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?
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.
There is no denying that diamonds are the standard for engagement and wedding rings, but does your engagement ring have to have a diamond?
The answer is no, as you may have guessed. Here at Turtle Love Co., we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of diamond engagement rings that can fit any budget - but we also offer an array of rings with diamond alternative stones to fit any style. We offer sterling silver as well as gold rings, and we have a plethora alternative gemstones.
It’s raining rings - sapphires, pearls, and white topaz (oh my!) among others!
Some people like a little color in their engagement ring - we offer lots of colorful options, such as sapphires (both blue and pink), amethyst, iolite, blue topaz, garnet, kyanite and tourmaline. We also offer some beautiful pearl engagement rings.
Some people like the look of a diamond, but worry about the price or the ethics of such a precious stone. While many of our artists only work with conflict free diamonds and other stones, white topaz is a beautiful diamond alternative.
If you have questions about our diamond alternative options, conflict-free diamonds, or if you are looking for a ring with a particular gemstone, feel free to email [email protected] - we’re here to help!
The Horizon Solitaire - White Gold with Princess Cut Diamond
I have a general rule for inquiries I receive at Turtle Love Co. about which thing is the right thing to do with wedding jewelry: outline convention, and encourage personal choice. In other words: most people do it this way, but you should do it however you want. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll notice the pattern as I answer frequently asked questions every weekend.
So here’s the deal with engagement rings and wedding bands. In western culture, the rings are traditionally worn on the “ring finger” of the left hand - the next to last finger, shown above. Generally, once married, the engagement ring and wedding band are worn together on that same finger every day thereafter. It’s also popular to wear just the wedding ring without the engagement ring after the marriage, and some people choose to wear the wedding band on the left ring finger and the engagement ring on the right hand, or vice versa. Some people get their rings soldered together.
Hammered Gold Ring from Turtle Love Co.
But - and here’s where I encourage personal choice - you should do whatever you want! If you like the tradition of wearing your ring on the left right finger, and want an easy way to signify to others that you’re ‘taken’, then that’s probably the hand and finger you should go with. Some people rarely wear their rings, saving them just for special occasions. People who work with their hands a lot might never wear their rings. You could Carrie Bradshaw it and wear the ring on a necklace (as long as you’re able to ignore how THAT engagement ended up), or you could wear the rings on your other hand. At the end of the day, you should do what feels most comfortable for you whether it adheres to convention or not.
Do you have a question for Turtle Love Co.? Email us at [email protected]
My wedding ring is a 3mm, half-round white gold band with “Joseph” engraved on the inside. My husband’s is 4mm and his engraving says “Alicia.” The bands are very simple and traditional, but they didn’t have to be. It’s just what we decided to choose.
The convention for wedding bands used to be the plain gold band, and many people still adhere to those conventions. However, brides and grooms alike have been using different styles of wedding bands that are more reflective of their personalities and tastes. That’s the great thing about wedding bands - just like your significant other, you can choose whichever one feels the most special and the most right for you.
I’ve compiled a list of some great wedding bands we have available at Turtle Love Co - from plain to fancy to everything in between.
Plain
These wedding bands are plain, simple, and sweet. They would match nearly any style of engagement ring. They let the symbol of the wedding ring do all the talking. Left to right: Classic 3mm Half Round Wedding Band, Classic 5mm Square Edge Wedding Band, Sterling Silver Wedding Band
Delicate
These bands are small, simple and elegant. Beautiful pieces to match with a small and delicate engagement ring, or just to wear on their own. Left to right: Delicate Silver Band, Unity Gold and Diamond Wedding Band, Classic 2mm Arched Wedding Band
Organic
These pieces appeal to those who are true nature lovers at heart. They are sweet, spirited and earthy. Left to right: Laurel Leaf Ring, Gold Branches Ring, Rose Gold Vine Ring with Diamonds
Sparkling
These pieces are bold, shiny and pack a punch. They are for the person who loves sparkle, shine, and flare. Left to right: Dainty Crown Diamond Ring, Classic Prong-Set Diamond Wedding Band, Gold Diamond Wedding Band
Bold
These pieces are strong and pack a punch. For the person who likes to stand out! Left to right: Renaissance Silver Ring - Wide, Satellite Wedding Band - White Gold with Black Diamonds, Equilibrium Silver Ring - Wide
What is YOUR favorite wedding ring style?
