SHOPPING FOR THE MEN’S WEDDING BAND

Most Men are Simple Creatures when it comes to Jewelry.

They are Rough, Practical, and don’t really give too much thought to their Wedding Ring.

It’s a Ring they HAVE to Wear!

They Wear pretty much what the Ladies Buy them!

(And YES, it’s the Ladies Job to Buy the Men’s Wedding Band!)

So it sounds like a Pretty Easy Task then… Right?

She Buys something she likes and can afford, and all is done…

Er, Not So Fast!

There are many things to consider when making the Men’s Wedding Band Purchase!

So let’s take a look at them, and learn some Helpful Pointers and Tips along the way…

Enjoy the Guide!

1) Metal

The Types of Metal in Stores Today is Absolutely Incredible and Impressive!

I can’t tell you how much I LOVE THEM!

(And trust me, I’ve bought more Jewelry in the last 5 years than I have in the Previous 20 because of it)

Cool Metals Like:

• Titanium
• Tungsten
• Stainless Steel
• Black Steel
• Yellow and White Gold

(I would Advise Against Silver as a Wedding Ring because it’s too Soft a Metal, and it will Tarnish and Turn your Finger Green!)

See the Different Colors and Hues of these Cool Metals Below…

All of these Metals work well. They are Extremely Durable and will withstand Bumps, Dents, Dings, Scratches, and Scuffs.

BUT…

Let’s look Closer at GOLD!

Gold used to be the Most Popular Metal for Men… Gold is Malleable, Easy to Work with, and Polishes up with a Wonderful Shine and Luster. But it is also Softer than the other Metals. Not to mention the Fact that Gold is More Expensive (like 3-4 Times the Price of other Metals). This is why Gold is Dying out for Men… Other Metals that are more Durable and Cheaper and WINNING the Race!

So with Gold, it’s a Give or Take…

Price Plays a Huge Role in Deciding.

Plus, when you’re talking about White Gold (versus Yellow Gold), White Gold has to be Rhodium Plated to remain looking White. That Plating will eventually Wear off and the Ring will look Yellowish… Not so Pretty!

My Preference used to always be Gold… But not anymore. I’m leaning heavily towards Stainless Steel.

Wearing Steel is Awesome!

Plus, who doesn’t want to be “The Man of Steel“???

Steel comes in Cool Colors as well… Silver, Black, Blue… Take a Peek…

P.S. That 7mm Black Steel With Engraved Florentine Ring in the Photo Above is KILLER! :)

2) Comfort

Comfort isn’t such a Big Issue anymore with Today’s Modern Rings. Most all Men’s Rings are now Created Comfort Fit!

Comfort Fit means that the Rings are Domed or Curved on the Inside of the Shank so it feels more Comfortable on the Finger.

I wouldn’t wear a Ring that wasn’t Comfort Fit. Not only does Comfort Fit Feel better, but it’s more Durable as well! (Although if it’s too Thick, it may Hurt your Fingers when someone Shakes your Hand)

See the Difference below in a Normal (Traditional) Ring versus a Comfort Fit Band.

3) Design

I Love a Ring with a Cool Design or Pattern. And there are so many to choose from. It’s almost Mind Boggling.

See some Beautiful Designs below…

Do note that if the Design Sticks Too High Above the Ring, like Grooves, Patterns or Etchings, make sure that it Feels Smooth to the Touch!

Run your Fingers over the Design. Run the Ring over your Hand or Clothing. See if it feels Rough or Jagged, or Scratches you. If it gets Caught, I would Pass this Ring up!

A Ring that feels Rough will only Irritate the Skin, Cause Rashes, and leave Marks on your Skin.

Stick with something that’s Smoother and you won’t have to Worry about it.

One other thing to add about the Design…

Cleaning!

If the Ring has Deep Groves or Slots, it may be Difficult to Clean. Dirt will get Trapped inside the Openings and make the Ring look Dark and Dirty. So if you get a Design, look at the Pattern and see if it would become an Issue later. :)

Now the Big Topic with Design is…

Ruining the Design!

Here’s the Bummer…

If your Ring has a Continuous Design (like those shown above) that runs all the way around the Ring, and you ever need to get that Ring Re-Sized (say you Gain Weight or Lose Weight), then the Jeweler will have to Cut through that Design. Size the Ring, then Splice it all back together again. And once they do that, you’ll always be able to see the Splice (for the Pattern won’t line up anymore).

Ring Width

While we’re Talking about Design and Style, take a look at how Wide the Ring is.

Most Men’s Bands are usually 5-7mm Thick. If you get Skinnier, or Thinner than that (like 4mm), it can look too Feminine. And if you get a Ring that’s Wider than that (like 8-9-10mm), then it may be Difficult to Bend your Finger. Either way, it’s Not Cool!

So I say, stick with the Standard Thicknesses, 5-6-7mm, and it’ll Feel just Fine! :)

See many Different Millimeter Widths Below…

4) Diamonds

80% of the time, Men do NOT want Diamonds. Usually the Man gets a Diamond Ring, only because the Ladies pick it out, or they want something that “Matches“.

This is Fine. Especially since Dazzling Diamonds Rings are Very Expensive! Plus, Diamonds Rings are made differently than Plain Gold Bands. Usually Diamond Rings are Thinner, Hollowed out underneath, and NOT Comfort Fit!

