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Top 5 Metals for Men’s Wedding Bands

ByNathan

What Are The Top 5 Metals For A Mens' Wedding Ring?

Table of Contents

With so many different options now available, you’d be forgiven for being a little confused about which metal or material you should choose. Fear not! We are here to help.

While some might try to “sell” you on a particular metal, we believe that there is no “one size fits all” solution. Our aim in this article is to help give you the facts as well as the benefits of our two decades of experience and help you determine which metal is best for your particular situation.

If you still have any questions by the time you have finished this article, please get in touch so that we can help.

Gold Wedding Bands

When purchasing men’s wedding bands it is important that you take the metal the ring is made of into account. Certain metals contain properties which make them ideal for men in certain careers while others offer a more traditional look. Looking at the top 5 metals for men’s wedding bands allows you to identify which metal would be best for you. 

Gold has always been the most popular metal used for wedding bands. This is due in part to the value of the ring as well as the bright yellow colour. Gold is soft, dense and the most malleable pure metal out there. When using pure gold for wedding bands they offer a very attractive shine and bright colour. Some of the other properties of gold, which makes it popular, are that it does not rust and it is very valuable and will retain its value.

Gold wedding rings do of course come in a variety of different colours, with yellow and white gold being the most popular, and rose gold coming in third place. The different colours are achieved through adding other metals like copper for rose gold, or plating white gold rings with rhodium to give them a white polished shine. It’s important to note that white gold rings will start to look less shiny over time as the rhodium wears off and will often need to be replated to give it that brand new look.

More confusion can arise when you find out that gold rings also come indifferent quality levels like 9ct, 10ct, 14ct and 24ct. These numbers refer to the composition of the gold in the ring, with 24ct gold being 99.9% pure gold, while 9ct gold only contains 37.5% gold.

While initially it seems like you should avoid the lower carat gold weighted rings, the additional alloys used to form the ring often increase its durability while also decreasing the cost. There is no right or wrong answer here, as it is a personal choice.

Platinum wedding bands 

The popularity of platinum wedding bands has increased over the years and this is due to a number of reasons. The first reason is that platinum is a very valuable metal and the value of the band often increases over time. Another reason is the overall look of platinum rings which is sophisticated and durable. The metal is a silver-white colour and when using pure platinum it is as malleable as gold, which means it can be made into a wide variety of designs, and also be resized when necessary.

Like gold, platinum comes in different quality levels, with the most common being Platinum 600 and Platinum 950. Platinum 600 is 60% pure platinum, and platinum 950 is 95% pure platinum. Like gold, the differing purity levels have a significant effect on price and ongoing value, and whether you choose one or the other is a personal choice.

Platinum is similar in appearance to white gold, but is more expensive simply because platinum is around 10 times rarer than gold. Additionally, while white gold rings go cloudy as time goes by, and often need to be replated with rhodium, platinum rings don’t, and can simply be repolished to bring back their shine. While still one of the softer metals that can scratch, Platinum is definitely more durable and hypoallergenic than gold.

Titanium wedding bands

If you are looking for a durable material that does not cost too much then titanium is the answer. Titanium is one of the strongest metals used in jewellery and lasts even when worn daily. The durability of the metal is one of the reasons why it is so popular. Another reason is that it is a relatively low maintenance metal to have. To clean titanium rings you can use a jewellery cloth to simply wipe the ring.

One mistake that buyers often make though is confusing strength with hardness, as the two benefits are quite different from each other. Titanium is stronger than tungsten for example, but not as hard. This means that titanium will not crack in extreme situations like tungsten can, but it will scratch easier than tungsten as it is not as hard. Having said that, it is harder than gold or platinum, and can be repolished to remove scratches that may occur over time.

While titanium is the strongest metal in this list, it can still be removed in an emergency using normal ring cutting tools that are carried by emergency workers.

Unfortunately titanium’s strength does mean it is a bit more limited in what styles can be produced, but creative jewellers like ourselves have found ways to introduce other materials like gold, wood and other coloured plating to created incredible designs. Please note however, that any additional materials added typically are weaker than titanium so this needs to be taken into account.

Titanium’s strength also means that they cannot be resized, so make sure you purchase your ring from a reputable seller with a good exchange program.

Tungsten wedding bands

Tungsten wedding bands have become popular due to the metals durability. Rings made with this metal will not scratch or bend making them ideal for any man who works with their hands. Tungsten is around 10 times harder than 18k gold and four times as hard as titanium. One problem that some people find with these rings is the weight. Tungsten is denser than other metals and while this allows it to be very strong it also makes it very heavy. If you are not a fan of heavy jewellery then you might have a problem with these bands.

 

Like titanium, tungsten rings cannot be resized, which is why it is so important to only buy from sellers that have a robust exchange policy. As your ring size can also change over the years as you gain or lose weight, also check to see if the seller has a long term exchange program like MRO’s Fit-for-Life policy.

While tungsten’s hardness reduces the types of designs available, like titanium we have found creative ways to make our tungsten rings more unique. It’s really important to note though, if you change a tungsten ring’s appearance through plating, it can scratch off over time, as the plating is not scratchproof like the underlying ring.

Silicone wedding bands

Recently silicone rings have exploded onto the scene due to their extreme affordability, as well as their other benefits. These include the ability to wear them to the gym or while doing manual labour. They are also non-conductive which makes them an excellent choice for electricians.

 

The downside to silicone rings is that they do wear out over time and will need to be replaced every year or two. As such we highly recommend you have a permanent metal wedding ring, and then have a gym/work/backup silicone ring. This is pretty much the perfect scenario. 

So Which Metal is Best for a Men's Ring or Wedding Band?

With so many new metals to choose from, you can be forgiven for being confused when shopping for a men’s ring! But don’t worry, we are here to help. The chart below shows the strengths and weaknesses of each material. While these show the positives and negatives of each, don’t be afraid to listen to your gut and go with whatever metal you were first attracted to.

Our primary advice is to first listen to your gut, then your wallet, and then add a silicone ring as a work/play/gym ring.

If you need any more advice, feel free to contact us so that we can help!

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Bonus: Easy Visual Comparison Chart

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Nathan