Wedding Bands 101

If you have clicked on this article, then the chances are that you are either already engaged or about to be, so allow us to extend our warmest congratulations! Getting married is one of the most exciting and defining milestones in anyone’s life and for that reason alone you want to make sure that every single aspect of the engagement and eventual big day go off without a single hitch.

One of the most important and integral parts of any proposal and subsequent marriages are the engagement ring and the wedding ring. For anyone, as exciting as it is, the responsibility of picking the rings can become an overwhelming experience!

You’ll need advice on choosing the perfect diamond engagement ring because there are so many different styles and designs. But the usual assumption is that the wedding ring is an easier choice because the range is more limited.

This is a false assumption. Wedding ring styles have evolved dramatically and there are more styles and designs for both women and men than you can imagine. Finding the right type of wedding ring for your personal style is an equally daunting task. If you are both going to wear a wedding ring, they need to be right for each of you.

To help you navigate through the world of wedding bands, we have put together a 101-style guide that will take you through everything you need to know. You’ll learn about the various wedding band styles and ring designs that you will have to choose from at your jewelers. From gemstones to metal bands to ring size to setting styles and more, there is just so much to consider!

Before we start, let’s just note that you may need to tweak this guide to suit your own circumstances. For example, if you have decided on a bridal set (matching engagement ring and wedding ring), many of the questions about the wedding ring will be addressed when choosing the engagement ring.

Set A Budget

The first thing that you need to do before even looking at wedding rings is set a budget. You may have already spent a small fortune on the engagement ring. There is nothing wrong with setting a lower budget and choosing a simpler wedding ring, especially when you consider that the engagement ring always steals focus from the wedding ring anyway.

Unlike the engagement ring, you can openly discuss the cost you’re willing to pay for the wedding ring. You can also factor in how much you have to spend based on the overall budgeted cost for the wedding.

You need to stay within your decided budget but this will have an impact on what different metals you might choose or how fancy the design will be. For example, if you want your rings to contain cut diamonds, you might have to consider in terms of pave settings rather than carat weight. The thing to remember is that there are great options in every price range, so don’t feel like you need to put yourself in financial difficulty just to be ‘on trend’.

At this point, you may also wonder who pays for the wedding rings. There is no definitive answer. Factors include culture, the budget, or if the parents will buy the rings. You might split the costs or the groom may buy the bride’s ring and vice versa.

Traditionally it has been the groom that buys the engagement ring and wedding ring giving the bride the opportunity for the bride to buy the groom’s wedding ring.

Pick A Ring Style

Think about whether or not you and your partner are going to want matching wedding rings. Many do and it makes for a great choice and meaningful anniversary band down the years.

If you have different tastes, however, then you can make individual choices based on what you like and what you are going to want to wear for the rest of your life. No big deal! In general, wedding ring styles are divided into three main categories, which are:

• Plain

Perhaps a more popular choice among gentlemen who don’t want anything too ‘showy’ for themselves, plain wedding bands are simple and effective. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that they are boring! Plain rings are made of different metals and have different finishes including shiny and matte.

• Patterned

Patterned wedding rings are hugely varied. The pattern might be a texture or an engraving. The band may feature special edges, grooves, or even cutouts. Patterned rings, particularly, give men who do not want a stone set ring, something more interesting than a plain wedding band.

• Stone Set

This a ring set with diamonds or other gems and they have become more popular as wedding bands in recent years. It can vary from a simple channel set ring with pave diamonds to a piece of bling like this gorgeous example of an eternity ring that doubles as a wedding band. Eternity bands that double as wedding rings can be of special significance to the wearer and the couple together.

Choose Your Metal

It isn’t just a matter of deciding on a color. The type of metal can determine the style and type of wedding band and its longevity. Although wedding bands can be made of many different materials including wood, stainless steel, ceramic, cobalt, titanium, and tungsten (popular for men’s wedding bands), precious metals are still by far the most common option.

