Last updated on December 27, 2022
Three-stone rings are one of the most popular choices when it comes to engagement rings. Designed to represent the past, current moments of your relationship and a future filled with happiness, three-stone ring symbolism is filled with aesthetics and personal significance.
History of Three-Stone Rings
While jewellers in the past had combined multiple gemstones into a single ring, no one had ever done it like De Beers, the largest controller of the world diamond market. In 2001, they introduced to the world three-stone engagement rings. The initial design featured three diamonds of the same cut set into a single ring where the centre stone was slightly larger than the side diamonds.
In any other scenario, the three-stone diamond ring would have most likely been trendy only for a short period, but De Beers has invented an outstanding marketing campaign behind its creation. The symbolism behind three-stone rings helped to drive a tremendous demand for their design. The three-stone ring, also known as a trilogy, trinity or trio ring, has been marketed as the “Past, Present and Future Ring”.
A rather ordinary diamond ring design has been turned into the ultimate token of significance, representing the time a couple spends together throughout their lives. The first small stone stands for a couple’s past and how they came together. The centre stone symbolizes the current moments of their relationship, while the second smaller stone is the sign of the years to come filled with love and happiness. The next step to target a wider consumer audience was to market the three-stone ring as a perfect anniversary gift.
While nearly every jewellery store offers a variation of a three-stone ring, De Beers is behind the invention of this design and its popularity.
Three-Stone Ring Styles
Nowadays, there are three different styles of trilogy rings to choose from such as equally sized, traditionally graduated and slightly graduated.
Equally sized three-stone rings feature diamonds or other gemstones of the same carat weight. Regardless of the cut, all three stones have the same weight, meaning they look nearly the same size. Traditionally graduated three-stone rings usually incorporate a centre diamond weight equal to the two other diamonds total. For example, if the centre diamond is 1 carat, the side stones are 0.50 carats each. With the slightly graduated style, the centre stone of the ring is slightly bigger than the two others.
Tips for Buying Three-Stone Rings
When buying a three-stone ring, there are some details you might want to pay attention to. First of all, the shape of the centre diamond or other gemstone has a major impact on the ring’s appearance. The three-stone style works best with symmetrical shapes like round or princess. If the centre stone has an asymmetrical shape, such as a pear or heart, you need to be careful with side stones as these may cause a mismatch with the entire design. As a general rule, asymmetrical centre stones go well with asymmetrical side stones.
If a three-stone diamond ring features relatively large side stones, their quality also matters. For example, if the colour of the side stone is in the F-G range, then the colour of the centre stone should be with one colour grade difference apart, meaning E, F, G, or H. If the colour of the side stones is H-I, then you should choose a centre stone within G, H, I or J range.
A three-stone ring allows you to get creative as there are many different gemstone cut and type combinations to choose from. Although many brides-to-be choose diamonds for all three stones in a three-stone ring, the sides stones and even the centre stone can be just any gemstone that you like or hold that meaning to you.
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