The results from this photo shoot of vintage engagement rings and tiny N-scale people were some of our favorites ever. We have a lot of fun imagining the stories that go with these people and the engagement rings they’re pictured with. What captions would you give these images?
People often ask us how they should wear their engagement ring after they’ve gotten married. Here are some options:
1. Wear your wedding band and engagement ring together on the left hand. This is very common in the U.S., and is probably based on the fact that the heart is on the left side of the body. The wedding band is typically worn inside the engagement ring (closer to the heart). Wearing the rings on the left hand is particularly advantageous for right-handed folks, because the left hand generally stays more protected.
2. Wear your wedding band and engagement ring together on the right hand. This is popular with guitarists, violinists and other musicians, and those who need maximum dexterity in their left hands. It can also be a good choice for left-handed people whose right hands will be less active than their left hands.
3. Wear one ring on each hand. (This is what I do.) Depending on the style of the engagement ring and wedding band, they may look better each standing alone. Wearing one ring on each hand helps protect from wear caused by rings rubbing against each other, and it reduces the bulk on any particular finger. Because I’m right-handed, I wear the more delicate ring on my left hand, because it doesn’t get as much wear there.
But of course, you can do WHATEVER you want! Plenty of people choose not to wear their engagement rings after they’re married, or only for special occasions.
If you’re in the market, be sure to check out our wedding rings and engagement rings!
I have been looking at wedding stuff with my friend Becki for years now, so when we randomly ended up ogling vintage rings at TurtleLove.com on her iPhone at a festival one afternoon, I didn’t think much of it. This is just what girls do. But after posting a few comments about it on Instagram, I got a message from my dear friend’s boyfriend asking about the website and what kind of ring she wanted. Needless to say, I was surprised, happy, and oh-so-shocked that he confided in me about this secret! Excitedly, I led him to the website, and he started to tell me his plans and get my opinions on the perfect engagement scenario.
My friend Becki has always discussed wanting a friend there for the moment. As a photographer herself, it would only make sense that she would want to have photos as well. But, Jeremiah also wanted to play off their love for travel and music and get down on one knee in the center of Central Park before a concert. A weekend away was a great setting, but with New York being a good 11 hour drive from their home in Ohio, there wasn’t much of a chance of many friends who would be able to take the trip. Except me, as I had moved to only a few hours outside of NYC. I planned to travel to the city to take photos of them on the Bow Bridge as they got engaged, being so secretive as to not even tell my husband. I actually told Aubin at TurtleLove.com before anyone else!
Indeed, it turned out to be a perfect moment. Becki has been my friend for a long time and is one of my closest and dearest friends, and I couldn’t have been happier to see the smile on her face that day. Jeremiah even sneaked in a fancy brunch before the big moment to ensure they looked snazzy for the shots. My heart was aflutter waiting for them and trust me, with as many people filtering through Central Park that day, I thought for sure I was going to miss them. The pictures turned out perfectly though and the engagement went smoothly. She loved her ring, a vintage piece from TurtleLove.com. that couldn’t have been more perfect for her.
The day after election day this year, we were ECSTATIC about the advances in legal recognition of same-sex marriage in our home state of Maine, and in Washington and Maryland.
The TLC crew bundled up with tea and coffee on Cyber Monday (aka Warm and Cozy Monday)
Cyber Monday *is* a thing. People *do* do a lot of shopping on that day.
Likewise, the Diamond Olympics *is* a thing, and couples contemplating marriage really *do* feel a lot of pressure to perform when it comes to an engagement ring.
Cyber Monday and the Diamond Olympics both put us in a funny spot. Being a counterpoint to the retail jewelry industry makes us (unwittingly) a part of that very industry.
Because our central mission at TurtleLove.com is to support individual, authentic choices for people buying jewelry to celebrate their relationships, there’s tension between promoting our (awesome) engagement and wedding rings and fueling the Diamond Olympics.
Because we aim to sell personally-meaningful jewelry without promoting a consumerist agenda, Cyber Monday is problematic, too. Should we give in to the expectation that our products will suddenly become available at rock-bottom prices the Monday after Thanksgiving? Should we have tacky promotions and sell our products at unsustainably-low prices? Should we say something about Cyber Monday? Should we say nothing?
In the end, we decided to celebrate Warm and Cozy Monday. We didn’t have any crazy sales. On Facebook and Twitter, we celebrated Warm and Cozy Monday and the beginning of a season that is about warmth and light.
And you know what? We did great!
What’s better than a classic diamond solitaire? A classic diamond solitaire with a twist! Our Ashley Diamond Engagement Ring has a subtle swirl detail on either side of a prong-set .46ct diamond. This ring is named after Vintage Style Council member Ashley of Sweet William, whose style is a similar blend of the best of classic and modern.
