The metal that makes ups your wedding bands plays a big part it how they look, how they hold up to wear and tear and the care that they require to keep them looking their best. Today, there are more metals than ever to choose from; here’s a guide to four of the most popular picks for wedding rings to help you choose the one that’s right for you.
Gold
As the most popular pick for wedding bands, gold is the traditional metal of choice. It’s n all-around winner, providing gleaming goods looks, greater durability than silver and greater affordability than platinum. Although sunny, shining yellow gold is the classic variety of this precious metal, it’s not the only way to wear it. Cool, gray white gold is a modern yet timeless pick for brides and grooms, while rose gold provide a subtly warm, pink-hued glow that’s slightly unexpected, but always welcome. Wedding bands crafted from any color of gold are actually made from an alloy that combines pure gold, which is too soft to be practical for jewelry, with other metals. These additions determine the color, as well as provide strength.
Sterling Silver
Silver wedding bands are known for being affordable options, but they deserve attention for their versatile good looks as well. Sterling silver is a popular metal for everyday jewelry, allowing wedding rings that are crafted from it to seamlessly coordinate with many a jewelry collection. Like pure gold, pure silver is also too soft to be used on its own for wedding bands, and the sterling silver that’s used in fine jewelry (called .925 sterling silver) is an alloy to which small amounts of other metals have been added to increase durability. Although sterling silver wedding bands do tarnish over time, this tarnish isn’t difficult to remove.
Platinum
Platinum’s claim to fame is its rarity, and for good reason: this metal is 30 times less common than gold, making it an ideal metal for a once-in-a-lifetime purchase that celebrates your love. In addition to their incredibly precious nature, platinum wedding bands have several advantages. They have a bright, naturally white shine that never tarnishes, and are quite strong, allowing them to stand up to a bit of wear. In addition, platinum wedding rings are naturally hypoallergenic, and can be worn regardless of metal allergies.
Titanium
Titanium may be known more for its use in the aerospace industry than its use in jewelry, but titanium wedding bands are becoming increasingly popular picks for their sleek good looks, their unique properties and their affordability. This performance metal is both stronger and lighter than steel, which means that rings that are crafted from it are incredibly durable without weighing down your finger. Like platinum, titanium is naturally hypoallergenic and will never tarnish; however, it comes with a much lower price tag.
Whether you gravitate toward timeless styles, vintage designs or Celtic wedding bands, the metal you choose can make a big difference! Use this guide to find the one that’s right for you.