Ready to propose, but not ready for an engagement ring? A placeholder ring is a great substitute so you can work on the details and buy a timeless engagement ring. Here are some questions to consider:
Why give a placeholder ring?
A diamond engagement ring is one of the most meaningful things you will ever buy. It symbolizes the union of two lives, unchanging commitment, and everlasting love. Choosing the perfect engagement ring requires a lot of research, such as understanding the 4Cs of diamond quality : color , clarity , cut , and carat weight . But sometimes, the time comes to propose, but the ring is not ready. That’s when a placeholder ring is needed. As a temporary substitute for a permanent engagement ring, a placeholder ring allows you to temporarily stop thinking about the actual issues of buying and choosing an engagement ring and go with your heart. There are many reasons to use a placeholder ring. It is a great choice if you are waiting for your custom engagement ring to be created. Or, you want to choose an engagement ring after you propose so that you can let your fiancée make the decision together. Planning to propose while traveling? A placeholder ring allows you to avoid the risk of traveling with an expensive ring. Last but not least, a placeholder ring not only allows you to keep your commitment to each other, but also allows you to make financial decisions together. A placeholder ring should be affordable, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful, thoughtful, and full of love. You have a lot of options when it comes to buying a ring, so let’s take a closer look.
There are no rules to follow when buying a placeholder ring; any ring given with the right intentions can be a placeholder ring.
Metals for Placeholder Rings
Platinum is an expensive metal. So you might consider using platinum for your timeless engagement ring. Gold, on the other hand, is very durable, comes in a variety of colors, and has different purity or colors at different price points. The term “karat” (karat) is used to describe the fineness of gold and refers to the percentage of pure gold in an alloy with other metals. Lower karat gold usually means a lower price, for example, 14K gold is 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy or metal, while 18K gold is 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals. While it’s hard to find platinum rings with gemstone simulants (see the picture below), it’s easy to find yellow, white, or rose gold rings with diamond simulants or other gemstone simulants.
Sterling silver is a great choice for placeholder rings, and it’s less expensive than gold and platinum. But it has some disadvantages: Sterling silver is soft, so it scratches more easily. It oxidizes easily, which turns the metal surface black. But you can easily remove the oxidized layer by washing or polishing it. You need to take these characteristics into account and consider how long you will need to use the placeholder ring in place of your real engagement ring.
The combination of sterling silver and synthetic zirconia is a great choice for a placeholder ring.
If you want your placeholder ring to look edgier, consider steel, titanium, tungsten carbide, and other alternative metals . You’ll need to look a little harder for placeholder rings made from these metals, as setting gemstones into metals like titanium and stainless steel can be difficult. Other materials, like wood, can scratch over time. Therefore, sterling silver and different colors of gold may be the best choice for a placeholder ring.
Want an exotic placeholder ring? This one-of-a-kind ring with ironwood, elk antler and turquoise is one of a kind in the world.
Placeholder ring with small diamonds
Diamonds have their place in placeholder rings. They add sparkle, symbolism, and a sense of permanence, and they can be affordable. All else being equal, the smaller the diamond, the less expensive it is. You can use this to your advantage when buying a placeholder diamond ring. You have a few options:
Melee diamonds are small diamonds weighing less than 1/5 carat (ct). The smallest melee diamonds can be as small as 0.001 carat (1/1000 of a carat). They are usually cut into tiny round diamonds and set around a center stone or in a band. Melee diamond rings are much cheaper than large diamond rings and can make very beautiful placeholder rings.
The heart motif on this Sterling silver ring is pavé-set with 0.33 ct of melee diamonds.
Melee diamonds are also used to create cluster rings. In this ring style, multiple small diamonds of similar size are set together. This technique maximizes the diamonds’ sparkle and creates the illusion of a single large diamond.
In this 14K white gold ring, seven small diamonds (totaling only 0.22 carats) create the illusion of one large diamond.
Baguette diamonds are another diamond shape that can add a lot of charm to a placeholder ring. Baguette diamonds are small, usually rectangular, step-cut diamonds that are square or tapered in cross-section. Some baguette diamonds are almost square, while others are rectangular with a length-to-width ratio of 5:1 or even longer. Baguette diamonds have long sides and are angled inward.
