Men's wedding band styles - titanium, platinum or gold?

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The wearing of a wedding band for a man is slightly more contentious than for a woman. Until the Second World War, it was just about unheard of for men to wear wedding rings at all. Servicemen began the tradition to help them feel close to their wives when fighting on distant shores, and the custom has since become commonplace. Most modern men choose to exchange wedding bands with their wives, and wear theirs with pride. However, what kind of wedding band you choose depends on your own personal taste.

The majority of men choose a very simple wedding band. The traditional plain gold band has lost none of its appeal, and the symbolism of the ever-lasting circle of love is extremely popular. Men’s wedding bands are usually much thicker and heavier than women’s rings, and you can consider choosing anything up to 12mm thick. The wider styles are usually flat in appearance, which is a more contemporary design than the traditional domed wedding rings.

The choice of metal for a man’s wedding band can be any of the typical choices for a woman’s ring — gold, white gold or platinum. If you are likely to need a hardwearing wedding ring, consider one of the tougher grades of gold, such as 14 or 18 carat, rather than the purer but softer 24 carat. Platinum is a very tough material, with a silver appearance, but is usually more expensive than gold. Bear this in mind if you are choosing a heavy wedding band, as the cost will be far higher. A fantastic alternative is a titanium wedding ring. Titanium is used primarily in the aircraft industry, and is one of the toughest metals available for jewellery. It is incredibly light and hardwearing, with the dark grey colour of steel. Titanium is considered particularly masculine, and many of the finest watchmakers use it for their premium products.

It is also possible to select something a little bolder than the enduring plain wedding band. Celtic wedding bands are gaining in prevalence for men — they can be particularly chunky, and the Celtic patterns are already established as popular masculine tattoo designs like those worn by the Chili Peppers!

Some men are concerned about wearing a wedding band, as it will be the first piece of jewellery they have ever worn. If you are worried that you will find it uncomfortable, practice wearing a substitute ring for a while. Consider a lightweight titanium ring, or seek out wedding bands made in a comfort-fit style. A wedding band which is curved around all edges is considered comfort-fit, and this will minimise any rubbing against your finger and help ease any problems associated with long-term wear.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Men's Wedding Bands