Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and if you’d like to get something special for your wife (the mother of your children), your own mother, or your grandmother, it is time to start planning. A wonderful gift that a woman will cherish for a lifetime is a beautiful mother’s ring or pendant.
What is a mother’s ring?
A mother’s ring is a ring worn by a woman with several stones representing the birth months of her children. It can be worn on any finger the woman chooses. Hundreds of styles exist, but the basic style consists of a slightly larger center stone surrounded by several smaller stones. The larger stone in the center is usually the mother’s own birthstone, and the stones around it usually represent her children or grandchildren. For a husband giving a ring to his wife, he can add his own birthstone into the ring as well. The people you choose to represent in the ring are entirely up to you.
Another popular style of mother’s ring is a row of stones, all of which are the same size. For this style, you can place the stones in any order that you prefer. Some people like to put them in the order of birth, but some people prefer to put them in the order that most flatters the particular stone colors.
To order a ring you will need to know several things.
1. Ring Size
If you would like to surprise your wife or mother, one way to get her ring size is to go into her jewelry box and “borrow” one of her rings for a few hours while you go to the jewelry store. At the store, the sales person can measure the ring so you will know the proper size to purchase.
2. Color of Gold
Mother’s Rings are generally made of gold, because other metals such as silver may tarnish or turn over time. Gold comes in two main colors-you can get white gold, which looks like silver, or yellow gold, which looks like regular gold. The color you choose should be the color of jewelry that the woman seems to prefer. Take a look at her favorite jewelry and use that as a guide. You can also simply match the color of gold to the color gold of her wedding ring.
3. Karat Weight of Gold
In the United States, most gold is sold in weights of 14K and 10K. 14K gold is more valuable, and thus a bit more expensive. The benefit of 14K gold is that it usually has a somewhat richer color. 10K gold is also popular, because of its less expensive price tag. Many jewelers will also tell you that because there is less actual gold in the amalgam (metal mixture) the ring will be stronger. This is up for debate. If you are choosing white gold instead of yellow gold, one thing to keep in mind is that with 10K white gold, the white color will fade over time faster than it will fade with 14K white gold. The reason for this fading is that all white gold has yellow gold in it. It is then coated with a platinum colored rhodium, which gives it that silvery shine. Unfortunately, the coating does not last forever. The good news is that it can be re-dipped in rhodium any time.
4. Birthstones
Birthstones are gemstones that represent a certain month of birth. They have nothing to do with astrological signs, so when the salesperson asks you what birthstone you need, you don’t want to say “Scorpio.” Birthstones can be purchased as genuine or synthetic stones. Genuine stones are from the earth, while synthetic are manmade and thus less valuable (though often just as pretty). The following is a list of modern birthstones. Be prepared with the information of all the birth months you will need when you go to the store to order
January: Garnet (dark brownish red)
February: Amethyst (purple)
March: Aquamarine (light sky blue)
April: Diamond (clear)
May: Emerald ( rich green)
June: Alexandrite (reddish purple) or Pearl
July: Ruby (dark pinkish red)
August: Peridot (light green)
September: Sapphire (dark or royal blue)
October: Opal (creamy white)
November: Yellow Topaz or Citrine (yellow)
December: Blue Topaz (bright aqua blue)
Adding Stones
The beautiful thing about a mother’s ring is that as new children come into the world, more stones can be added into the ring to represent those children. When choosing your ring style, be sure to ask the maximum amount of stones that will fit in the ring, and keep this information in mind.
Ordering your ring
To place the order for your mother’s ring, you can go to practically any popular jewelry store in the shopping mall. Give yourself at least two weeks, because once you place the order, the ring has to be specially made for you and then shipped to the store from the manufacturer. It is a good idea to ask if the ring comes with a warranty. A warranty should be included in the price of the mother’s ring, so that if she loses a stone, they will replace it for free. If a warranty is not included, consider purchasing one.
Find a salesperson who seems happy to help you. If she doesn’t seem enthusiastic about helping you order the ring, ask if somebody else can help you. Ask to see the different styles of rings they have available. She will likely show you a tray of brass sample rings. This is better than a simple book or catalog because it gives you a good idea of what the ring will look like.
Have the following information ready to go: ring size, color and carat weight of gold, and all the birth months you will need. Be ready to tell the sales person whether you want genuine or synthetic stones. Also, if your ring requires more expensive precious stones like diamonds or rubies, be prepared to pay extra for those. You will usually have to pay upfront, when you place the order. Once you place your order, it should take about a week to arrive in the store.
Price
The cost of the ring depends entirely upon what you order. For example, a 10K ring with 3 synthetic stones will be much less expensive than a 14K ring with 5 genuine stones. Prices should start at around $175 and go up from there.
Pendants
If your wife or mother does not like to wear rings, or has her fingers full, another alternative to consider is the mother’s pendant. Because pendants are larger, they often fit more gems, so are good for people who need lots of stones, like grandmothers with many grandchildren. They often come in shapes like “family trees,” hearts, and crosses.
Now that you are armed with the information you need, have fun shopping for this wonderful gift that is sure to become an heirloom.
