Do you have wedding planning on the horizon? We’d love to help you plan your Mineralogy visit to select wedding bands. Read on for our recommendations!

When should we start to look for wedding bands? When should we place our order?

When it comes to timelines we see it all! Some couples start searching as far as a year and a half out and some stop in the week before their wedding date. We recommend you come in to try on rings at least three months prior to your ceremony. This will give you a couple weeks to consider your options (if you need it), place your order, and give you time to account for shipping or pick up ahead of your wedding day.

Our wedding bands are made to order for you in your size. The production timeline for our bands with stones is six weeks and for bands without stones is four weeks. Adding an engraving on the inside of your wedding band adds about four weeks to our production time.

If you are planning to design a custom wedding band, we recommend starting this process at least six months out from your ceremony date. This timeline accounts for all the design and production steps, any back and forth involved in the design and approval, and an optional wax model try on step while still leaving you plenty of time to have your ring in hand before the big day! To learn more about this process read through our custom guide here.

What happens during a typical wedding band viewing at Mineralogy?

Walk-ins are welcome but priority is given to scheduled appointments. We highly recommend booking an appointment especially for Saturdays. You can book your appointment here!

While you’re here we can walk you through your options and make recommendations. Wedding band visits typically take around 25 minutes per person.

If you are coming in to try on rings as a couple, we will start with one person at a time. We will prompt you to try on your favorite styles (don’t worry about the fit, our bands on display are just samples). We will take notes, answer any questions you might have, and size your finger. If you are ready to place your order in-store then you are welcome to do so. If you still need time to consider your options, we can follow up your visit with an email with links to your favorite bands and you can place your order online at your convenience.

If you have a Mineralogy engagement ring then we’d love to use your visit as an opportunity to clean your ring for you!

What are my options?

We have a selection of wedding bands with curves, designed to be worn with an engagement ring, and we have a selection of traditional straight bands. Our bands can be made in three metal options: 14k yellow gold, 14k white gold and 14k rose gold. Some of our styles we can create in platinum upon request. Our curved bands have two band profiles, square and round. If you see a style you like but you would like to switch the band profile, let us know, we may able to accommodate!

Most of our straight bands come in two profiles: flat and half round. These two styles are available in variety of widths (measured in millimeter increments). Once you have selected your metal, band profile and width, you can then choose your finish and texture. Our finish options are polish or matte and our texture option are smooth (no texture), hammered (large uniform markings) or organic (small imperfect hammer markings).

Often, clients need time to consider their options before placing their order. This is why it’s great to get a head start on your wedding band search. If you are not sure exactly what you’re looking for, we suggest trying on a selection of styles to help you get an idea of your preferences.

See our full selection of Her/Them bands and Him/Them Bands.

More information to keep in mind:

• If you have never worn rings before, you may not be sure what to look for when you are selecting your ring size. Read our blog post about ring sizing to learn more!

• Not ready to make a decision during your visit? We get it! Selecting out a wedding band is a big decision. We take notes during your visit and send a follow up email afterwards with links to your top styles and ring size so you can place your order whenever you’re ready. We highly recommend taking pictures of your favorite styles on your hand so you have something to look back on as you make your choice.

We are looking forward to helping you select your wedding ring!

We love using sapphires in our pieces for the unique array of colors and shapes that we can find and we love diamonds too. As much as we love modern sparkly diamonds, antique diamonds have our heart.

Why use antique diamonds? Besides their unique visual attributes from hand cutting by low light many generations ago that give them their slightly imperfect appearance and big flowery facets, we find that they tell another story. Many of our clients have special heirlooms from their family members that we have the privilege of resetting into a custom design for them to wear into their future and pass along some day. Some of these diamonds have spanned three generations or more and hold stories of love, hardship, and ancestry.

Antique diamonds are a great way to incorporate a sustainable, recycled element into new jewelry. These diamonds pass through generations and be reset several times before we receive them. They have had a whole life before we ever set them into a custom design to begin their new life. We source our antique diamonds from a selection of reputable vendors who specialize in the procurement of diamonds from estate jewelry and from collectors who find storied cuts such as Old Mine Cuts, Peruzzi Cuts, Carré Cuts, and more.

If you are interested in considering using your own heirloom in a custom piece or designing a pieces with us using an antique diamond that we source, please reach out to us to find out more!

Hello! We're so glad you’re here and are excited that you would consider designing your custom jewelry with us. If you’re local and hoping to visit our shop to browse our designs, try on rings, or inquire about our custom work, here’s what you need to know.

