Truly unique · Anodised zirconium
Greek key, anodised
From £365
The Greek key meander, cut around the band and anodised.
The oldest border pattern there is, laser cut around a natural zirconium band and anodised so the meander runs in colour between bright edges. Cut at depth, so it holds shadow as well as colour. Real colour, none of it a coating.
Made to order · 2 to 3 weeks · posted insured
Before you order, in one place
- What you are buying
- Greek key, anodised, anodised zirconium, made to order in your size. Widths 4 to 10mm.
- Price
- £365 total. UK delivery and engraving are included and nothing is added at checkout.
- When it arrives
- 2 to 3 weeks to make, then one working day insured and signed for. Delivery in full
- Changing your mind
- 30 days from delivery, return postage paid, unless you have it engraved. The cancellation right
- Who you are contracting with
- Trothe Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 17431230, Lytchett House, 13 Freeland Park, Wareham Road, Poole, Dorset, BH16 6FA. Questions and complaints to hello@trothe.co.uk.
- MaterialAnodised zirconium
- Surface hardnessMohs 8.5
- Density6.5 g/cm³
- ResizableSpecialist assessment
- HallmarkedNot applicable, non precious
- MadeTo order, in your size
- Delivery2 to 3 weeks, insured
- Returns30 days, unengraved
- EngravingOptional, included, inside the band
Also in: Wedding rings, Promise rings, His and hers, Men's rings
About this ring
Greek key, anodised, in detail
The Greek key, a squared meander turning back on itself in right angles, runs all the way around a satin band of natural zirconium. It is laser cut at depth and anodised, so the meander sits in colour between bright edges. Depth is what sets it apart from the grooved rings: the walls of each turn hold a little shadow, and the colour inside looks darker in the recesses and lighter at the lip. Of the coloured patterns it is the most architectural, all straight lines and corners, with none of the curves of the knot or the wave.
How it wears
Cutting the pattern deep means the colour sits well below the surface of the band, sheltered by bright metal on either side, which takes the knocks of an ordinary day. The anodised film is still a surface finish and steady abrasion can wear it, so gritty or rough work is better done with the ring off. The zirconium itself is hypoallergenic and hard. A dull look inside the recesses can be residue, which washes out, and that is quite separate from oxide that has worn.
Choosing yours
Squared patterns reward width, since every turn of the key needs space to stay crisp. At 8 to 10mm the meander is bold and unmistakable; at 6 or 7mm it is still clearly a key; at 4 or 5mm it becomes a fine border, closer to a trim than a motif. Among the colourways, dark blue gives the most classical look, bronze leans towards the antique, and pink or yellow make the geometry playful. Two of these rings in different colours make a pair that matches in drawing and differs in mood.
Width by width
| Width | How it reads | Weight, est. | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4mm | Slim, the quietest everyday width | 2.1g | £365 |
| 5mm | Between slim and classic | 2.6g | £365 |
| 6mm | Classic, the usual starting point for a band | 3.2g | £365 |
| 7mm | Classic to broad, more of the pattern shows | 3.7g | £365 |
| 8mm | Broad, a ring that is clearly there | 4.2g | £390 |
| 9mm | Wide and bold, best on a larger hand | 4.7g | £390 |
| 10mm | Wide and bold, best on a larger hand | 5.3g | £390 |
Weights are estimates for a plain band of the same width in anodised zirconium at UK size N with a 1.6mm wall, from the model in our ring weight calculator. A pattern cut into the surface removes a little metal, so the finished ring is slightly lighter. The price steps up at the widths that take more metal to make.
How it compares with the rings nearest it
| Ring | What sets it apart | Metal | Widths | Surface hardness | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek key, anodised (this ring) | The Greek key meander, cut around the band and anodised. | Anodised zirconium | 4 to 10mm | Mohs 8.5 | £365 |
| Celtic, anodised | Celtic knotwork, cut into the band and then coloured. | Anodised zirconium | 4 to 10mm | Mohs 8.5 | £365 |
| Infinity, anodised | Looping infinity lines in colour around a bright band. | Anodised zirconium | 4 to 10mm | Mohs 8.5 | £365 |
| Wave, anodised | A single wave in colour, cut into a satin band. | Anodised zirconium | 4 to 10mm | Mohs 8.5 | £365 |
There are 13 anodised zirconium bands in the range, from £269 to £365. All about anodised zirconium.
The metal, in brief
Zirconium grows its own oxide layer under electrical current, and the thickness of that layer decides the colour. Nothing is painted, plated or dyed. The colour is the surface of the metal itself, produced by light interfering with a film a few hundred nanometres thick, which is why it shifts slightly as you turn your hand.
Surface hardness Mohs 8.5, density 6.5 g/cm³, and hypoallergenic, so it is a sound choice for skin that reacts to nickel. It is not a precious metal, so it carries no hallmark.
Compared side by side: Anodised zirconium or black zirconium, Anodised zirconium or titanium, Anodised zirconium or sterling silver. Or read the full anodised zirconium guide.
Work it out before you order
About Greek key, anodised
- Can this ring be resized?
- Anodised zirconium needs an assessment of both the band and its coloured surface. Advice about plain titanium or black zirconium does not establish what can be done to this particular finish. Before ordering, confirm the options if the fit changes: whether an alteration is possible, whether colour and engraving can be retained, or whether a separate remake would be needed. No alteration or remake is promised without a quote for the exact ring.
- Is engraving included?
- Yes, and it is optional. Leave the box blank and the ring is made plain. If you do want one it is laser cut inside the band where the ring is made, rather than sent out to a third party, and there is no charge and no extra wait.
- How long will it take?
- 2 to 3 weeks. It is made in your size after you order, not picked off a shelf, and that is the reason the widths and finishes are open choices.
- Can I return it if I have it engraved?
- Not for a change of mind. An engraving makes the ring clearly personalised, which puts it outside the statutory right to cancel, and it cannot be resold. Every ring shop draws the line here. Order it plain and you keep the full 30 days. Either way, a ring that arrives faulty or is not what you ordered is covered by the Consumer Rights Act, which nothing waives.
- How much does the Greek key, anodised ring weigh?
- About 2.1g at 4mm, 3.2g at 6mm, 5.3g at 10mm, estimated for a plain band in anodised zirconium at UK size N. Larger sizes and wider bands weigh more. It is a light ring by any standard: 18ct gold of the same size is more than twice the weight.
- What widths does it come in, and do they cost the same?
- 4 to 10mm. 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm are £365, and 8mm, 9mm, 10mm £390, because the wider bands take more metal to make.
- What is closest to the Greek key, anodised in the range?
- Celtic, anodised (anodised zirconium) and Infinity, anodised (anodised zirconium). The comparison table on this page sets them side by side on metal, width, hardness and price.
- What if I get the size wrong?
- If it is unengraved, return it inside 30 days and we refund it, and we pay the postage. Use the free ring size finder first if you are unsure, and if the ring is a surprise, ask us and we will talk you through the ways to find out without asking them.