You did all the planning, picked out the perfect stone and setting, and nailed the proposal! There is going to be a lot to do before the wedding (you may get out easy on this one depending on your future wife), and there are still several purchases that will come up over the next few months. With everything that will happen – make sure you don’t let your wedding band be an afterthought!
For a guy, picking out a wedding band can be pretty tough. Most guys have never looked at any type of jewelry in their lives, and have only had a Google based crash course of diamonds and engagement settings before they picked out their fiance’s ring. You know the diamond “4 C’s” by heart, but if someone asked you to describe “palladium” you would fold like a lawn chair.
Fortunately, the guys at Jonathan’s Fine Jewelers can help you out.
The amount of wedding band designs that you can get on the market today are almost endless. Bands can have feature anything from tribal designs to wooden celtic symbols, and there are a ton of shapes and sizes of the bands themselves. Before you get into ANY of those details, there is one thing you need to consider first:
Men’s wedding bands are made from several different types of metal, and it DOES matter which one you choose.
Jonathan’s has created a simple metal guide to help you choose what will work best for you. There is no right or wrong when it comes to men’s wedding bands, but having a metal that works well with your lifestyle is extremely important and could save you a lot of hassle (or a finger)!
Precious Metals
Platinum
When most people think platinum, they automatically start thinking $$$. Platinum is the most expensive type of metal used in men’s wedding bands. Before you break into a cold sweat and tighten your grip on that wallet, let us explain! Platinum has a beautiful chrome/white color, and is very durable. It will show scratches over time, but it will not tarnish or fade the way that other precious metals on this list will. It’s also hypo-allergenic, which means that it will not cause problems for people with sensitive skin.
The platinum that we use at Jonathan’s is extremely pure (95% to be exact), and only has a small amount of non-platinum alloys to make it malleable enough to create jewelry with.
Pros:
- Very durable
- Won’t tarnish
- Looks incredible
- Hypo-allergenic
Cons:
- Fairly Expensive
- Shows some scratches over time
Palladium
Palladium is much like Platinum in that it has a rich, white/chrome color, and will also show scratches over time (although much less than other precious metals). As far as price, Palladium is 50% less expensive than Platinum.
As a side note, Palladium generally has a much lighter feel than platinum, which can be a positive or negative depending on a customer’s preference.
Pros:
- Very durable
- Won’t tarnish
- Less expensive than platinum
- Hypo-allergenic
Cons:
- Shows some scratches over time
- Lighter feel than platinum
Gold
Easily the most recognized and widely used precious metal on our list, variations of gold alloys are extremely popular for wedding band designs. Gold is available in many different combinations, which depending on the type of ring that you would like can be a significant factor.
Here are the different gold karat weights that can be used for wedding bands:
18k (75% gold)
18k gold is great for yellow wedding bands due to it’s intense color. It is the softest of the three gold options and scratches easily. 18k gold is not ideal for white gold applications due to it’s tendency to turn yellow quickly.
14k (58% gold)
14k gold is a solid choice for white gold wedding bands, and will scratch less easily than 18k gold. This karat weight works very well as a middle ground for both white gold and yellow gold bands. 18k gold is much more pure and has a strong, rich color, but 14k is harder and more durable than it’s 18k counterpart.
10k (41% gold)
For a white gold ring, 10k gold is the most cost effective choice. It is the strongest of the three types, and is comprised of more metal alloys than actual gold. 10k gold is not ideal for yellow gold wedding bands, as the gold color will be much more slight and subtle than the previous options.
Rhodium Coating
Please note – All white gold wedding bands are plated with rhodium. Over time, this coating will become scratched and will eventually give way to the yellow color of gold. When you buy from Jonathan’s you can have your ring re-plated and polished back to it’s original condition as many times as you’d like (we do not charge an extra fee like the mall stores).
To summarize, gold is certainly a quality choice, but does need maintenance that platinum or palladium do not require. Another popular variation for men’s wedding bands is rose gold. As rose gold ages, it takes on a unique copper look!
Pros:
- Less expensive than platinum
- Several different types and options
Cons:
- Scratches fairly easily
- Needs to be refinished from time to time
- Not Hypo-allergenic
Metal Alternatives
Recently, metal alternatives have become extremely popular for men’s wedding bands. The following list of materials are not considered precious metals, and are generally much less expensive options:
- Tungsten Carbide
- Ceramic
- Cobalt
- Titanium
- Stainless Steel
The reason for the increased popularity of these rings is fairly simple: they do not tarnish or scratch. These rings are considered extremely durable, and are made out of cheaper materials than traditional wedding bands.
Unfortunately, these rings have several drawbacks. Because they are so strong, they can not be removed from a finger if it becomes swollen or breaks. This COULD lead to the loss of your finger in these situations (that ring has to come off somehow)! Tungsten carbide reacts poorly with chlorinated water in swimming pools, and will tarnish if it comes in contact. In addition, jewelers cannot resize these rings, which could potentially mean a second or third purchase in the future.
Fun fact: Ceramic rings will actually shatter if they are dropped on ceramic tile! Weird, right?
Pros:
- Extremely cost effective
- Does not scratch
- Does not tarnish
Cons:
- Can’t be resized
- Could result in the loss of a finger in an accident
- Chemically reacts with chlorine (tungsten carbide)
We hope this list helps and makes the options for men’s wedding bands more clear! Schedule a one-on-one appointment at Jonathan’s Fine Jewelers, and we will help you find the perfect wedding band. Make sure you bring your future wife – they are always right! 🙂
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