We are open to the public for browsing, trying on rings, and connecting with our concierge team to learn more about the custom process (read our custom guide here)! Located in Chicago’s Ravenswood/North Center neighborhood, we are steps away from public transit and have complimentary residential parking nearby or metered parking in front. You can stop by during our business hours, Tuesday 1pm-6pm and Wednesday-Saturday* 11am - 6pm, to get started!

*all Saturday ring try-ons are by appointment only

Engagement Rings/Ceremony Bands:

Whether you’re considering a one of a kind ring of ours or designing a custom piece, we suggest visiting the shop first. We are by appointment only for all Saturday ring try-ons. Walk-ins welcome for all other services and on weekdays! If you are planning to visit on a Saturday you can book your appointment here!

Our concierge team will help you try on a selection of styles, size your finger and answer and questions you may have. This is a great time to learn more about the stones that interest you as well as how the size of different center stones look on your hand.

After your visit, we will share a summary via email of your favorite designs. And if you are considering creating a custom ring then we will also include our custom guide which covers all of the details of our custom design process and a brief questionnaire for you to fill out and share with us if you decide you would like to proceed!

Once we review your questionnaire and confirm that we can create your vision for you, we’ll share our booking link for you to schedule your in person consultation!

Cleaning/Service of Mineralogy Pieces:

We recommend having your Mineralogy jewelry serviced once a year and professionally cleaned every six months. You are welcome to stop by during our regular business hours with your Mineralogy jewelry for a complimentary cleaning while you wait! If your piece requires a longer service or repair, you can drop your piece off with us. Most services such as repairs, prong retipping, resizing take three weeks. You can view our jewelry care recommendations here.

Resizing:

Our ring resizing fee begins at $60 and takes up to four weeks. If you are purchasing a ring from the case or ordering a one-of-a-kind piece from our website, the initial ring sizing is complimentary. We do not offer sizing services for pieces that are not our own.

Heirloom Diamonds/Gemstones Being Considered for Custom Work:

We love working with heirloom stones and turning them into new family treasures! We are often able to work with heirloom diamonds and sapphires, all other stones are considered on a case by case basis. If you are interested in repurposing a family stone you can reach out to us with a picture via email. We may ask to see the stone in person to asses the size/condition/color and if we are able to work with it. For client diamonds that weigh 0.50 ct and above we require an appraisal before we can work with them. They can be appraised in their current mounting or loose. We assume no liability when working with client stones and will have a signed waiver with the client before using their stones. If you have stones set into metal, we will return the metal to you after removal. We cannot repurpose metal directly into your piece. Stone removal fees may apply.

Questions? Connect with us here!

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This is a frequently asked question from both people shopping for rings for themselves or proposing partners. How do you find your ring size? We can help with that!

The main goal for sizing is to make sure the ring fits comfortably at the base of your finger with a bit of effort going over your knuckle. Trying on multiple sizes can help you narrow in on your ideal size.

Chicago Locals:

You can visit our storefront during our business hours to have your finger sized, no appointment is necessary and our concierge team can size your finger and answer any questions you have about fit. We have a sizer for narrower band styles as well as a wider sizer for those looking for wide wedding bands.

Remote Clients:

While there are a variety of ring sizing tips and tricks on the internet to size your finger at home, we would recommend going to a local professional jeweler near you to have your finger sized properly. If you are looking to purchase a wider band, please let the person sizing you know so they can use their wide sizer to get a more accurate measurement.

We offer full, half, and quarter sizes on our website and in store to help you get a perfect fit. There are a couple other things to keep in mind when sizing your finger….

—Fingers fluctuate! Your finger will not always be the same size throughout the day and throughout the seasons. Warm weather, higher altitudes, exercise and medicine can cause fingers to swell. Consuming alcohol and salty foods also cause fingers to swell.

—Not all rings fit the same on all fingers. Everyone has different finger composition that can cause rings to fit differently. Some people have larger knuckles and a narrower finger base. Others have a slender knuckle and a larger base of their finger. Finding a good fit can be difficult and on occasion people will need sizing beads or need to wear a ring guard sometimes.

—Narrow bands fit differently than wide bands. We notice that wider bands tend to be one finger size larger than a narrow band to fit comfortably. This is because there is more metal in contact with your finger on a wide band and therefore can feel snug in your usual size.

—Rings can be sized over time! If you are unsure of your ring size, your partner’s ring size, or how your finger may change in the future, we suggest choosing the most comfortable fit for your body now. We can resize your piece up or down in the future for a fee depending on your sizing needs over time.

—If you are proposing and have no idea what your partner’s ring size is, we would recommend taking a ring of theirs to a jewelry store to check the size. Even if it’s not worn on their ring finger, it can give the jeweler an idea of a starting point for what their ring finger size may be.

Questions about sizing? Connect with us here!