On which hand should I wear my wedding and engagement rings?

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Adrianne

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!

Becki and Jeremiah’s Engagement Story

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Aubin

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.

{This is a guest post from TurtleLove.com Style Council member Katherine from Of Corgis and Cocktails}

Meet the Designer: Cathy Heinz

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Aubin

Cathy Heinz is the second place winner in Turtle Love Co.‘s first Engagement Ring Design Contest. Her winning design, the Lady of the Lake Engagement Ring, is now available on the Turtle Love Co. website in sterling silver with a white topaz, white gold with a diamond, and white gold with a sapphire. We asked Cathy Heinz some questions so that you can get to know her better!

Cathy Heinz, second prize winner of Turtle Love Co.’s first Engagement Ring Design Contest

Where are you from/where do you create your jewelry and what kind of jewelry do you wear?

I was born in Louisville, KY. My studio is in my home. My studio is bursting to the seams, but it’s actually pretty well organized. There are so many little parts in jewelry! I added two big picture windows so that I could have more light and look outside…I wear pieces that I make for myself, not always things I would sell. I tend toward a modern look, not fussy or too precious. I like large earrings. I actually am on my second engagement ring (the first one was stolen!). I’ve never reset it (I was happy to get a second ring!) — it’s a traditional marquise diamond solitaire. It and my wedding band are very slim 18k yellow gold.

What made you want to become a jeweler and how long have you been designing jewelry?

I really can’t remember a time when I didn’t [design jewelry]. When I was about 4, I made earrings for my mother for Mother’s Day that were seashells painted with fingernail polish with clips glued on the back. She actually wore them to church! My poor Mom! I was always begging my aunts for their castoff costume jewelry so that I could take it apart and put it back together in new ways. I got serious about metalsmithing because I wanted to make rings. I started out at MECA (Maine College of Art) with Pauline Warg, and then took other classes with her, Kate Wolf, Jayne Redman, and Blaine Lewis. They are the gold standard of teaching jewelry making skills. It became a profession because I needed to sell some things so that I could support my jewelry “habit”!

How has your work evolved over time and what do you love about being a jeweler?

Since I like to experiment so much and learn new techniques, it took me a while to settle down into a “look,” but my designs are typically simple, modern, refined, feminine, but not cutesy. I sometimes feel as if art jewelry today is made with the mantra “when in doubt add another stone,” as if that will solve all design flaws, but I don’t particularly like that. [What I like best about being a jeweler is] being able to execute what I imagine. I especially like doing commissioned work for people who want a meaningful piece of jewelry. Being able to participate in their lives that way is something special.

Lady of the Lake Engagement Ring, the second prize winning design in Turtle Love Co.’s first Engagement Ring Design Contest

Why did you choose to enter our contest?

I had never entered a contest before, but I liked your site and the way you presented the contest. I had an idea for a design but I couldn’t make it work within the rules so I had to give it up. But I just couldn’t stop thinking about the contest so I entered at the last minute with a version of a ring I had been making lately.

What inspired your design?

My customers. I’ve done quite a few engagement ring makeovers. I wanted to make something timeless, that would look just as good on the 25th anniversary as it did at the wedding. For the physical design, I’m intrigued by the idea of something rising out of the sea. That’s why I used the Lady of the Lake legend. I wanted it to work well with a wedding band, so I made the “lake” a little smaller.

How do you feel about your design winning?

Thrilled and amazed!

Elvis Presley’s rings being auctioned today in Memphis, TN

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Aubin

At Turtle Love Co. we appreciate jewelry with a different kind of design and there are few men in recent memory who had a collection of jewelry as different as the rings owned by Elvis Presley. Today in Memphis there is an auction taking place less than ten miles away from Elvis Presley’s famous Graceland Mansion that features many rare and interesting items from the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, including some unique pieces of his jewelry.

Elvis Presley's ring featuring a gold coin and diamonds

One of the pieces of Elvis’s jewelry up for auction, a pinky ring built around an antique gold coin surrounded by diamonds in a 14K gold setting (picture from Heritage Auctions)

At the auction, which is being billed as the “2012 Ultimate Elvis Auction II,” is this 14K gold pinky ring featuring a circle of tiny diamonds and an antique gold coin worn by Elvis in the documentary Elvis: That’s the Way it Is. The ring has a starting bid price of $17,500 but is expected to go for as much as $42,000.

The most interesting thing about the rings for sale is the particular stones and unique designs that Elvis favored. According to Elvis’s friend Charlie Hodge, who is selling one of the rings given to him by The King, Presley was fond of turquoise jewelry and at one point had between 10 and 12 rings featuring the stone.