I love when personal style challenges common gender binaries. It’s a feminist thing, I think. It’s rad to pick out clothes, shoes, accessories, even engagement and wedding rings with masculine AND feminine overtones, regardless of your gender. The more you mix and match, the more fun you can have.
I was thinking about this when responding to customer service emails and looking through the Turtle Love Co site. Someone wrote in recently about she and her partner were looking for rings that aren’t too masculine or feminine - something that walks the line between the two. Because love and style should have no limitations or constraints, we aim to make our site friendly to every person and every style. So, without further ado, I’ve put a list together of some of my favorite artists who create engagement and wedding rings that walk the line between feminine and masculine and strike what I think is a perfect balance.
Midori Ferris Wayne creates beautiful pieces with organic inspiration. They look stunning on men and women alike.
Heather Perry‘s Dryad rings mix bold, masculine shapes and textures with delicate stones. These are engagement and wedding rings for those who like to stand out.
Jeannie Hwang‘s rings feature modern, bold shapes in a variety of widths and designs. Some have diamonds in a straight, linear pattern, and some have more organic, curved shapes that hold the stones. The classic shapes of these engagement and wedding rings make them a great choice to match any style.
Sterling silver is a fantastic jewelry metal - it wears well, it’s durable, and it has the look of white gold at a fraction of the cost. It can hold any gemstone, from the most delicate pearl to the super-strong diamond, and look radiant and flawless. Like gold, sterling silver can last a lifetime - or much longer! The key to making your sterling silver jewelry last from generation to generation is knowing how to take care of it.
Galileo Wedding Band with Two Silver Spinners from Turtle Love Co.
What to expect from your new sterling silver piece
You just received a brand new piece of jewelry. Whether it was created just for you by a skilled artisan a few days ago, or a vintage piece purchased from our website or passed down to you from your great grandmother, there are some things you should know. Even the highest quality sterling silver can tarnish and your skin can get discolored after the first few wears of wearing the piece. It’s totally normal! It doesn’t happen to everyone, but sometimes the chemical make-up of your jewelry and the natural oils of your skin can react to each other in a less than ideal way.
However, this is NOT permanent! The best thing you can do in this situation is to keep wearing the piece every day. At the end of each day, wash your skin and polish your piece of jewelry with a polishing cloth*. In just one to two weeks, your skin and your jewelry will ‘get used to each other’ and there will be no more tarnish and discoloration!
Regular maintenance
Sterling silver can dull, and over a long period of time natural oxidation (blackening in the creases of a sterling silver piece) will occur. To keep your piece looking its best, use a polishing cloth* on your item periodically. The more you wear your item, the less likely it is to become oxidized because the oils from your skin protect it. Silver jewelry items you don’t wear regularly won’t have the oils of your skin to protect it, so they should be periodically cleaned as well to avoid tarnish and oxidization. For a bit of extra luster, you can even add a small drop of olive oil to your polishing cloth before you use it.
For pieces like our Equilibrium Silver Ring, use a polishing cloth on the shiny silver parts, taking care not to polish the oxidized spaces.
Brushed silver and oxidized silver
Brushed silver, or silver with any kind of a matte finished, should NOT be cleaned with a polishing cloth. The finish on a brushed or matte silver piece is more delicate than buffed, shiny silver, so the chemicals in your polishing cloth will eventually wear the matte finish away. The best way to clean brushed or matte silver is to brush it gently with a toothbrush that’s been dipped in a mixture of water and a little bit of baking soda. Once you’ve brushed it, rinse with water and pat dry with a clean cloth.
For oxidized silver, use a a tiny bit of soap (Don’t use any soap with citrus in it because the acid can be damaging to silver) and water on a soft cloth or toothbrush. Scrub the item gently, rinse, and pat dry.
Some oxidized silver pieces feature bits of silver that are shiny - when this is the case, you can use a polishing cloth on the shiny parts, being careful not to scrub any of the oxidization off.
It’s also important to keep in mind that some matte finishes and some oxidization will naturally wear off your pieces over an extended period of time if you wear them every day. This is because the oils in your skin work as a very gentle polishing agent.
Not all gems are equal when it comes to their care. Pearls, like the one in this Nested White Pearl Engagement Ring, are soft and would be damaged if polished.
Gemstones
Silver jewelry can feature a variety of gemstones, and it’s important to know how delicate each stone is. The hardest and most durable stones (such as diamonds and sapphires) can stand up to the chemicals in a polishing cloth. However, most soft and porous stones (such as pearls and opals) are too delicate and can be damaged with the use of a polishing cloth.
