Wedding Rings - Little Known Facts

Men's wedding bands

The male wedding ring is of great importance as is the female wedding ring in the wedding ceremony and life after. The ring is a symbol of many aspects of the relationship between the two people. It is also a means of expressing love to the person one is married to. The tradition of men wearing wedding rings is younger than most people may think and there are many facts about the tradition that one should know.

The practice of placing the ring on the third finger of the left hand originated in ancient Egypt – the Egyptians believed that there was a vein of love’ that ran directly from that finger to the heart. While hieroglyphics on papyrus scrolls show that bands were worn by women in ancient Egypt thousands of years ago. The concept of men’s wedding rings as we know it today only became popular in the middle of the 20th century.

During the World Wars soldiers would wear wedding rings as a means of remembering their loved ones. It is only after the Korean War that male wedding rings took on the sentimental value they have today. At this time the creation of matching wedding rings increased and there came about designs specifically for men.

The wedding rings worn by most soldiers were simple affairs; bands of metal, occasionally with a few words or a name inscribed or engraved into it. British restrictions during wartime limited the weight of each ring to just six grams. Even the quality of the gold used was reduced from the usual 22 carats to just 9.

The choice of a man's wedding ring relates with a few factors to be put in consideration. Traditionally, male wedding rings were plain metal bands as most men worked with their hands. As times changed, more intricate designs were implemented as men no longer needed to worry about dirt collecting in the pattern.

There are things to consider when choosing weddingrings for men, and these are: width, metal choice, fit, finish, detailing and engravement

WIDTH

How wide do you want your ring to be? Try on a few men’s bands in a variety of different widths to decide what you like best. Wider rings tend to be more expensive since they require a larger quantity of precious metal, but you can balance size and price by choosing a metal that’s within the scope your budget. For example, palladium looks very similar to platinum and white gold, but costs less.

FIT

Gently rounded edges make it a good choice for men who are concerned about how it will feel to wear a ring every day. Try on a number of different rings to get a sense of which fit feels right to you.

FINISH

Finish describes the texture of a ring’s metal.

High Polish is the most traditional choice and describes metal with a reflective finish.

Matte is a less reflective finish with an understated, modern feel.

Hammered rings look as if a tiny hammer has pounded the metal to create a textured effect.

METAL CHOICE

The metal used for these rings has also changed from being gold and silver to stainless steel, tungsten and titanium. The harder the metal the longer the ring will last and the more resistant to damage it will prove to be.

Gold wedding bands

Gold has always been the most popular metal used for bands.

When using pure gold for bands they offer a very attractive shine and bright color. 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

Platinum wedding pieces

Platinum is a very valuable metal and the value of the band will never drop. Another reason is the overall look of platinum rings which is sophisticated and durable. The metal is a silver-white color and when using pure platinum it is as malleable as gold.

Tungsten wedding piecess

Tungsten wedding rings have become popular due to the metals durability and strength. 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 4 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, and it also makes it very heavy. If you are not a fan of heavy jewellery then you might have a problem with these bands.

Stainless steel wedding bands

Stainless steel bands are not as common as other metals. This is partly due to the fact that most people do not consider using this metal. One of the benefits of stainless steel is that you do not have to worry about smudges or stains on the metal. This is a concern with gold and silver resulting in the rings needing to be handled carefully. The maintenance with stainless steel rings is also less than others which makes it appealing to many men

Titanium wedding ring

If you happen to be 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.

ENGRAVING.

Whether you choose a ring that’s understated and classic or more unique and eye-catching, there are endless ways to personalize the band with engraving.

The date of your wedding, your fiancé’s name or initials, a word, phrase or song lyric that’s central to your love story; engaving any of these on your ring will lend it extra meaning.

CUSTOM DESIGNS.

Wear a ring that truly reflects your one-of-a-kind personality, consider having your wedding ring.