<figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6a7614380c0bf4e8be522c6d?format=jpeg" height="4098" width="5464" alt="Close-up of hands adjusting a ring with a prominent gemstone against soft pink fabric."><figcaption>Business Insider spoke with Anna P. Jay, a private jeweler, about impractical engagement rings.<p class="copyright">Cavan Images / Samantha Joy/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF</p></figcaption></figure><ul class="summary-list"><li>Though the look of an engagement ring is important, it must be designed to last.</li><li>Private jeweler Anna P. Jay said some of the most popular engagement ring styles are impractical.</li><li>Engagement rings with ultra-thin bands and rings with U-prong settings aren't durable.</li></ul><p>If you've ever admired someone's engagement ring, you've probably oohed and aahed over the size or shine of "the rock," as many like to call it.</p><p>The diamond or other gem in an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-thrifted-jewelry-antique-store-custom-engagement-ring-2025-2">engagement ring is a key element</a>, but it's important to remember the entire ring needs to be durable since it's typically worn every day.</p><p>Unfortunately, some of the most popular <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/engagement-ring-trends-private-jeweler-2024-12">engagement ring styles</a> throw practicality out the window in favor of aesthetics.</p><p>Business Insider spoke with <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://annapjay.com/"><u>private jeweler</u></a> <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/annapjay/"><u>Anna P. Jay</u></a>, who is based in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Charleston, South Carolina, about engagement ring styles that may not stand the test of time.</p><h2 id="f4f98675-7b16-4455-a7bc-2aab66c78808" data-toc-id="f4f98675-7b16-4455-a7bc-2aab66c78808">Thin bands aren't that durable</h2><p>Celebrities like <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-engagement-ring-cost-travis-kelce-2025-8">Taylor Swift</a> and <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-holland-zendaya-relationship-timeline-photos">Zendaya</a> have been favoring chunkier engagement rings in recent years, but rings with very thin bands are still popular in the market. Jay said the latter can be a mistake.</p><p>"I don't like super-thin bands personally because sometimes they're not sturdy," Jay said.</p><p>Though thin bands create a sleek look and can make a stone appear larger, they aren't as supportive, particularly if <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/man-proposed-with-custom-engagement-ring-hidden-nods-to-relationship-2025-8">your ring</a> has a large carat stone.</p><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6a7615f10c0bf4e8be522c81?format=jpeg" height="3309" width="4412" alt="Hands with red nail polish and a diamond-style ring rest on a person's shoulder in a close-up embrace."><figcaption>Thin bands can be a mistake.<p class="copyright">Bryan Miguel/Getty Images</p></figcaption></figure><p>"When you have a larger stone on the top, it becomes top-heavy, so it'll constantly be spinning," Jay said. Thin rings can also <a target="_self" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/misshapen-1930s-ring-professionally-restored-2021-10"><u>bend with use</u></a> and might need more prongs to keep a stone in place since there is less base support.</p><p>Jay said it's better to get a slightly thicker band so the ring will stand the test of time. Plus, an increased width isn't usually noticeable to the naked eye.</p><p>"A matter of tens of millimeters makes a huge difference," Jay said.</p><h2 id="f822267f-4867-4a64-9a2e-79fa93b25fe4" data-toc-id="f822267f-4867-4a64-9a2e-79fa93b25fe4">More isn't always more</h2><p>Jay said the U-prong eternity band (colloquially called an infinity ring), which has become popular in recent years, isn't that practical either.</p><p>The entire band of an eternity ring is covered in diamonds or another jewel. There are multiple styles of eternity rings, but the U-prong setting is especially popular because it has very little visible metal and focuses the attention on the gems. It's also the least practical, according to Jay.</p><p>"U-prong settings are incredibly impractical," Jay said. "People like them because of the lack of metal, but I'll make it, and I've had to reset or tighten prongs after a week of wear."</p><p>"I think jewelry should be worn, and if you can't wear it because it's too fragile, what's the point?" she said.</p><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/68d2cc27183847aa39d74c13?format=jpeg" height="3652" width="4869" alt="An engagement ring and wedding band on a hand. Both are covered in small diamonds."><figcaption>Eternity bands have drawbacks.<p class="copyright">Visoot Uthairam/Getty Images</p></figcaption></figure><p>In addition, eternity rings cannot be resized because the entire band is set with diamonds or another stone.</p><p>That's a problem, as most people's fingers change size throughout their lives, Jay said. Because it can't be easily resized, an eternity band may have to be reset entirely at some point.</p><p>Jay recommends halfway or even three-quarter bands as an alternative, since a partially metal band makes it easy to resize.</p><p>With all aspects of engagement rings, Jay advises people to have open conversations with their partner about what they expect from a ring.</p><p>"Make sure you do talk to your partner about what you want because it's not a cup of coffee," she said. "We can't just throw it away and start again."</p><p>"This is often the most <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/engagement-ring-cost-more-expensive-gold-price-tariffs-2025-4">expensive piece of jewelry</a> a lot of people will purchase, and it's the first piece of jewelry a lot of people will purchase," Jay added. "Let's make sure we nail it." </p><div class="read-original">Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/impractical-engagement-ring-trends-private-jeweler-2026-8">Business Insider</a></div>]]