Elvis Presley’s gold, diamond, and black sapphire ring (picture from Heritage Auctions)

The rings also show some insight into Presley’s personality. One of the rings, a large, intricate 14K gold piece that looks similar to a tree top with small diamonds and black star sapphires as apples scattered through the gold branches, was gifted by Elvis to his friend Alan Fortas who explained that ”Elvis believed the wearing of sapphire jewelry was supposed to signify generosity, good manners, wisdom, and noble thoughts.”

Priscilla Presley showing off her diamond ring in 1967

Elvis and Priscilla’s wedding rings:

Elvis’s second wedding band from his 1967 marriage to his wife Priscilla (the first ring having been lost shortly after the wedding) was auctioned in 2006 for $90,000. The wedding band, chosen by Priscilla, is a platinum setting with baguette cut and round cut diamonds. The ring Elvis chose for Priscilla is equally impressive and has a three carat diamond at its center with a surround of 20 smaller diamonds.

Fancy Dress Friday: guest posts and vintage ring cases

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Aubin

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone!

Today’s date may have some people scared, but we’re not afraid to admit that we’ve had a great week here at Turtle Love Co.

The week began with a guest post from our Vintage Style Council Member of the Month Katherine from Of Corgis and Cocktails. She showed us one way to style her current favorite piece of our artisan jewelry, the Laurel Leaf Keepsake Necklace by Laura Serrafero. If you’re not familiar with this necklace, it’s handcrafted from 50% recycled sterling silver and has a lustrous 8mm aquamarine briolette and an engaging 8mm freshwater biwa pearl accompanying its silver laurel leaf.

Turtle Love Co Laurel Leaf Keepsake Necklace

Laureal Leaf Keepsake Necklace by Laura Serraferro

We also recently acquired a new batch of vintage rings and what better way to photograph old engagement rings than by placing them in and around antique engagement ring boxes? We were lucky enough to get a gorgeous collection of vintage velvet and leather ring boxes on loan for the purpose, including this adorable case that looks rather like a pocketbook or bowling bag! We’ll let you know when the new rings are up on our website, but in the meantime, have a wonderful weekend!

Vintage ring case containing a newly arrived vintage engagement ring

Vintage Style Council Member of the Month- Of Corgis & Cocktails

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Aubin

July is upon us and in this month famous for its “dog days” of summer, it’s only fitting that our Vintage Style Council Member of the Month is none other than our dog loving fashion blogger Katherine from Of Corgis and Cocktails!

Katherine, who joined Turtle Love Co.’s Vintage Style Council in the Spring of 2012, is a product designer who shares her outfits, travel, dog advice, and recipes on her blog. She considers silver to be her favorite precious metal and says “When I was younger, my sister would buy me lovely sterling silver jewelry as a birthday gift. I still have many of the pieces that she picked out for me and treasure them. Even my wedding and engagement rings are not the typical white gold - my husband found a sterling setting, preferring the silver himself!” She chose to become a Vintage Style Council member for a few different reasons: “ First, I was excited about the community it could create. Second, as a product designer, I love being able to put my mind to different things. Being able to collaborate and give opinions on products keeps my creative wheels spinning. Lastly, I really just love the designs that Turtle Love Co. offers. If I was not already engaged, I would be pushing my boyfriend towards the amazing vintage rings! ”

If you want to see what Katherine’s been up to, you can find her blog at Of Corgis and Cocktails.

Uniquely Natalie: Summer Vintage Dreams Pinterest Board

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Adrianne

The lovely Natalie Corkos, a prolific blogger with a bit of a thing for animated .gifs, put together a Pinterest board titled “Summer Vintage Dreams,” which features a whole bunch of Turtle Love Co. jewelry.

The amazing Emmeline vintage emerald engagement ring is front and center, together with a classic strand of pearls, the ever-popular branch earrings, and the sweet petite cloverleaf key necklace.

Check out Natalie’s Pinterest boards to see more of the world through her eyes, and go to Uniquely Natalie for some hilarious animated .gifs and other fun.

Cool Rings in Real Life: Maggie’s “Space Diamond”

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Turtle Love Co.

We love the rings our new friends Maggie and Jorge chose to represent their love. They found a designer named Tamara McFarland who custom-made their sustainable, eco-friendly jewelry - a moissonite engagement ring and a wedding band with lab-created rubies.

Pictures used with permission from Tamara McFarland from McFarlandDesigns.com

Turtle Love Committee: What is your favorite place in the whole wide world?
Maggie: The beach. Any beach. Preferably one that occupies the same space as 80 degree weather!

