Mens Wedding Bands – What You Need To Know
When we think of wedding rings, we often think of a woman’s wedding set, with a beautiful diamond engagement ring and a matching diamond wedding band. But what about mens wedding bands! They don’t get as much attention but in our opinion, they’re just as important. Mens wedding bands deserve more love!
I often hear men tell me they, “just want a plain band”, and that’s totally fine! A simple band is classic and elegant. But there are many, many ways to do a “plain wedding band”. Today we are going to talk about a super important part of a wedding band – the metal type. (Also, if you’re super bored of plain bands, read on, because metal type is important no matter what style you pick. And make sure to subscribe to our blog to see our future posts about mens wedding band styles.)
The first thing you need to know is the difference between the two categories of metal – Precious Metals and Alternative Metals.
Each material has its own positives and drawbacks, and you should know all about them before you pick your mens wedding band. Let’s learn more about these wedding bands!
PRECIOUS METALS
Precious metals in jewelry are sterling silver, gold, and platinum. These metals have been used for thousands of years in jewelry making, with some examples dating back to 4500 BC.
Precious metal used for jewelry making is almost never 100% pure. Most of the time, these precious metals are mixed with other non-precious metals to create an alloy. An alloy is a mix of two or more metals into one solid. The only way alloyed metals can be separated is by sending them to a precious metal refinery. Gold, silver, and platinum are all too soft to hold up to daily wear in a ring. Creating an alloy makes them more durable, and for gold, gives us way more color options than just yellow.
All of the precious metals can be removed with a regular ring cutter in an emergency situation, or if your ring gets stuck. We remove tight rings here at our store all the time, as long as they are gold, platinum, or silver.
GOLD
Gold is the most traditional metal for wedding bands, and for good reason. It is beautiful, durable, and can come in many different (and permanent) colors. The most common colors for gold are yellow, white, and rose gold. Yellow and white gold are the most popular choice for mens wedding bands. Gold can also come in green gold, which you’ve probably seen in black hills gold.
Gold alloys are measured using karats (KT), and you probably know that 24 karat gold is 100% pure gold. 24 karat gold is a beautiful stunning yellow color, but it scratches very easily. Pure gold is mixed with other metals to make it more durable for everyday wear.
The standard for American gold jewelry is 14KT gold. This means it is 14 parts pure gold, and the rest mixed non-precious metals for strength and color. 14KT gold is 14 parts pure gold out of 24 karats, so it is 58.3% pure gold. Gold jewelry also can come in 10KT, 18KT, 20KT, or 22KT.
The higher the number, the more gold, which means a brighter color. But the tradeoff is a higher price, and slightly less durable alloy. We think 14KT gold is a good choice for a man’s wedding band, but we can go up or down depending on your goals, preferences, and circumstances!
Yellow gold is a great choice for a man’s wedding band that will hold up well to everyday wear. It will show scratches over time, but your local jeweler can easily polish them out. Gold is not the most inexpensive option, but the cost is well worth it to get a stunning heirloom quality ring in gold.
PLATINUM
Platinium is a rare precious metal that is naturally white. Platinum alone is not suitable for jewelry, but by adding just a little bit of other metal, it becomes very strong and durable. Most platinum in the United States is 95% platinum and 5% other metals, usually ruthenium. It is a great choice for those who may have metal allergies, since platinum is hypoallergenic, and there is very little other metals in the alloy.
Platinum is an expensive choice, both because of the base cost of pure platinum, and because of the extensive labor used to work with platinum because of its high melting temperature. The biggest advantage of platinum for your ring is its strength and resistance to tarnish. Surface embellishments, such as filigree, millgrain, and engraving, will withstand the test of time easily.
Platinum is resistant to wear, but it does show scratches easily, so over time any high polish will turn into a brushed and dull patina. However, a visit to your local jeweler will make it bright and shiny again.
Platinum is one of the two metals to be considered “heirloom quality” in the jewelry industry, as platinum wedding rings can be worn every day and still be passed down to the next generation.
STERLING SILVER
Sterling silver describes a specific silver alloy. “Fine Silver” is pure silver, and there are some places where fine silver works for jewelry, but mens wedding rings is not one of them. Fine silver alone is too soft to for your wedding band! Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver, and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. That’s why the stamp for sterling is “925”.
Sterling silver is affordable and workable by your local jeweler, which makes it a great wedding ring material for a lower budget. Unlike the contemporary metals (as you’ll read later in this blog), sterling silver can be sized up and down, and repaired if something happens down the road.
However, it is not really considered “heirloom quality”, just because it is somewhat soft. It is very malleable, and if worn everyday, it will wear down much more quickly than platinum and gold. It will show scratches very quickly.
