A mothers ring is a very special type of ring that can be presented at any time of the year. Mothers rings show mothers and grandmothers everywhere that they are appreciated and loved by everyone that they’ve cared for.
If you have a mother or a grandmother who has bent over backward for you time and time again, you already know exactly why mothers and grandmothers are so special - and why they deserve such special gifts every now and again for all of their hard work.
So how does a mother's ring work?
There are three basic setups for how mother's rings work
Name(s) only mother's rings. This mother's ring works by using the names of kids or family members only. Birthstone only. This mother's ring works by including the birthstones for each member rather than their names. Birthstone and name ring. This style of mother's ring works by including both the names and birthstones of the family members on the ring.
Here's what will cover to make sure you know all that you need to know before buying a mother's ring.
- What is a mother's ring
- What should a mother's ring look like?
- Things you need to know
- How should a mothers ring be customized
- Related articles for you
What is a Mothers Ring?
A mothers ring is a ring presented to a mother that includes the birthstones of everyone important in her life. This can be children, step-children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren.
You can also incorporate other birthstones for added effect including husband, parents, and grandparents or brothers and sisters. These rings are unique to each mother they’re given to and symbolize your love and appreciation for this special mother and everything she does.
These rings can be worn on any finger. However, they are typically worn on the right-hand ring finger.
Before we get into how they work and what they should include to be considered a mothers ring, let’s go over the history of how mothers rings came to be.
A Brief History Lesson
Around 65 years ago, a jeweler was thinking of the perfect gift for his wife when he stumbled upon a fantastic idea. He combined two wedding bands and embedded the birthstones of their three children - whether this was more for effect or because she gave him the gift of these three children, no one knows.
Needless to say, she loved it. Nowadays, mothers rings are cherished by mothers all over the world. These rings, traditionally speaking, signify the bond between a mother and her children, and there is nothing more precious than that.
What Should a Mothers Ring Look Like?
Mothers rings can be anywhere between simple and extravagant. It truly depends on the type of woman you’re going to be presenting the ring too.
Some mothers rings include engravings while others contain birthstones other than their children such as parents, grandparents, husband, or brothers and sisters.
If you’re thinking about getting a special woman in your life a mothers ring - which I’m assuming you are since you’re reading this - you need to keep in mind what’s important to her while choosing the perfect ring.
Does she have extremely close ties to her brothers and sisters or nieces and nephews? Incorporating these peoples birthstones along with those of her children may be something that she deeply appreciates.
Is there a certain phrase or saying of life that she provides that inspires everyone in the family? Have in engraved on the inside so that it is close to her heart.
There are so many ways to make these rings uniquely special, and she deserves nothing less. When looking for a mothers ring, make sure it’s as unique as the mother you’re getting it for, not just an everyday piece of jewelry.
This is a symbol of appreciation and love which can only be shown by mirroring her and joy that she brings everyone in her life.
Things You Need to Know
There are a few things you need to know when deciding to get a mothers ring. The first and most important thing you need to know is everyone’s birthstones. This can be slightly difficult if you’re including additional family members.
You also need to decide if you’ll be getting synthetic or genuine birthstones. Genuine birthstones, obviously, are more expensive than synthetic, so depending on how many you’re adding, you may want to choose the synthetic type instead.
You should also note that there are options to add-on to a mothers ring after one has already been presented. There are several options for rings that allow you to add birthstones onto later as your family grows.
These are great options for younger couples or parents who may soon become grandparents. Instead of purchasing multiple rings each time you gain a new family member, just take the ring to your jeweler and have them add it on!
Another thing to note here is that stackable mother's rings are also an option, especially for mothers who have a bountiful amount of people they care deeply about.
Choosing stackable mothers rings allow you to spread out the birthstones more easily - i.e., one for her children and husband; one for brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews; one for parents and grandparents. Alternately, each child can have their own ring. Though, I personally don’t recommend this as it would be devastating should she end up losing one of the rings.
For inspiration on stackable mothers rings, take a look at this article [ref. https://www.etsy.com/market/stackable_mothers_ring]
The last thing to note here is to make sure you get a warranty on the ring or rings. This should be a given, however, sometimes warranties are not initially offered unless you’re purchasing an engagement or wedding ring, so I find it’s worth noting here.
Make sure that the ring you’re purchasing has a complete warranty so that, if a stone should fall out or the ring should break, you can have it fixed asap.
How Should I Customize a Mothers Ring?
Mothers rings can be customized in any way that you choose. The sky is the limit when customizing these rings to mirror her personality, the things that bring her joy, and the joy that she provides to everyone around her.
If you need some inspiration, here are a few options to utilize when you’re thinking of customizing your mother's ring.
Engravings
When thinking of customizing rings, many people have engravings at the top of their list. Engravings can be pretty much anything, from sayings and phrases to signatures. When thinking of engraving your mother's ring, think of phrases or things she says frequently to offer comfort and love to her family and friends.
Or, you can also have your children and others sign a piece of paper and ask your engraver if they can engrave the signatures onto the ring. This is best for three or fewer signatures or initials.
Alternately, you can simply engrave with love from (you).
Additional Birthstones
Adding additional birthstones from her family, especially those she is or was close to, may be a great addition to the ring. You can add in any other birthstones you choose, just make sure to lay them out carefully and accordingly.
You don’t want a ring to be muddled due to several amethysts on top for various people and have the others scattered all over. This makes the ring look like a puzzle or a jumbled mess.
Your jeweler can help you decide what is the best layout for the gems based on the amount of each birthstone and to whom each birthstone belongs. When you’re adding multiple variations of birthstones for different important people in her life, there is usually a theme on who goes where.
Try and have this represented in the ring. Children’s birthstones should always go at the top.
Stone Shape and Band Metal
You can also customize these rings based on the metal used for the band - i.e., sterling silver, gold, platinum, etc. - and the cuts of the birthstones. You can purchase round, oval, square, heart, marquise, princess, baguette, or rectangular birthstones based on her preference.
If you need to find out but keep the ring a surprise, try and pay attention to the types of rings she already wears.
If she lacks in the ring department, taking her window shopping may be a great alternative. Coyly browse around and “pass” the jewelry department and see if anything catches her eye - because, let’s face it, we women can’t help but eye up the jewelry department every time we pass it up.
How can you Tell?
Mothers rings do have a few distinct giveaways that you should keep in mind. For one thing, no birthstone is larger than the other. Each birthstone is exactly the same size because she loves all of these people equally.
That isn’t to say, if you’re going the untraditional route and including birthstones of brothers, sisters, parents, etc., that you can’t make these a smaller contribution to the overall look of the ring. It’s just slightly untraditional.
However, if you want to incorporate these other birthstones, consider keeping them away from the top and circling the band with them instead.
This way, she will be able to see all of the people who love and appreciate her and the center of her world - i.e., her children - will be front and center at the top.
Regardless of the type of ring or how many birthstones, be sure that mom will love it. Be sure that the ring you’ve chosen resembles and mirrors her to your best possible ability.
Mothers rings are special and cherished, so make sure it’s something she’ll never want to take off or hide from company.