Baguettes and melee diamonds create lots of sparkle and look like one large diamond. This ring features 0.57 ct of baguettes and round brilliants in a rectangular setting. Courtesy: KC Design
Placeholder Rings with Diamond Simulants
Another option for a placeholder ring is to purchase an engagement ring set with a diamond simulant, such as synthetic zirconia or moissanite. Diamond simulants look similar to real diamonds, but they are not chemically, physically, or optically the same. They also do not have the same fire, brilliance, and sparkle as real diamonds , making them less eye-catching. But diamond simulants are similar enough to diamonds to be used in placeholder rings. Many different materials can be used as diamond simulants, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, colorless sapphire is a hard, durable gemstone that is very durable and can be used as a center stone in a ring, but it does not have the same brilliance or fire as diamond. Our blog on diamond simulants goes into more detail about your options.
By the way: don’t confuse diamond simulants with synthetic diamonds . Synthetic diamonds have the same chemical composition, crystal structure, and physical properties as natural diamonds. As a result, synthetic diamonds not only look like natural diamonds, but they are also as strong as natural diamonds.
The gemstone in this ring is a diamond simulant, which makes it relatively inexpensive. When finances allow, you can upgrade the center stone to a natural diamond.
Placeholder Rings with Colored Gemstones
Some colored gemstones are affordable and perfect for placeholder rings. They are beautiful and will complement any hand shape. Morganite, blue topaz and amethyst are three gemstones to consider. A trendy gemstone, morganite can range in color from light pink to purple-pink, yellow-pink or orange-pink. It is a variety of beryl, a mineral group that also includes emerald , aquamarine and other colors of beryl. Its Mohs hardness is between 7.5 and 8.0, making it suitable for everyday wear, but it is not as durable as harder gemstones such as diamond , ruby and sapphire .
Morganite is the centerpiece of this Love Doves ring. Diamonds sparkle in an 18K rose gold band.
Topaz , the November birthstone, comes in a rainbow of colors. Ranking 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, blue topaz is an affordable alternative to diamond.
This emerald-cut blue topaz exudes elegance set in 18K gold.
Amethyst , the February birthstone, has a long royal connection: it was favored by royalty, including Empress Catherine II of Russia (1729–1796), also known as Catherine the Great, and Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor (1896–1986). Amethyst ranks 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Amethyst brings out its stunning color in this 18K gold ring.
This 14K white gold ring features a small rectangular amethyst as the center stone and small diamonds on either side, a simple and beautiful look.
Another option is to wear your birthstone in a placeholder ring. This may require some research, as some gemstones, such as emeralds and opals , are not recommended for everyday wear.
Types of Placeholder Rings
You often see a lot of placeholder rings set with simulated round brilliant cut diamonds (round is the most popular diamond shape for engagement rings). There are also princess cuts , pear cuts and emerald cuts , as well as other shapes and cuts of diamond simulants and colored gemstones.
Rose gold is very much in fashion, as are round brilliant cuts and halo settings. So this 14K rose gold ring with a moissanite center stone is very trendy as a placeholder ring. Image courtesy of Brilliant Earth
Another option is a friendship ring. Fede Rings have a long history of being used as engagement rings or tokens of love. Two right hands clasped together in the design symbolize the bond of friendship or marriage, and the Irish Claddagh Rings feature two hands holding a heart. Toi et moi rings (French for “you and me”) feature two gemstones to represent two partners. Explore other types of vintage engagement rings to find your own ideas for the perfect placeholder ring.
A placeholder ring can be a modern take on the features of a traditional friendship ring. This sterling silver and zirconia ring combines the heart motif of a Claddagh ring with the two-stone motif of a toi et moi ring.
The Will You? Ring, a stainless steel placeholder ring, solves the problem perfectly. Engraved with the words “This is a ring, not the ring,” this affordable ring allows you to propose now and buy a timeless engagement ring later.
Still not sure how to choose a placeholder ring?
How about borrowing a ring from a loved one? Giving a family member an engagement ring they once wore is a sweet and sentimental way to express your love, and such a piece of jewelry would make a very special placeholder ring. Or consider making your own placeholder ring. Use your creativity and ingenuity to create something that is unique and meaningful to the two of you. For example, you could decorate the placeholder ring with a keepsake or special material, like the thread from a graduation cap tassel or the metal cap on a special bottle of champagne. When you get to this point, it’s not about the ring, it’s about the proposal. Any ring can bring back the memory and emotion of that moment, as long as it’s filled with love. Okay, now you know all about placeholder rings.