These are just the basics! If you are unsure whether or not a stone can withstand exposure to regular polishing, or if you have any other questions, you can always email [email protected] - we love to help!
*A polishing cloth is only recommended for shiny sterling silver pieces - not oxidized silver or brushed silver.
September is one of my favorite months of the year. Primarily I favor it because the air cools down enough for me to start wearing cardigans, but I also love how I see people’s wardrobes change from lighter colors to to rich, deep gem tones. My jewelry collection also gets the most play during the fall months; labradorite and amethyst - my two favorite stones - just look their best with the warm, neutral tones of fall.
September’s stone, however, is definitely a gem to wear year round. The sapphire , second only to the diamond in resilience, is another favorite of mine and we offer a variety of them at Turtle Love Co. Although sapphires are most commonly a dark blue, pink sapphires have been growing in popularity over the past decade or so. I’ve compiled a list of gorgeous classic, artisan, and vintage sapphire rings we currently have available for sale.
The Perfect Bezel Set Sapphire Ring is one of my favorite sapphire pieces because of its simplicity and charm. It makes for a very sweet engagement ring.
The Marguerite Vintage Engagement Ring is one of boldest rings, and features TWO sapphires, plus a diamond, surrounded by beautiful filigree engravings.
The Rose Cut Sapphire Engagement Ring is a beautiful mixture of classic and modern design - a solitaire with matte yellow gold, bezel-set with a unique, rose cut gem.
The Blue Sapphire Solitaire Engagement Ring is one of our more large and striking solitaires, with a gorgeous, delicate vine pattern wrapped around the band.
The Sapphire Stackable Engagement Ring (also available in PINK!) is a great option if you are looking for a delicate ring with a splash of color. The bright yellow gold gives these rings a very regal presence.
The Marietta Vintage Diamond and Sapphire Engagement Ring is another vintage favorite - this one from the 1950s. For a similar style, you could also check out the Joan Vintage Diamond and Sapphire Engagement Ring.
We’re always adding more vintage rings, and over the next couple of months we’ll also be adding some sapphire necklaces and earrings to our inventory. Keep an eye on the blog, our Facebook page, our Twitter feed, and of course our website to see what’s new.
At Turtle Love Co., we want any couple with any budget to find the perfect set of rings for their special day. Four and a half years ago when my now husband and I were newly engaged (and unemployed!) college graduates, we didn’t have a lot of money to spend on engagement and wedding jewelry. I scoured the web for great deals on unique, high-quality rings and was able to find two sensible white gold wedding bands and an amethyst engagement ring with two tiny diamonds. All together, the three rings came to about $850 - not bad, but still well over what we wanted to spend!
If only Turtle Love Co. had existed back then! We could have gotten a unique, artisan engagement ring and two wedding bands created especially for us for under $500.
I kid you not.
Don’t believe me? See for yourself. The following is my list of super-awesome ring sets to fit a sensible budget of $500.
Nested White Topaz Engagement Ring Set + Hammered Silver Ring = $425
Two Nested White Topaz Engagement Ring Sets are $650, two Hammered Silver Rings are $200
Nested Pearl Engagement Ring Set + Wide Hammered Band = $410
Two Nested Pearl Engagement Ring Sets are $600, two Wide Hammered Bands are $220
White Topaz Engagement Ring Set + Sterling Silver Wedding Band = $400
Two White Topaz Engagement Ring Sets are $600, two Sterling Silver Bands are $200
Delicate Silver Band With Gold Nugget Set + Delicate Silver Band = $355
Two Delicate Silver Band with Gold Nugget sets are $500, two Delicate Silver Bands are $210
Monhegan Moonstone Engagement Ring + Two Belmont Wedding Bands = $470
Two Monhegan Moonstone Engagement Rings and two Belmont Wedding Bands are $720, two Belmont Wedding Bands are $220
Water Lily Diamond Engagement Ring + Two Burnham Wedding Bands = $374
Two Water Lily Diamond Engagement Rings and two Burnham Wedding Bands are $574, two Burnham Wedding Bands are $174
Silver Disc Garnet Engagement Ring + Two Sterling Silver Wedding Bands = $450
Two Silver Disc Garnet Engagement Rings and two Sterling Silver Wedding Bands are $700, two Sterling Silver Wedding Bands are $200
