Buyer's Guide to Men's Wedding Bands

Choosing a Wedding Band Metal

The first choice to make is the metal of your wedding band. Today, you’ll be presented with a lot more options, from precious metals like gold and platinum wedding bands to currently trendy alternative metals like titanium and tungsten wedding bands.

The most popular choice for men’s wedding bands is gold. Gold wedding rings are classic, they wear well and hold value, and they can be passed down to the next generation. At RockHer, most of our customers choose gold wedding bands.

Gold wedding bands come in two levels of purity and three colors. Let’s start with purity, which is measured using the unit of Karats with a K. (Carats with a C is a unit of gem weight equaling one-fifth of a gram.) Pure 100% gold, the highest purity, is 24-karat gold. But pure gold is too soft and malleable to hold its polish and shape when being worn. That’s why the vast majority of gold jewelry is made from a mixture of metals called an alloy. To make pure gold stronger and more durable so it can withstand daily wear in a gold wedding band, pure gold is mixed with other metals such as silver, zinc, palladium, nickel or copper.

The most popular alloy used in men’s wedding bands (and jewelry in general) is 14-karat gold, which is 58.3% gold and 41.7% other metals. Depending on the recipe of the mix 14-karat gold can be different shades of yellow, white or rose. Premium men’s gold wedding bands are made of 18-karat gold, which is 75% gold and 25% other metals.

Trying to decide between 14k gold vs 18k gold? Most Americans choose 14k gold wedding bands because 14k gold is more affordable and more durable. The other metals in the alloy add to the hardness. It also has a wider range of color options, including a whiter white gold and rosier red gold. We always recommend 14k rose gold, which is becoming popular thanks to rose gold watches.

Most Europeans choose 18k gold wedding bands. There’s more gold in 18k gold. 18k gold is more pure and less likely to irritate the skin. Its yellow shade is richer and more intense. Because it contains more gold by weight, the same band in 18k gold costs more than it would in 14k gold.

At RockHer, all the gold in both our 14k gold and 18k gold wedding bands is recycled. We think it’s important to know where the metal in your wedding band comes from. (We are an industry leader in transparent diamond sourcing too.)

White gold isn't as white as other white metals, since gold is inherently a rich saturated yellow. 14k white gold is whiter than 18k white gold because the other metals in the alloy help bleach the color. The color of white gold is usually made whiter by plating it with rhodium. The plating can wear away over time, revealing warmer toned white gold below. You can have your white gold replated to look new again.

If you like the look of white metal, we recommend a platinum wedding band. Platinum wedding bands are made from the most durable and long-lasting precious metal. Although a platinum wedding ring can scratch over time, developing a patina, no metal is lost. A platinum wedding band can always be repolished which moves all the platinum back into place again.

There are many advantages of platinum vs white gold. Platinum wedding bands are more pure than 14k or 18k white gold wedding bands. Most platinum wedding bands are made from 95% platinum and a minimum of 90% platinum. Platinum is only alloyed with other platinum group metals. Platinum wedding bands are hypoallergenic, making them the best precious metal for anyone with easily irritated skin. Platinum wedding bands are also naturally white, requiring no plating that can wear away over time. Platinum is also the most secure metal for holding gemstones.

At RockHer, we use only recycled platinum in our platinum wedding bands. Make sure you always ask jewelers about the gems and precious metal in your wedding band.

Jewelers who sell titanium wedding bands and tungsten wedding bands talk about how they are modern, lightweight, and durable. But mostly they talk about how they are cheaper. And they are cheaper. But there’s a reason for that. These metals aren't rare or symbolic. They are mass-produced in a factory like a bolt or gear.

They are a great choice if you are looking for a disposable ring that you don't mind replacing every few years. Unlike gold and platinum wedding rings, tungsten and titanium wedding bands can’t be sized if your finger changes over time. Tungsten wedding bands, although very hard, are essentially a metallic ceramic material that can shatter if dropped on a tile floor.

