Engagement Rings for Active Lifestyles
Whether you are an expert ice climber, a busy parent, or a weekend brunch warrior, any level of physical activity can pose major problems to your ring. There’s a misguided but well-intentioned belief that you should be wearing your engagement ring or wedding band 24/7 to honor your relationship, but realistically this isn’t practical. No ring is invincible. Unless you don’t mind damaging it, there is a laundry list of occasions when you should take off your ring and a routine of care you should regularly follow.
Think about your daily activities, your job, and your hobbies. If you are rough on your stuff and like to get your hands dirty, you should only consider engagement rings that can keep up with you. This advice isn’t just for athletes and adrenaline junkies, we advise anyone who works with their hands to consider the following.
What are the best engagement rings for active lifestyles?
Simple designs using chunky thick metal with diamond center stones in low-profile bezel settings. Avoid dainty, thin bands with intricate metalwork and gemstones that are softer than diamonds. You also need to steer clear of tiny accent stones and high-profile settings that sit high off the finger.
Thick Bands
We custom designed The Sam engagement ring for a mother of two who wanted a durable ring for everyday wear.
The Julie, a stunning sapphire on a thick band.
Imagine having a dinner party and your accident-prone friend is on the guest list: would you rather serve them a drink in your heftiest beer mug or a super delicate wine glass? The same logic applies here. When you’re looking at rings, move right past the delicate designs. They won’t hold up to your active lifestyle…and they actually won’t hold up well for most people over a lifetime of wear. A ring like The Sam shows a big band that doesn’t sacrifice style for function.
Bezel Set Center Stones
A 14k yellow gold bezel setting protects the moissanite center stone of The James.
The Tori, a marquise bezel-set engagement ring.
When you’ve got a precious stone, you want to keep it protected–especially if you’re hard on your hands. Instead of leaving your center stone out in the open and vulnerable to damage, keep it secure in a bezel setting. Bezel set stones are completely surrounded by metal, providing a barrier along the stone’s circumference. This type of setting can help prolong the life of your ring by absorbing blows and scratches instead of the center stone.
Browse bezel set engagement rings.
Diamond Center Stones
Diamonds are a classic for a reason, they’re the toughest stone on the market. The Jane custom ring features an oval cut diamond center stone with diamond accents, and even a surprise purple sapphire for a pop of color.
The Laura, a beautiful diamond center stone engagement ring perfect for an active lifestyle.
For people wanting an active lifestyle ring with a center stone, you should really only consider diamond rings. Diamonds are the hardest stone, and no other stones come even close. How do we know this? Jewelers and geologists alike have been using the Mohs Hardness scale to measure the hardness of gems and minerals for hundreds of years. Diamonds rank a 10 out of 10, meaning that no other known stones are able to scratch them. Moissanite comes in second place, rating a 9.25, and sapphires are a 9, but the Mohs scale isn’t linear. Though they are one point apart on the scale, a diamond is much harder…four times as hard as a sapphire.
Large Accent Stones
The Carrie’s oversized halo holds diamonds large enough to be securely held in place.
The Abby, a custom-made engagement ring with large accent stones!
You know the halo engagement rings and dainty pave bands that are popular right now? They can also be prone to losing those teeny stones because there is not much metal holding them in place. For the active crowd, go big or go home. Large stones take up more surface area and can be set more securely than their smaller counterparts. We won’t work with accent stones under a certain size because we know they won’t last. An engagement ring like The Carrie features center stone framing accent stones, but they aren’t so microscopic that they can’t be securely set.
Skip the Filagree
Intricate metal cut-outs like those on The Sherri require lots of special care.
Ornate cut-outs are a hallmark of vintage and vintage-inspired ring designed like The Sherri, but they’re as high maintenance as they are beautiful.
Remember when we talked about thicker being better for active lifestyles? The same goes here, and filigree is basically a web of thin delicate metal. Instead opt for a streamlined design without intricate metal-work, a simple band is best.
Low Profile Settings
The Elisabeth offers a beautiful and low-profile design that is great for the active wearer!
The Jessica, is a rose gold and morganite custom-made engagement ring with a low profile but with the traditional engagement ring look.
Have you ever seen a solitaire engagement ring with a prominent, high-profile center stone proudly sprouting off the top? Avoid this style at all costs. The farther your center stone extends vertically, the bigger the chance that it’s going to hit against something else. Car doors, shopping carts, pots and pans are just a few potential hazards. High-profile rings are also more likely to snag in sweaters and jacket sleeves, putting pressure on the center stone and setting. Instead, go for a low-profile setting that stays closer to your finger and further from risky situations.
Concerned your engagement ring or wedding ring designs are limited because you need a durable design? Not to fear! You don’t have to sacrifice style to make a ring that will last a lifetime. All of the rings we create at our studio are engineered to last. That being said, we do employ special techniques when we know the wearer is super active, works with their hands, or is rough on their jewelry. Be sure to flag these concerns to your jeweler when shopping for engagement rings, that way they can help you prioritize designs worth your investment.
One extra note for this special type of person: we always recommend taking off your rings when exercising, hiking, camping, swimming, crafting, cooking, bathing, and sleeping. When in doubt, take it off!
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