Wedding rings and bands

Wedding rings on fingers

Wedding ring facts

There are many types of wedding rings and bands, including silver, gold, diamond, colored gold rings, titanium or tungsten carbide, platinum, and Celtic style.

Gold wedding rings – as popular as ever

Gold is still the precious metal that most people prefer for a wedding ring. It is easy to craft into the desired shape. Often, a lower grade of carat such as 9 carat tougher than a 24 carat ring. But although a 24 carat ring may be softer, it is easier to craft it into shape.
This means that it ‘moves’ rather than wears away. It is possible to buy colored gold wedding rings, they are made from real gold but are colored. Rose or red gold colored gold rings have a warm feel and are becoming increasing popular.

Carats

Gold wedding rings are graded  according to their `carat’,  the  higher the cara  the higher the proportion of gold the ring has. If you have a gold engagement ring  be sure to buy a wedding ring which has the same grade of carat,  if you plan to wear them next to each other.

Competition for diamond wedding rings

Diamond rings are as popular as ever but titanium and zirconium rings have also become popular. This is partly because of their hard wearing and hypoallergenic qualities but it is also  because the metals can be crafted into very  attractive jewellery.

Easily adapted silver jewelry

Silver jewelry is very popular, it is affordable and it  more easily adapted for a wider range of designs. It blends well with a wide variety of dress styles, both formal and informal.

Wedding rings inset with jewelry

Many different designs of wedding rings are set with diamonds and other precious stones. Color can be included in the design in the form of sapphires, rubies, amethyst, resins and enamels. Titanium or tungsten carbide rings have a slightly steely look and are extremely durable and lightweight, which makes them popular with men. But they are not considered to be  ‘precious metals’ in the way that gold and platinum are considered to be precious metals.

Comfortable wedding rings

It’s important for a wedding ring to fit the finger properly, a ring that doesn’t fit properly can cause  problems.
A `court-shaped’ ring, sometimes called a `comfort fit’,  means that the inside of the ring is rounded, giving a more  comfortable feel when you are wearing it. It also makes it easier to take the ring on and off and helps prevent ‘pinching’ when worn next to an engagement ring.

Platinum wedding rings

Platinum rings are the best choice if you want a white metal. It is expensive because of its rarity – most platinum jewellery is 95% pure. Platinum is very strong and will not wear away and, unlike white gold (which looks similar), platinum doesn’t need to be re-plated to maintain its color.

Celtic wedding rings

Celtic style rings are  popular as traditional  wedding rings and are available in 9ct or 18ct yellow or white gold as well as the increasingly popular titanium and precious metal platinum. Gothic rings are invariably black colored and they may be crafted from  zirconium. Designer rings are very stylish and they can range from  formal to funky.