I’ve heard some people insist that if sterling silver tarnishes, it must be fake. That is a very common myth. All sterling silver, and even fine silver, will tarnish over time. It is one of the properties of silver. We can use that tarnishing quality to our advantage, and lots of silver jewelry is prized for its beautiful dark patina in the design. Or, if you prefer a shiny silver, your local jeweler has the skills to remove tarnish safely from your ring.
Overall sterling silver is a fine choice for a men’s wedding band, but make sure that your ring is not too thin, and be prepared to eventually repair or replace it as sterling silver is malleable and soft.
ALTERNATIVE METALS AND MATERIALS
Alternative or contemporary metals refers to any metal used in jewelry making that is not gold, silver, or platinum. Contemporary metal rings are pure, and not typically made into an alloy.
One thing to keep in mind is that most of these metals cannot be sized or repaired. They are strong, but they are too strong to be sized or changed. This also means that if one of these rings were to be stuck on your finger, a local jeweler cannot cut it off for you. In an emergency situation, emergency personnel need to use an electric diamond-tipped saw or crack these rings off your finger with a special vice. So if you work in construction or do other activities where you may injure your hand, we typically do not recommend one of the following metals!
TITANIUM
Titanium is a silvery grey metal and is also hypoallergenic. We also offer black titanium rings. Rings made of titanium are lightweight but still durable. Titanium rings cannot be sized like traditional precious metal rings can, but they can be cut off the finger with a diamond-tip ring cutter in an emergency situation, using two cuts.
One of the first contemporary metals on the market, titanium is lightweight, durable, and affordable. There are a wide variety of designs to choose from as well!
STAINLESS STEEL
This is probably the most well known of the alternative metals, and lots of fashion and costume jewelry is made of stainless steel. When we supply stainless steel rings, we use 316L, the same grade as surgical steel. Stainless steel has a lovely shine and polish, but it does scratch very easily. In fact, out of all the alternative metals, stainless steel scratches most easily of all. Stainless steel wedding rings are the most budget friendly option.
Like the other alternative metals, stainless steel rings cannot be sized. In an emergency situation, an electric ring cutter can remove the ring with two cuts, one on each side of the ring.
COBALT
Cobalt has a very nice white color, almost like platinum. It is lightweight and hypoallergenic. Cobalt is used in the medical field, very often used for hip replacements. Cobalt is very durable, and it will not chip or crack. It will stay very white and never needs to be plated.
Rings made of cobalt can be sized up just a 1/4 size, but not more than that. In an emergency situation, cobalt rings need to be cut off with a diamond-tip cutter just like titanium and stainless steel . Do not expose cobalt rings to harsh chemicals like chlorine!
TUNGSTEN
Tungsten rings are very strong, both structurally and on a surface level. They are one of the few rings that are scratch resistant, so they always look polished. We can get tungsten rings in grey, white, or black color.
They can be somewhat brittle and on rare occasions can even crack, so try avoid extreme forces to your ring. For example, do not wear while rock climbing or lifting weights.
In an emergency situation, tungsten rings can only be removed with a special ring remover vice that will crack the ring into pieces. We do not recommend tungsten rings for people who work with their hands, like mechanics or construction workers.
CERAMIC
Ceramic wedding rings are very different than ceramic pottery! We carry a type of ceramic ring called Ceramic Couture. Ceramic Couture rings are made of a hi-tech aerospace material. Wedding bands made of ceramic will hold a polish really well, and will not scratch easily. Ceramic wedding rings are lightweight and heat resistant, and their color does not fade or wear off over time. Our ceramic rings can come in pink, white, or black.
Ceramic rings are very similar to tungsten, except they are lighter and do not have the same risk of cracking. There is still some risk of cracking, so we recommend avoiding extreme forces or blows to the ring. They are non-metallic, so they are a great choice for someone who can’t wear a metal ring.
Ceramic rings need to be cracked off the finger with a special vise in an emergency situation, just like tungsten. So we also do not recommend wearing ceramic rings during activities like weight lifting, rock climbing, or working jobs like construction around heavy equipment.
SILICONE
You may have also seen people wearing rings made of silicone. These are flexible, waterproof, and durable. They are a great option for someone who works with their hands or does a lot of physically difficult activities like rock climbing. Many people have a silicone band that they wear while traveling, gardening, or other activities where their usual band could get damaged or lost.
Most people use a silicone band as a backup or travel ring, and not their main wedding band. Silicone will degrade over time. But it makes a great “backup” ring option because it is inexpensive, durable, and safe to wear during high impact activities. Plus it comes in pretty much any color, so you can have fun and try out a bunch of different colors!
So which metal is best for your wedding band?
There is really no right answer! The important thing is to make sure you know all the pros and cons of each type of metal before you buy. What metal you choose will depend on your ideal budget, your lifestyle, and your personal taste. Now that you know more about all the metal options, which do you think you will choose?
Have questions? Please leave a comment below! And make sure to call or stop into the store today to learn more or to purchase any of the rings we talked about today.
