As I’ve mentioned before in previous articles, men’s wedding bands haven’t actually been around for that long. Traditionally, it was only the blushing brides who sported a sparkling wedding ring on their left hand, and not the grooms. But after the second World War, it started to be more in style for men to wear wedding rings as well. Jewelers, who probably started the trend in the first place, have jumped on the bandwagon full steam ahead. If you’ve done any looking for men’s wedding bands, I’m sure you’ve found that there is a huge variety of rings to choose from. Not just in design, but also in the type of metal the ring is made from, width sizes, and even color, many styles of men’s wedding bands are definitely out there to make a statement. Men’s wedding bands can be just as stylish and elegant as women’s wedding rings, or they can be masculine and durable, colorful and unique. So it makes sense that when you’re trying to choose the right one, it can be a little overwhelming. There are five main kinds of metal most popular to men’s wedding rings which should be considered when shopping for your wedding band. The rest is just details.

Titanium

Titanium is quickly becoming one of the most popular metals for men’s wedding bands. Titanium is the hardest natural metal in the world, and it’s real popular among men due to it’s increased durability.

Titanium wedding bands are very resistant to scratches and and dents, but it is still very strong and lightweight, making it more comfortable. One helpful hint if you’re shopping for a titanium wedding band for your man, make sure that you are absolutely sure of the size your man is, or have your man come with you try the ring on himself. Since titanium wedding bands are so strong and durable, they cannot be resized. Titanium wedding bands can also offer a variety of colors to choose from, which can add some style and make your man’s wedding ring a little more unique.

Gold

Gold is one of the more traditional choices for metals for all kinds of wedding bands, both men and women’s rings. If a traditional gold wedding band is what you are after, then you will need to choose the carat weight of gold that is to be in the ring. Not only will you need to make a decision on carat weight, but you’ll also need to choose between having a white gold wedding band, or a yellow gold wedding band. Really, there isn’t any one color that is better than the other, it’s just based off of your preference. Personally, I like white gold because the yellow just doesn’t look very good on my skin tone. If you don’t know the exact size of the wedding band, no need to fear, gold wedding bands are typically easy to resize to fit. Gold is a pretty soft metal, so you will need to be careful when doing manual labor or other activities that may dent or scratch your ring.

Platinum

Platinum is a white metal commonly used in men’s wedding bands, and is more dense than gold. Platinum wedding bands are exceptionally strong and durable, and resistant to many of the abuses that wedding bands are often shown throughout the years. The only thing you’ll need to be aware of is that platinum wedding rings are very expensive, usually costing double or more than a traditional gold ring.

Silver

Silver wedding bands are less costly than any of the other type of band discussed thus far. It is a softer metal that is prone to oxidization, sometimes causing the silver to turn black. It is not typically recommended for daily use. But if you’re low on cash, what else can you do, right?

Tungsten

Tungsten is another popular metal for men’s wedding bands. I was surprised when I did the research on this, and found that tungsten isn’t even found naturally on the earth. For those of you chemistry buffs, tungsten is one of the transition metals, and it’s very well known for it’s strength and durability. In fact, many couples choose to use tungsten rings because they are permanently polished, and it’s virtually impossible to scratch or dent them. Plus, naturally tungsten has a dark gun metal color to it, making it look more masculine.

Whatever kind of ring you choose, be sure to consider how durable the ring should be for daily use, the color preference of your ring as well as the cost of each of the above types of metals. Most local jewelers are happy to let you try on rings and tell you about the pros and cons of each one.

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