Gold wedding bands have been the classic standard but people are now expressing themselves more than they have ever been able to in the past, and it is making for some exciting and interesting jewelry choices.

Here is some information on the precious metals you might consider.

Yellow Gold - Easy and practical to wear. Rings can be found in 9kt, 14kt, 18kt, and 24kt but 9kt and 18kt are the best choices. They can be easily crafted with creative detail and a variety of settings.

White Gold - Currently the most popular contemporary choice. White gold is actually an alloy of yellow gold with zinc or nickel which is then rhodium plated to produce the hard, bright, shiny sheen. 14kt is the most durable.

Rose Gold - The distinctive warm hue is created by alloying yellow gold with copper. All rose gold jewelry is enjoying being a top trend right now.

Platinum - The most expensive of the precious metals, it has a beautifully soft, satin-like finish as well as being hard, heavy and durable. It also has natural hypoallergenic properties. Platinum has become a favorite for men’s wedding rings.

Palladium - This has the same look and appeal but palladium rings are more affordable than platinum rings.

Sterling Silver - This is a little more grayish than white gold, platinum, or palladium but it is the most affordable option of all the precious metals.

Mixed metals - You might also consider rings of two or three metals. The style known as the Russian Wedding Ring has been around forever but modern versions can be much more elaborate, for example, this lovely example of a dual-color wedding ring or this designer wedding ring for men.

Choose Your Ring Profile

The ring profile is the shape of the band.

This classic flat wedding band, for example, is the epitome of what most people conceive of as a traditional profile but there is more to consider.

There are three main types of wedding ring shapes: court-shaped, D-shaped, and shaped. and further subsets of those.

Court-shaped - This shape is straight all the way around the top and bottom and softly rounded on the interior and exterior.

A variation of the court-shaped is the flat court-shaped. Here, the outside is flat but the inside is curved.

D-shaped - This profile is curved on the outside and flat on the inside. Imagine that when you take a cross-section, it would be exactly like a ‘D’

Shaped - this type has a curve or indent at the top to comfortably sit around an engagement ring. The exact shape will depend on the style of the engagement ring, especially if it is set with a solitaire diamond.

You might also see flat-shaped wedding rings. These are flat inside and out.

Choose Your Band Width

Much like the ring profile, this is an element of your wedding ring that is totally down to personal preference. Typically, wedding bands will range from 1.35mm all the way up to 10mm, so it very much depends on factors like how slender or broad your fingers are, and what width of metal is going to look the best.

Some people like their jewelry to be the stand-out feature on their bodies, while others prefer to be a little more understated in their choices.

You should also consider the width of your engagement ring and how that will look with a wedding band of certain widths.

Typically, women choose 4mm. Men prefer wide, thicker bands of between 5 and 9mm.

Consider Any Optional Extras

Alongside the basics of metal/stone/size choice, there are also some more fun optional extra design features you might consider for your wedding band. These include:

• Edges

You can make your ring stand out from the crowd by selecting a less traditional edge to the band. This can include things like bevels, beads, lattices, and milgrain.

• Different Textures

You don’t have to opt for the traditional ‘shiny’ finish to your ring. There are several different finishes like brush, matte, high polish, sand, and hammered effect. This matte ring in particular is a wonderful example of how visually interesting a less conventional choice can be.

• Engraving

The inner or outer surface of a ring can be engraved. An inner engraving is usually some form of written motif while outer engravings are part of the overall design and look of the ring.

• Others

There is such a massive diversity in wedding ring designs that you can be as far removed from the classic round wedding band as you want to go. You might want a floral diamond wedding band or a masculine geometric ring.

With this guide, you should now have a much better idea of the type of wedding ring you want, whether you are a man or woman. We invite you to browse the collection here at Danhov. We have a superb collection of wedding rings in popular styles from vintage inspired to classical to ultra-modern. We’re confident you’ll find one you love.