What is an Alliance Ring and Which Different Types are There?

What is an alliance ring?

An alliance ring is a band with a row of diamonds on it. This can be a row of five stones. Or a row that is just enough to cover (almost) half of the band. But the row of diamonds can also go all the way around. As long as there is (only) a string of diamonds on the band, we call this an alliance ring. When the row of diamonds goes all the way around, we also call this type of ring an eternity ring. That’s because the row of diamonds goes on forever. The eternity ring with emerald cuts (left) fits nicely with the Asscher cut diamonds of the top ring.

Different types of alliance rings

As mentioned above, there are different options for alliance rings. Roughly, there are two types:

• Rings with a row of diamonds that covers only a part of the band
• Rings with a row of diamonds that covers the entire band

The first type is what we also call a semi-alliance ring or semi-eternity ring. The second one is what we call a (full) alliance ring or simply an eternity ring.

Why choose this kind of ring?

There are several reasons to choose an alliance ring. For example as a wedding ring. One of the reasons is that it is relatively easy to combine it with the engagement ring. For example: if you have a solitaire engagement ring with a brilliant cut, you can opt for a wedding ring with brilliant cut diamonds as well. Of course, this also applies to rings with other diamond cuts, like the emerald cut. If you have rings that match, you can stack them. This means you can wear both the engagement ring and the wedding ring on the same finger. But you can also opt to wear one on your left hand and the other on your right. The wedding ring (right) fits the engagement ring (left) perfectly. Another reason to choose this type of ring is because of the symbolic meaning. Semi-alliance rings often have a special message that is in line with the number of diamonds. For example the Willeke ring. This ring contains five stones that stand for: “I will always love you” or “You are special to me”. A full alliance or eternity ring represents eternal love since the diamonds go all the way around.

Full or semi-eternity ring?

Whether you choose a ring with a string of diamonds that goes all the way around or only covers a part is a matter of personal taste. But there are also a couple of pros and cons.

Pros of a semi-alliance ring

The pros of this kind of ring are:

• Less stones on the band so less expensive than an eternity ring
• Often more comfortable to wear

Cons of a semi-alliance ring

The cons of this kind of ring are:

• Less sparkle than a full eternity ring
• When the ring turns around on your finger, sometimes only a part of the diamond string is visible

A semi-eternity ring covers about half of the band with diamonds.

Pros of a full alliance ring

The pros of this kind of ring are:

• More sparkle and from every angle
• It does not matter when the ring turns around
• Looks often more luxurious

Cons of a full alliance ring

The cons of this kind of ring are:

• Can have a little less wear comfort
• Often more pricey than semi-eternity rings

Whether you choose a full or a semi-eternity ring is a matter of personal taste.

Get your dream ring

Whether you’ve set your eyes on an alliance for a wedding ring or for another occasion, we have what you’re looking for. We have many different ring settings. We can make one exactly how you want it and with the kind of diamonds you want. Contact a diamond consultant or plan your visit to our diamond polishing factory in Amsterdam.