TLC: Childhood ambition?
M: I had an opportunity to study abroad in Siberia when I was in high school. Ever since then I’ve been determined to see as much of the world as I possibly can.

TLC: Current ambition?
M: In one and a half years I’ll have completed my course of study for licensure in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. My goal is to make Chinese medicine affordable and accessible to as many people as possible.

TLC: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
M: I’d pay off the student loans that my husband and I have accumulated over the course of almost twenty-five years of schooling. I’d also invest in organizations and institutions that are promoting health care accessibility, holistic care, and sustainable health care practices.

TLC: Who is your partner?
M: My partner is a healer, a gentleman, a hunk, a romantic, a comedian, a scholar and my husband.

TLC: How did you and your partner decide to get married?
M: We couldn’t imagine life without the other and we wanted to share our commitment with our friends and family.

TLC: What does your wedding/engagement/commitment ring look like?
M: They’re beautiful, simple, honest, ethical and eco-friendly! My engagement ring is a moissonite set in recycled sterling silver (moissonite is a stone that was originally discovered in a meteorite; it’s since been replicated in a lab and is similar in hardness to diamond) and we affectionately refer to it as my “space diamond!” My wedding ring is made with lab-created rubies also set in recycled sterling silver.

TLC: What do you think about your ring(s)?
M: When we knew we were going to get married we considered not exchanging rings at all (for a variety of reasons). It was challenging to find a local, eco-friendly jeweler, so we were pretty excited to discover Tamara McFarland’s work. She created a custom design based on our input and her style. I was so thrilled to have such a unique ring that really represented who we are as a couple.

TLC: What’s your favorite color?
M: This totally depends on the context, although pumpkin orange is always a safe bet.

TLC: Pets?
M: We live in a small apartment in San Francisco which doesn’t allow pets, but we’ve already named our future cat (Bubbles) and our future dog (Meatball).

TLC: What are you passionate about?
M: Healing. Travelling. Love. Baking. Lists (although I’m trying to wean myself from them). The beach. Creativity. Art Nouveau. Coconuts. Elvis.

TLC: What is the last book you read?
M: “The Time Traveller’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger.

TLC: Favorite beverage?
M: Coconut milk, hands-down!

TLC: What is your favorite physical feature?
M: I don’t have a favorite physical feature, but in terms of my personality, I’m grateful for my ability to see the positive aspects in any situation. I think I inherited that from my grandfather.

If you would like to tell us about your super cool ring for our blog, we would love to hear about it!

Feel free to email us!

Cool Rings in Real Life: Melissa’s Emerald

Posted on January 29, 2010 by Turtle Love Co.

When we found that we had a new friend also in the eco-friendly wedding business, we knew instantly that we wanted to feature her on our blog. Melissa Wagner, owner and senior event planner of Emerald Events & Weddings, had a wonderful emerald ring we thought fit in just great with “Cool Rings in Real Life.”

Turtle Love Committee: What’s your favorite place in the whole wide world?
Melissa: I think I was a mermaid in a previous life because I love the sea so much! My favorite places to go “be one” with the waves are Bermuda and Oregon’s coast. Both are absolutely beautiful but in very different ways.

TLC: Childhood ambition?
M: I wanted to be a world famous mystery writer.

TLC: Current ambition?
M: Making a decent living doing something I love and believe in with a flexible schedule that allows me to spend time with those I love. That’s the reason I started Emerald Events & Weddings, my very own eco-friendly event planning business. I help clients save the planet while they throw amazing parties and events, AND, I can still make it to my niece’s school play! That makes for a happy Melissa!

TLC: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
M: Half would go to charities I support like the Cystic Fibrosis foundation and Heifer International; with the other half I’d pay off all my family’s debts, buy everyone a new car, and maybe a second home near the beach for me!

TLC: Who is your partner?
M: Erich is the love of my life. I went through a LOT of frogs before finding my prince! He’s a techie with a wicked sense of humor, is one of the smartest men I know, and can cook gourmet meals like nobody’s business!

TLC: How did you and your partner decide to get married?
M: It was a surprise to both of us actually. We were sitting on our couch one night and I was upset that I’d been so busy I hadn’t been able to spend much time with him that week. He told me that was okay, “because we had the rest of our lives to be together.” He then took a deep breath and said “Will you marry me?” I asked him “Are you sure?!” about forty times before saying yes! It turned out that he’d actually planned to propose to me after the New Year when things calmed down, but his proposal ended up being completely spur of the moment and I loved the fact that it was so spontaneous.

