS = D–E · VVS1–VVS2.
Frequent questions
What I get asked about eternity rings
- What is an eternity ring?
- A ring whose band is set with diamonds all the way round or halfway. In German and French it is called a memoire ring, from the word for memory: classically it is given for an occasion that will not come again, an anniversary, the birth of a child. It is usually worn next to the wedding ring.
- Set halfway or all round?
- Set all round looks the same from every angle and does not turn noticeably. Set halfway has a plain underside: it wears more comfortably next to other rings, is less delicate, and the ring can be resized later. If you wear the ring every day and work with your hands, set halfway is often the better choice.
- Why can a ring set all round not be resized?
- Because there is a stone at every point. To enlarge it the band would have to be cut open and material inserted, and there would then be a gap without stones. That is why there is the sizing bar, and why I measure the size carefully beforehand.
- Which stone size is right?
- As a guide: 1.7 millimetres reads as a fine continuous line, 2.4 millimetres is the usual middle way, 3.0 millimetres reads as individual stones. The larger the stone, the wider the band and the more the ring stands up from the finger.
- Will the ring sit next to my engagement ring?
- Usually yes, but it depends on the setting of the engagement ring. If the stone sits high, a gap remains; then a curved ring is the better solution. Bring the ring to the appointment and we will see at once.
- Do I get a certificate?
- An eternity ring carries many small stones, for which individual certificates are neither customary nor useful. You receive from me a written confirmation of the number, total weight, colour and clarity of the stones used.
- Can I use stones I already have?
- Yes. The stones can often be taken out of an old ring and set anew. Whether it is worth it depends on size and condition, and I can see that in a few minutes.
Something else in mind?
These four are a selection, not a list
Eternity rings exist in almost every conceivable construction, and over the years I have built most of them. What stands here are four constructions that have proved themselves, not the limit of what is possible.
Even within one setting a great deal is a matter of tuning. A channel setting can be run narrower, and the ring then looks more restrained and rises less from the finger. Or stronger, with more metal over the edge: that stands more robustly and takes larger stones better. There is a lot in between, and which variant is right depends on the hand, on the ring next to it and on how the ring is worn.
The same goes for the prong setting. The Griffé fin above is the finest version that can be built. It also exists with considerably more gold body: the same construction, but standing more firmly and less delicate, the choice for hands that never take the ring off. I have built this version often; it is simply not photographed here.
That is hard to show in a tool and easy to discuss in ten minutes. Write to me with what you have in mind, even if it is none of the four models. A photograph or a sketch is enough to begin with.
Enquiry
Your eternity ring
Let's talk
Every piece begins with a conversation
A first conversation is free of obligation and entirely confidential. In Munich, wherever you are, or online. No catalogue, no sales team.