Eternity ring - wikipedia Eternity ring This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( May 2018 ) Eternity ring An eternity ring, also known as an infinity ring, is a woman 's ring, worn on the hand, comprising a band of precious metal ( usually gold ) set with a continuous line of identically cut gemstones ( usually diamonds ) to symbolize never - ending love, usually given by a spouse to his or her wife on the occasion of a significant anniversary, typically after 1 or more years of marriage date Because the presence of stones all the way round the eternity ring can make it cumbersome to wear, the alternative is to have the stones across the face of the ring only. This is sometimes referred to as a `` half - eternity '' ring rather than a `` full '' eternity ring. Eternity rings featuring paste gems, white topaz or a mix of stones appeared in the 18th century. History The concept of the diamond eternity ring was created in the 1960s by diamond merchant De Beers. American investigative journalist Edward Jay Epstein stated that at the time the company had a secret agreement with the Soviet Union which, in return for the creation of a `` single channel '' controlling the world 's supply of diamonds, ' required ' the purchase of 90 - 95 % of the uncut gem diamonds produced by Russia. The prevailing fashion at the time, particularly for engagement rings, was for them to be set with a single, large diamond. The Soviet gems, however, were small, often less than 0.25 Carats. To avoid stockpiling, De Beers embarked on a campaign of promotion of jewelry containing a number of small diamonds culminating in the eternity ring, which was aimed at older, married women. One campaign slogan, aimed at husbands, was `` She married you for richer or poorer. Let her know how it 's going. '' References Jump up ^ Primestyle. `` Why Eternity Bands Are So Popular -- Top 4 Reasons '' November 1, 2016 Jump up ^ Taylor, Gerald ; Scarisbrick, Diana ( 1978 ). Finger Rings From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day. Ashmolean Museum. p. 88. ISBN 0 - 900090 - 54 - 5. ^ Jump up to : Edward Jay Epstein ( February 1982 ). `` Have you ever tried to sell a Diamond ? ''. The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved October 18, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Kempton, Daniel ( 1995 ). `` Russia and de beers : Diamond conflict or cartel ? ''. South African Journal of International Affairs. 3 ( 2 ) : 94. doi : 10.1080 / 10220469509545165. Jump up ^ Joan McAlpine ( March 1, 2009 ). `` Maybe diamonds are a girl 's best friend ''. The Times. Retrieved December 26, 2014. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eternity_ring&oldid=846039281 '' Categories : Rings Marriage Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from May 2018 All articles needing additional references All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2017 Talk About Wikipedia Español Edit links This page was last edited on 15 June 2018, at 21 : 46. About Wikipedia

Question: when do you traditionally buy an eternity ring
Answer: on the occasion of a significant anniversary, typically after 1 or more years of marriage