Various recycled precious metals are available to choose from, or you can bring in a piece of family jewelry that is no longer worn, to melt down and re-create into an even more meaningful piece.

There are also workshops to make engagement rings, where you can learn how to set stones into the ring and make a simple solitaire, or a piece of your own design.

Wedding ring workshop prices start from $2050 for 18K gold, which includes everything from the 8 hour workshop for you both, to the precious metals and two finished wedding bands.

I’ve been half-way looking for a new ring since my fingers have been swelling a lot lately and my current wedding ring looks ugly and fat on my hand. (who wants to have fat hands?) Anyway, I thought I’d check out Etsy again and found this fabulous artist from San Francisco who is making beautiful rings using Moissanite and recycled 14kt Brilliant White gold. I don’t know too much about Moissanite but in her description she mentions that it is a stone that is harder than Sapphires and Rubies and only second in hardness to Diamonds. She also has some rings made with diamonds if that is your preference. The artist, Andrea Bonelli has a blog at http://www.anythingindie.com/about-me/, Anything Indie …she has a great sense of style and I loved looking at the pictures of her studio – http://www.anythingindie.com/2010/09/in-my-studio-today/.

These days more than ever, people are interested in living a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. People who choose to be environmentally friendly spend their time figuring out ways that they can incorporate these eco-friendly habits into their lifestyle. One way that a couple can do this is by creating a “green” wedding and marriage ceremony. This is why ecofriendly wedding rings have become so popular in the last several years as more and more people are committed to save the planet.

So what are the features of an ecofriendly wedding ring? No, it doesn’t mean that you have to use some inferior product that you don’t even like to look at on your finger every day. There are many ways to make wedding rings that are more environmentally friendly using recycled or sustainable materials. For instance,
everyone knows about the latest craze of recycling old jewelry to make a little extra money. Have you ever wondered where this gold goes? In some cases, this gold is melted down and recycled to be reused in other jewelry pieces. That way, the gold can be enjoyed by a new owner while lessening the impact on the environment.

Many people do not know that the industrial methods that have to be used to get the precious metals and gems for jewelry actually damage the Earth. These processes also endanger our ecosystems. Because people will always want to wear jewelry, it is impractical to think that manufacturers will simply stop these processes. This is why many environmentally friendly jewelry makers have come
into being in the last several years. Their goal is to end the destructive diamond and gold mining. B using valuable and viable alternatives to these methods, these manufacturers hope to show that there is better way to create beautiful jewelry.

When looking for ecofriendly wedding rings, take some time to browse online and compare the different methods being used as well as the quality and customer reviews.

One Carat White Sapphire Hatshepsut with 2 bands of smooth recycled argentium sterling silver at Single B Beautiful’s Etsy Shop

Solitaire Sterling Silver Band or Engagement Ring from Sucree’s Etsy Shop

This is a sold as a men’s ring from recycled 18K gold and conflct-free gemstones. Following a trend of many indie designers who making beautiful new jewelry pieces specifically for those of us who prefer work made from recycled metals. This piece will be a stunning one-of-a-kind find. In addition to eco-friendly materials, this designer, Fernando, from Brooklyn New York prides himself on creating work where traditional elegance meets the unexpected bringing together old-world, high-quality craftsmanship, with modern colors, angles and shapes.
$1250.00 at Etsy

This is going to be on your finger for the next 30 – 60 YEARS!! ….and I’m going to try to help you pick the right ring.  There is something beautifully symbolic about the tradition of exchanging rings to symbolize a long-lasting commitment to your partner.  Whether you go for ultra-traditional or opt for a beer can tab, the story is the same. For some, engagement and wedding rings are a status symbol, but for an environmentalist, eco-friendly wedding rings can show commitment to sustainability, protection of the environment, fair trade and conservation of the earth’s resources. The ring you choose for yourself and your fiance says a lot about you.

For both women and men’s rings, recycled metals are where it’s at.  The pollution generated from mining gold and silver can be avoided if you go the recycled route.  If you desire a stone, conflict free diamonds are a must  (available from Canada) and there are many gemstones out there that are just as beautiful and not as tainted. Cultured diamonds and gemstones are the most ecologically friendly gems, since they are not mined out of the earth, but grown in a lab. And don’t forget buying your ring used! …estate jewelry can be an amazing eco-friendly alternative.

Examples of beautiful eco-friendly wedding rings:

From Kristin Coffin’s Etsy Shop:

Recycled gold and conflict free diamonds.

From Bloom Studios’s Etsy Shop:

Recycled gold and conflict free diamonds.

From single B beautiful’s Etsy Shop:

Recycled metals and conflict free diamonds.

Recycled gold or recycled platinum with a lab created diamond

Conflict free diamonds