Your Guide to Choosing Men’s Wedding Bands

The final category composing men’s wedding bands consists of modern elements such as titanium or tungsten, and materials like rubber. All of these are manufactured products that cannot be formed, altered, nor resized, and therefore we do not personally work with them. If you are looking for a black color wedding band, then these modern options make for a good choice because there is no comparable substitute in precious metal.  

Our closest solution is to use black rhodium as a plating over silver, gold, or platinum. But as is the case with all plating, it eventually wears off and can do so quickly under hard-wearing conditions (see our Dash ring for an example of black rhodium plating). The second, and more permanent solution to add black color to your ring is to set it with black diamonds, as in our Thomas ring.    

Any of these metals on their own are beautiful, but there’s also the option of two-toned men’s wedding bands. They’re a special and unique way to really personalize your ring.

The term finish describes the surface texture of a ring’s metal. The most common finishes are as follows, and they can be applied to any design and texture (for example, hammered texture rings can be finished in high polish or satin brush).

• High polish - the most traditional finish is marked by its reflective look.
• Satin brush - a matte appearance with subtle lines to create a visual texture while still being smooth to the touch. Reference our Kett design to see an example. Satin brush and high polish finishes can be combined to create a lovely contrasting visual effect, such as our Combo design (the rose gold trims are in high polish, while the platinum center is satin brushed).

Sandblast - has the same matte appearance as satin brush, but looks more even and does not have subtle lines. This technique gets its name from using very fine, sand-like compounds that are blasted with force onto the ring’s surface.

An array of design details and engravings are available to truly put your own unique stamp on a ring. From rustic style rings with elements reminiscent of nature, to adding diamonds or gemstones, to incorporating effects like milgrain, granulation, or rope twists, detailing allows extensive opportunities to create a truly one-of-a-kind ring.

• Gemstones - men’s rings can include diamonds or other gemstones in patterns studded or sprinkled throughout, or even as a ‘center’ stone, as seen on our Belkin.
• Engravings and carvings - fingerprints and engravings need not just be on the face of the ring, they can also be at the edges or tops, as seen on our Agustin. You can also opt for subtle lines like on our Brin or symmetrical designs like with Cramon.
• Milgrain - with a nod to a vintage appeal, this technique features subtle, small metal beads used to create borders, as seen on our Ethan.

Twists or patterns - intricate or subtle rope-like twists and patterns from simple to intricate can enhance any style ring as seen in our Lyle, Clune, and Karli designs.

While the width of a ring also speaks to how it looks, this is usually correlated with the size of your hands and fingers. We encourage you to go with your instinct and choose the width that looks and feels best. Just remember that wider rings fit tighter with all else being equal. For example, given two size 8 rings - one ring is 8mm wide, and the other is 4mm wide; the 8mm width ring will likely feel ½ size smaller than the 4mm ring, even though they both are the same finger size. Wider rings will also be more expensive as they use more of the precious metal you’ve chosen.

Throughout history, wider rings have typically been more common than narrower rings. However, during World War II, precious metals of any size were asked to be contributed to the war effort to build machinery and equipment. This led to a trend in narrower men’s wedding bands in the decades following the war. Now, wider bands are making a comeback and are considered to have a quintessentially modern look.

Men’s wedding bands are a symbol of the love union and are expected to last a lifetime. They can also be a far more interesting and unique ring than most people think. Above all, take your time, pick a ring that suits your style and personality, and have some fun in the process!