So if you Buy a Ring with Diamonds in it, do check out the Mounting well. It may not be as Durable, or Substantial enough for a Rough Rugged Man!

And Speaking of Diamonds…

Diamond Quality

You may as well throw out everything you know or hear about Diamond Quality when it comes to Men’s Rings.

This is because generally, Quality doesn’t happen! Nor, does it really matter!

You see, Guys are only Concerned with the 4C’s when it comes to HER Engagement Ring. For His Band, he normally doesn’t Care if they’re High Quality or even Sparkle. He’s going to Beat it up, Bang it, get it covered with Motor Oil, Dry Wall, and Deer Guts… Quality really isn’t a Big Deal.

And let’s face it, who wants to Spend $8,000 on a Men’s Diamond Band just to have Nice Stones???

No One!

Jeweler’s know this. Designers know it. Customers know it. So usually the Quality of Diamonds you get in Men’s Rings are Pretty Low. Like I Clarity and I Color (Just like a Sailor… “Eye Eye Captain!“)

I’ve got no Problems with I Clarity, I Color in Men’s Rings. Sure you may see Black Spots, Cloudy Areas, Lines, Inclusions, or what not, but really, no one is going to Grab the Man’s Hand just to Gaze at their Pretty Little Ring. They do this with the Ladies Ring, but Not the Mans.

Plus, many Men’s Rings today have Black Diamonds (Some are CZ Stones and NOT Real Diamonds, BEWARE!) in them (See a Cool Black Diamond Wedding Band Here!), which look Cool, Masculine, and Modern.

See more Examples Below…

And one more thing about Diamonds…

How LOW Can You Go?

If your Diamonds are set down into Channels, (Channel Walls), or set LOW in the Mounting, then they are More Protected and will last longer! Diamonds that are set up high in Prongs tend to get Caught, Snagged, and Snapped off more, which means, you may Lose your Stone!

Plus… Prongs need Retipping, and the more Prongs you have, the more that Ring will Cost you!

Okay…

5) Sizing

The Default Men’s Ring Size is 10.

That’s Standard all Across America. Just about all the Jewelry Showcases carry Size 10. So if you need a Different Size, you have 2 Options:

• Size the Ring
• Special Order the Ring in the Correct Size

If your Ring can be Sized, more than likely it is Tapered on the Bottom (versus the same width all the way around), and has a “Sizing Bar“, which is a Blank Area that can be Sized. See image below…

The Rings with a Continuous Width and Design can’t be Sized. It’s ORDER TIME!

And Most Modern Metals, like Titanium, Tungsten, and Steel, CAN’T BE SIZED ANYWAY (or at least NOT Easily). Most will have to be Special Ordered (Custom Ordered) in the Right Size to Fit. Which can Take up to 2 Months to order as well!

So unless you know the “Exact” Ring Size (And both Hands are Different Sizes – your Dominant Hand will Generally be 1/2 Size Larger… And Different Styles, Thicknesses, Designs and Widths of Rings will Fit Different as well), then you should WAIT on the Sizing.

Don’t Get it Sized YET!

Give him his Ring a Couple of Months Before the Wedding. That way if it needs to be Sized or Ordered, you’ll have plenty of time to do so.

I know, I know, this RUINS the whole “Surprise“, but trust me, Men don’t really care about the “Ring Surprise“. That’s what Women Want. Men just want a Ring that Fits Good and Feels Comfortable.

Anything to make Her Happy! :)

So wait until you give him the Ring to get it Sized, because if it’s off by even 1/2 Size, or a 1/4 Size, it won’t Fit Right, it’ll Spin Around, Slip off, and get LOST!

And another Reason to make sure His Band Fits Early… If you wait until the Wedding Day, 9 times out of 10, the Ring WON’T FIT, and he’ll have to Order it anyway, which means… He’ll go MONTHS after the Wedding without wearing a Band.

“Are you Married?”

“YES!”

“Then where’s your Ring?”

See what I mean?

Lastly…

6) Engraving

Engravings are Cool. No doubt. You can put some Neat Stuff inside Rings…

• June 1st 1996
• Tim + Kelly
• Together Forever
• I Love You Honey Butt
• With Love – Steve
• Hugs & Kisses
• Are You Happy Now?
• Better Than Chocolate
• You Are My Pookie Bear
• Sucker
• You Complete Me
• Kiss Me You Fool
• Let The Journey Begin
• You Had Me At Hello

But, and here’s a BIG BUT…

I would suggest you NOT GETTING IT ENGRAVED… YET!

You see, many Women want to Size the Ring (not knowing the Exact Size) and have it Engraved with something Sweet and Sappy…

But, if he doesn’t like the Style. It doesn’t Feel Good on the Finger. Or it needs to be Sized or Custom Ordered, then that Engraving Now Causes Problems!

Why is this?

Because once a Ring has been Sized, Altered, Personalized, or Engraved, it normally VOIDS the Return or Exchange Policy!

So BEFORE you get it Engraved, give him the Ring First (in the Default Ring Size). See if he likes it.

And then if he does, take him into the Jewelry Store to get it Fitted or Ordered in the right size.

Only then is it Appropriate to get “Forever Your BOO!” Engraved!

See, now that’s How you Buy a Men’s Wedding Band!

P.S. Look at all the Really Cool Wedding Bands you can Buy for a PENNY HERE!

Cheers! :)