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Originally Posted On: https://finercustomjewelry.com/blog/choosing-wedding-rings-for-gay-couples/
June is Pride Month, a celebration of same-sex partnerships and gay culture. Pride reaffirms that love is love, no matter the sexual orientation of the individuals. So it makes sense that for gay couples everywhere, it would also be a great time to get married or pop the question to that special someone.
With the overturning of gay marriage bans, gay couples are now free to marry and share the same benefits that heterosexuals have enjoyed for centuries. Marriage should have no bias, it is an expression of the purest love between two people.
Wedding rings for gay couples have that same special symbolism of unending love and commitment. Looking to celebrate your upcoming wedding or proposal and don’t know where to start?
This guide will provide you with tips and ideas for wedding rings for gay couples. Keep reading to discover more about how to choose a ring that’s perfect for you and your spouse.
Who Does the Proposing?
U.S. Census data shows there are over 980,000 same-sex households. Since the definition of traditional marriage has been upended, this also turns the gender norm roles on their head as well.
In heterosexual relationships, it was long believed that a woman had to wait to be courted and proposed to by a man. But now women are taking the initiative to propose to their partners and flipping the script.
For gay couples, you don’t have to stick with one person doing all of the proposing. If the feeling is mutual, have a joint proposal party where you both pop the question to one another in front of family and friends, or in private, depending on your relationship.
Not only does this give both partners the thrill and enjoyment of experiencing the moment of proposal butterflies, it also creates a relationship dynamic that isn’t just a one-way street. One partner can also propose, sans wedding ring, and then you can both go choose a ring together.
Of course, if one does want to take the initiative to propose to the other partner in the traditional way, that’s okay too. The point is, you have total freedom to do it just as you want to make it special.
Decide on You and Your Spouse’s Styles
Changing the definition of marriage also brings with it the bucking of certain traditional styles. A gay wedding should represent the couple, their love story, and their style preferences. This includes the wedding ring.
Tailoring your wedding ring is all a part of the process. In the modern era, there are so many wonderful ways to customize it to your desires.
It’s up to you as a couple to decide whether you still want a more traditional style or whether you want to go big and bold. Maybe one of you is more traditional while the other prefers to stand out from the crowd.
The beauty of a wedding ring is in the numerous ways you can style it, from the stones to the metal coloring and the design. So you are certain to find something that suits your tastes as a couple.
Do You Want Your Wedding Rings to Match?
Your rings do not have to match traditionally if you do not want them to. Some couples, however, may wish to coordinate their wedding ring styles together to fit a certain theme or shared hobby.
Wedding rings for gay couples can be exactly identical if you wish. Or they can contain matching metal tones to give them a more uniform look while still personalizing other areas of the design such as the stone type and shape.
When selecting wedding rings for gay couples, keep in mind they can represent who you are as a couple or they can be personalized to the styles and preferences of the individual spouses. It’s all about what truly makes your love shine, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box if you want to.
What Metal Color Should You Choose?
Picking the metal type and color is an important step in shopping for wedding rings for gay couples. The metal type and color help to define your wedding ring style.
Yellow gold is a more classic style of wedding ring metal. Rose gold gives your wedding ring a unique pop or brassy pink color that gives off vintage vibes. For more modern couples, a white gold or platinum metal gives your wedding ring a silvery sheen for a contemporary look.
Two-toned wedding ring designs incorporate two different metal types and colors together for a distinct look. This may be yellow gold and white gold or a rose gold with yellow gold accents. Any two metal colors can be used to create beautiful mixed metal tones.
If you truly want to mix it up, you may opt to wear three stacked bands with each one made from a different metal color. This could represent your past, present, and future. Or you can use one as an engagement ring, one as a wedding ring, and one as an anniversary band.
Should You Both Get Diamonds?
When choosing wedding rings for gay couples, you may be debating whether or not you want to use diamonds. Again, this comes down to a personal preference.
Maybe you both want a wedding ring with a solitaire diamond or a decorative band with several smaller diamonds. Or maybe one partner opts for a simple traditional band while the other wants to have a diamond wedding set.
If you’re against diamonds for ethical or sustainability reasons or want to go more non-traditional, birthstones and natural precious gemstones such as rubies, emeralds, and sapphires are a great way to customize your wedding ring. Spouses can each wear the birthstone of their partner to represent their love for them. Unconventional gems like the moonstone and the morganite create unique looks too.
Newer diamonds from reputable sellers can come certified as conflict-free, meaning they are ethically mined and sourced. If you want the look of a diamond without the diamond price tag, synthetic and lab-grown diamonds also offer wonderful alternatives.
How To Choose a Diamond
If you do wish to pick diamonds for your rings, you’ll need to understand how diamonds are sold. Diamonds follow the 4 C’s: Color, Cut, Clarity, and Carat.
Color
While there are colored diamonds available in an array of dazzling hues, a true diamond color under the 4 C’s denotes how much brown or yellow coloring a diamond contains. The purer a diamond is, the more expensive it will be.
A superior diamond achieves a rating of Colorless or Nearly Colorless meaning it is the whitest and clearest diamond possible. The color of a diamond receives an alphabetic rating starting at D through F for the best diamond color quality.
Cut
A diamond’s cut is often used to reference its stone’s shape. Popular diamond shapes include Princess, Oval, Round, Emerald, Asscher, Heart, Cushion, Marquise, Pear, and Radiant. When referring to diamonds, it also describes the type of cut utilized in creating its facets.
Facets are the multiple regions of a diamond’s surface that reflect back light. The type of cut a diamond receives affects the number of facets. The most common types of cuts are the step cut, the brilliant-cut, and the mixed cut.
Step cuts are used in square and rectangular stones like the emerald, Asscher, radiant, princess, and baguette-shaped diamonds to create a large mirrorlike table in the center with cuts at the outer edge descending downward into the diamond like stairs or steps.
Brilliant cuts work well with round, oval, marquise, pear, and heart-shaped diamonds. Their shape allows for the
Mixed cuts are a combination of brilliant and step cuts with both flatter and wider facets blended with multiple smaller brilliant cuts.
Clarity
Most diamonds are considered unusable due to numerous surface flaws called inclusions. Clarity influences the amount of light that can pass through the diamond to give it its sparkle and shine.
For a diamond to have the highest worth, it must contain no marks or flaws at all. Or, have very minor flaws that are only visible under 10x special magnification.
A diamond with no flaws receives a clarity rating of F for Flawless or IF for Internally Flawless. A diamond with minuscule inclusions rates at a VVS1 or VVS2 for Very, Very Slightly Included. VS1 and VS2 rated diamonds have small flaws that are Very Slightly Included.
Carat
Diamonds are sold by their total carat weight. One carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams. A diamond with a higher carat weight will also greatly influence its cost.
A diamond’s cut and shape can affect the size and carat weight of the diamond as well. The more symmetrical shapes and cuts of diamonds will have a greater carat weight.
The carat weight is not to be confused with a diamond’s size, which is its length, width, and other dimensions of measurement.
Custom Wedding Rings for Gay Couples at Finer Custom Jewelry
No matter what you decide on for your wedding rings, the symbolism of their beauty, love, and commitment remains. You’ve found the partner of your dreams, now it’s time to find the wedding ring of your dreams too.
Finer Custom Jewelry can help you bring your dreams to reality. Finer Custom Jewelry can customize wedding rings for gay couples to suit a variety of tastes, styles, and budgets.
Come see us at one of our 3 locations in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Dallas and Houston, Texas.
Contact Us today to schedule a Finer Custom Jewelry appointment to speak to our jewelry consultants.