We asked Ashley to create a pinboard built around our Ashley Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring and she chose images that reflected the classic style of Jean Shrimpton and Grace Kelly.
“For this ring, I wanted to feature some classic beauties that matched the classic beauty of this ring,” Ashley explains. “The setting and stone in this ring are, to me, traditional, but elegant. It is simple, without being boring. It is for the girl who is tailored, but loves a pop of color. Who puts a modern twist on old Hollywood glamour.”
Check out Ashley’s pin board, and learn more about the Ashley Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring.
(Photo from BHLDN)
Many people wonder if it’s okay to have an engagement ring for men. Though it’s not conventional, men can wear engagement rings. If you’re a frequent reader of the Turtle Love Co blog, you know we favor personal choice and expression over convention. Whether you’re a same-sex couple or a heterosexual couple, popping the question to your man and slipping a ring on his finger is more than okay in our book.
Or perhaps you’re part of an engaged or soon-to-be-engaged couple and both of you want to wear engagement rings as a symbol of your commitment. That’s great! Having just one person wear an engagement ring is considered antiquated by some, and a beloved tradition by others. It’s up to you! Turtle Love co offers a diverse collection of wedding and engagement rings for men.
If you have questions about engagement and wedding rings, or if you need help finding just the right one for that special person in your life, contact us any time!
There are a lot of theories about how much an engagement ring should cost. Convention says 2 months’ salary. Some people say 3 months’. Some say 1 month.
I say it doesn’t matter. As long as the ring is special to the person giving it and the person receiving it, it can cost $1 to $10,000,000. The monetary value of an engagement ring is probably the least important thing about it, so my advice to engagement ring purchasers is to spend whatever feels right and whatever can get you a ring you are happy with - whether it be an hour’s salary or 3 months’ pay.
I personally really dislike the “____ months” rule because for me, and most other people I know, a month’s worth of pay is not expendable. Hell, even a week’s worth can be a lot to spend if you’re a 20-something paying back student loans, a car loan, rent and utilities - not to mention credit cards, gas, food, etc.
Your relationship (and the roof over your head) is more important than the ring, so it helps to have some perspective when you’re shopping.
On the TLC site, we have rings that range from under $100 up to almost $7,000. Each one is gorgeous in its own way, and each one is meant for a different person, a different relationship, and a different budget. I can say with the utmost honesty that most of my favorite engagement rings on the site right now are well under $1,000. For example, the Clementine Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring, the Silver Disc Garnet Engagement Ring, the Rose Cut Sapphire Engagement Ring, and the Carmella Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring.
Today’s Currently Loving guest post is from Laura of Sweeter Salt, who named our Clementine Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring circa 1950:
When I was asked by Turtle Love Co. to name a vintage engagement ring my mind went right to my favorite girls’ name - Clementine! Though unusual, it’s a classic - one of the reasons why I love it. I’ve never actually met a Clementine, but when I think about the name I come up with a few adjective: vivacious, spirited, timeless, and stylish, to name a few. Oh, and I couldn’t help but to think of Clementine’s namesake - the tasty little citrus fruit. To me, “Clementine” is a woman inspired by France, with classic taste, and a love for sunny color.
Can’t you just see her? She’s wearing her gorgeous ring, sipping a French 75, wearing that amazing orange lace dress and serving up some serious wit? Ah, to be Clementine.
To see more about the imagined Clementine, take a closer look at Laura’s style board. Visit Turtle Love Co if you’d like to know more about the Clementine Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring circa 1950.
When we asked our Vintage Style Council member of the month Shell from Kitty and Buck to write a guest post for us about our Shelly Vintage Diamond and Sapphire Wedding Ring, she created something truly unique. Below you’ll find a pictorial story she put together that shows the lives of the people who may have originally owned the ring. The images in the collages below come from a pinboard she created on Pinterest.
I created this pin board after seeing the Shelly Vintage Diamond and Sapphire Wedding Ring for the first time and wondering how it came to be. I conjured up an images of a young couple meeting and falling in love in the 1950′s, going on dates in milk bars and drive ins, dancing and going bowling.
The part where they realize ‘this is serious’ and tell their friends, family and anyone who will listen. A more comfortable easiness surrounds them, a familiarity with each other.
They are engaged and married and finally, a honeymoon camping under the stars.
The final images show their new life together, forming memories and a future together. I love imagining the life of a vintage item before it came into my life. I hope you enjoyed the journey of the Shelly ring.
The story continues in Shell’s board “The Story of a Sapphire” on Pinterest! You can also visit our website to see more pictures of our Shelly Vintage Diamond and Sapphire Wedding Ring.
(collages above made by Kitty & Buck using images from the pinboard linked above)