TLC: What does your wedding/engagement/commitment ring look like?
M: I have a white gold ring with a lab created emerald-cut emerald with several small diamonds on each side. The front and back of the ring have lacework which allows light to shine through the emerald at all times.

TLC: What do you think about your ring(s)?
M: love it because it’s not cookie cutter in any sense of the word and it’s definitely a “me” ring. Since the diamonds and emerald are lab-created, I didn’t add to the destruction and suffering caused by mining those gems in the wild, which was important to both Erich and myself.

TLC: What are you passionate about?
M: My passions include time with my family and friends, traveling to exotic destinations, writing my how-to-books for greening events and gardening in our backyard. We raise hops (Erich homebrews beer) as well as vegetables, herbs, and heirloom flowers.

TLC: What is the last book you read?
M: Diana Mott Davidson’s “Fatally Flaky.” Her heroine, Gold,y is a caterer who, like me, is spunky, from Colorado and just a bit fluffy. She writes well and also includes several wonderful recipes in each murder mystery which I love to try out!

TLC: Sweetest indulgence?
M: Port and dark chocolate with my honey in front of a roaring fire.

TLC: What is your favorite physical feature?
M: I love my smile and it’s a good thing because I do that a lot!

If you would like to tell us about your super cool ring, we’d love to write about it!

Feel free to email us!

Cool Rings in Real Life: Conor’s Sapphire

Posted on January 22, 2010 by Turtle Love Co.

When we heard that our new friend Conor loved dinosaurs as much as we do, we couldn’t help but be thrilled when she agreed to being in our “Cool Rings for Cool People” blog! And she definitely has a very cool ring (with a very cool story about it to match!)

TLC: What is your favorite place in the whole wide world?
Conor: Anywhere where my backpack’s behind me and my son in front of me.

TLC: Childhood ambition?
C: To dig up dinosaurs and put them back together again.

TLC: Current ambition?
C: Not let today slip away, bake a five layer cake with homemade frosting, perfect my Spanish, get on airplane without knowing where it’s going.

TLC: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
C: Hand out twenty dollar bills like parking tickets and get on an airplane without knowing where it’s going.

TLC: Who is your partner?
C: An occasionally shy, always humorous British boy with a killer crooked smile and a way with building furniture.

TLC: How did you and your partner decide to get married?
C: We stopped thinking and dove in. Literally- he proposed next to a swimming pool (because we wanted the ring to evoke the moment we took the literal and figurative plunge) and then he threw me in!

TLC: What does your wedding/engagement/commitment ring look like?
C: It is a sapphire with two small diamonds on opposite sides made by Tom McCaffery in Chicago. We later commissioned Tom to make a pair of earrings when Declan was born to expand the orbit to include all three of us.

TLC: What do you think about your ring(s)?
C: I get lost in it and wander to all of the places we still have to get lost in together.

TLC: Pets?
C: Our 2 year old son.

TLC: What do you do for work?
C: Bookkeeper for artists and nonprofits, while studying for CPA exam.

TLC: What are you passionate about?
C: Taking people places they never thought they’d go.

TLC: What is the last book you read?
C:”The Canon: The Beautiful Basics of Science” by Natalie Angier

TLC

the blog

Tag Archives: engagement ring

On which hand should I wear my wedding and engagement rings?

Becki and Jeremiah’s Engagement Story

Meet the Designer: Cathy Heinz

Elvis Presley’s rings being auctioned today in Memphis, TN

Fancy Dress Friday: guest posts and vintage ring cases

Vintage Style Council Member of the Month- Of Corgis & Cocktails

Uniquely Natalie: Summer Vintage Dreams Pinterest Board

Cool Rings in Real Life: Maggie’s “Space Diamond”

We love the rings our new friends Maggie and Jorge chose to represent their love. They found a designer named Tamara McFarland who custom-made their sustainable, eco-friendly jewelry - a moissonite engagement ring and a wedding band with lab-created rubies.

If you would like to tell us about your super cool ring for our blog, we would love to hear about it!

Feel free to email us!

Cool Rings in Real Life: Melissa’s Emerald

If you would like to tell us about your super cool ring, we’d love to write about it!

Feel free to email us!

Cool Rings in Real Life: Conor’s Sapphire

When we heard that our new friend Conor loved dinosaurs as much as we do, we couldn’t help but be thrilled when she agreed to being in our “Cool Rings for Cool People” blog! And she definitely has a very cool ring (with a very cool story about it to match!)

We’d love to hear about your super-cool ring!

Email us!