Eternity rings
Rings that hold
an occasion
In German and French this ring is called a memoire ring, from the word for memory. It is given for an occasion that will not come again, and worn every day afterwards.
Eternity rings from the MXHM atelier in Munich: four constructions, prongs all round or 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. Two decisions remain: How does the metal hold the stones, with prongs or in a channel? And how far does the row run, all the way round or only over the upper half?
The second question is the more important one. Set all round looks the same from every angle, but can never be resized. Set halfway forgives later changes and sits more quietly next to other rings.
Hence three settings and four rings: Griffé comes in both degrees of setting. The lightest weighs one and a half grams, the strongest almost four.
The four constructions
From above, at the same scale
In detail
In profile
The row of stones lengthways
From the side you see how closely the stones stand, how much metal lies between them and how high the ring rises.
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. A plain ring can be made larger or smaller; a ring set all round cannot, because there is a stone at every point.
The sizing bar is the answer: a fine bar on the underside that changes the size by up to two sizes without touching the row of stones. You neither see nor feel it.
Can be added in the tool. Not needed for the Griffé demi, which 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. On the finger an eternity ring looks narrower than on the white background.
In a stack
An eternity ring rarely stands alone
Usually it sits next to an engagement ring. What counts is what the row adds up to.
The solitaire sits in the middle, and that is no accident: its prongs stand highest, and between two neighbours they knock against no edge. An engagement ring at the edge of the stack loses its prongs first.
Titanium is unusual in fine jewellery. It is welded, not soldered, and stays matt grey for as long as you wear it. Four titanium bands weigh less than one in platinum.
A stack wants to be discussed beforehand: the heights have to match, the settings must not rub, and the order on the finger decides which ring protects which.
Titanium is not in the tool; it is made as an individual commission.
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 stones, weight and price; the tool works that out. Platinum on request. Stone prices move daily; a binding quotation is calculated 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, given for an occasion that will not come again and usually worn next to the wedding ring.
- Set halfway or all round?
- Set all round looks the same from every angle. Set halfway wears more comfortably next to other rings, is less delicate, and can be resized later.
- Why can a ring set all round not be resized?
- Because there is a stone at every point; wherever the band was cut open, a gap would appear. Hence the sizing bar.
- Which stone size is right?
- 1.7 millimetres reads as a fine continuous line, 2.4 millimetres is the usual middle way, 3.0 millimetres reads as individual stones.
- Will the ring sit next to my engagement ring?
- Usually yes. If the stone of the engagement ring sits high, a gap remains; then a curved ring is the better solution.
- Do I get a certificate?
- For many small stones individual certificates are not customary. You receive a written confirmation of the number, total weight, colour and clarity of the stones used.
- Can I use stones I already have?
- Yes, often stones can be taken out of an old ring and set anew.
Something else in mind?
These four are a selection, not a list
Over the years I have built eternity rings in most conceivable constructions. These four have proved themselves; they are not the limit.
A channel can be run narrower, so that the ring rises less from the finger, or stronger, which takes larger stones better. The Griffé fin also exists with considerably more gold body, for hands that never take the ring off; it is simply not photographed here.
That is easy to discuss in ten minutes. Write to me with what you have in mind; a photograph or a sketch is enough.
Personally
A row without a weak stone
With an eternity ring you see every stone beside the next, all the way round. I assemble the row myself so that none looks brighter, smaller or quieter than its neighbour.
If you would like to know how the ring sits beside your engagement ring, or you do not know your ring size, you can reach me directly.
Maximilian Hemmerle von HeckelFifth-generation jeweller · Munich
WhatsApp sayhi@mxhm.de +49 89 21 53 60 66
You are writing to a small, personal team, and usually to me directly.
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