We think the popularity of titanium and tungsten wedding bands will wane over time like other fads. We wouldn't want a wedding band that will look dated in ten years. And most jewelers who sell titanium and tungsten wedding bands don't offer them in recycled metals.

Choosing the Width of Your Wedding Band

Once you’ve decided on the metal of your wedding band, the next step is to decide how ide you want your wedding band to be. At RockHer we offer men’s wedding bands from 5mm to 10mm, although we can also custom create a band that’s wider or narrower.

A narrow wedding band looks quite different than a wide band in the same style. A 5mm wedding band is discreet, subtle, and many men find it very comfortable to wear. A 10mm band is bold and makes a strong statement.

The most popular width for a man’s wedding band is 7 to 8mm. If you have large fingers, you may prefer the look of a wider band and if your fingers are slim, you may prefer something more narrow.

Wider bands weigh more and so wide platinum and gold wedding bands cost more than narrow ones. If you choose a wide band, you may want to select a slightly larger ring size since a wide band covers more finger area.

Choosing Your Wedding Band Profile

The next choice for your wedding band is its profile: the shape of the outside of the ring if you cut a cross section.

The traditional choice is a domed shape: the cross section of this band looks like the letter D. The rounded shape of a high domed ring reflects from every angle. This look is very classic and traditional. It is polished and formal.

A low dome ring is similar to the classic look of a high dome wedding band but it is a bit more comfortable to wear, with less metal between your fingers, lighter in weight and so more affordable, and still has a traditonal look.

A slightly domed ring is almost flat but is curved to catch the light. Finally a flat wedding band has a modern non-traditional look, with a defined edge and a cylindrical shape.

Choosing Your Wedding Band Fit

The next step is to choose a wedding band fit. The traditional fit for a men’s wedding band is flat on the inside of the ring. The metal of the band wraps you like a slip of paper wrapped around your finger.

In contrast, a comfort fit wedding band is curved up on the inside. As a result less of the band touches your finger. Many people find this more comfortable, especially if the band is wide. But the curve makes the band thicker and heavier overall, which means more metal and more expense. There is also more metal between your fingers since the band is thicker: some people find this not as comfortable as a thinner ring.

Can’t decide which you prefer? At RockHer we also offer a light comfort fit option which has a smaller curve on the inside so you get some of the comfort of a comfort fit band but without as much thickness.

Wedding Band Design and Finishes

Now for the fun part! Once you have the basic shape and material of your wedding band selected, it’s time to add the finishing details to make it your own.

The classic traditional finish for a men’s wedding band is high polish. But you can also choose a satin, brushed, or hammered finish even on a classic band to give it a custom look.

You can also add a simple detail to the edge of your band like milgrain detailing or a carved beveled edge. One finish on the center and another on the edge accentuates the detailing.

You can also add a design to the center of the band like one or two parallel grooves, a cross hatch pattern, or a twisted rope detail.

Even if you want your band to be completely plain, you can add engraving or a stone to the inside of the ring: no one will see it but you.

Wedding Band Care and Cleaning

Clean your wedding band at home by soaking it in a bowl of water with a squirt of dish soap. Rinse and and leave to dry on a soft cloth.

You won’t need to clean your jewelry as often if you take it off when using sunscreen and lotion, which leave residues that can dull your wedding band’s shine.

Don't wear your wedding ring, when swimming in pools as chlorine can react with the alloy and dull the surface. Gold rings shouldn't be worn at the beach or in the water, since cold water makes your fingers smaller and rings can slip off and be lost.

Most Popular Men’s Wedding Band Styles

Our customers’ favorite wedding band is a 6mm yellow gold wedding band that is slightly domed with a light comfort fit and a milgrain edge. Also popular is a modern 6mm flat wedding band with comfort fit in both white gold and rose gold. Our most popular designer band is the Harvest of Love wedding band which has a carved wheat motif in the center and a high polished edge.

What Men’s Wedding Bands Cost

You’d be surprised how far your money can go shopping for a gold or platinum wedding band. Here are our picks to fit some common wedding band budgets. Platinum is currently an excellent value, selling for less per ounce than gold.