Wedding Ring Buying Tips

Before buying a wedding ring there are perhaps 6 factors you should consider

• The cost
• The metal type
• Whether you want diamonds
• The fit (profile) of the ring
• How it will be worn (daily exposure)
• Allergies

Cost

Cost is really dependant on all the other factors explained below. However, it is usually cost or budget that dictates what is affordable.

Type of Metal

Gold has traditionally been the most popular metal for wedding rings, however, there are a number of other metals that wedding rings are made from such as Platinum, Palladium, Titanium, Tungsten, and Sterling Silver. Within the last decade, platinum has become very popular and within the last few years palladium, which appears like platinum but at a much lower cost. Fairly recently a new generation of “alternative” metals, Titanium and Tungsten, have become quite popular, both for their cheapness and durability in terms of wear and tear are particularly suited for men’s wear. Lastly, Sterling Silver still remains quite popular due to the fact that it is still one of the most attractive metals and one of the least expensive.

Diamonds

Diamond wedding rings come in many different styles, but all bear similarities in their construction. Whatever their style there is a premium to be paid for the diamond content and significantly the size of the individual diamonds used in their construction. Due attention should also be given to how it will look next to an engagement ring – ideally, it should compliment and enhance the look of the engagement ring and be comfortable when both worn together. The most common form of a diamond wedding ring is the channel set where the diamonds are held between two long tracks within the ring – diamond shapes usually being round brilliant cut diamonds or princess cuts.

Fit of the Ring

There are different styles of rings that have different fits, known as profiles, to accommodate different fingers and other necessities. For example, there is the Court Shaped (or Comfort Fit) wedding ring which has rounded edges to provide a very comfortable fit. See here for further details.

Daily Exposure

Think about what you do with your hands on a daily basis. If for example, you are someone who does manual work with their hands on a daily basis, you might want a ring that is extremely strong and very difficult to scratch, such as Palladium. If on the other hand you work in an office or simply do not expose your hands to harsh conditions, you can choose just about any metal type and not worry about your ring.

Allergies to Metals

It is not uncommon for people to say that they are “allergic” to some types of metals. 9ct and 18ct gold wedding rings all have other metals mixed in such as nickel, palladium along with others. It is usually the additional metals added to gold that reacts with their skin leading to a rash. The only way around such allergies is to choose a purer metal such as Platinum or Palladium. Both (amongst others) are considered “hypoallergenic”.

At The Wedding Ring Company, we believe in helping you to the best of our abilities. We believe we have a range of stock to suit most people but we realise we can’t cater for everyone’s taste. However, we are not constrained by our main stock range, if you see something on our site that’s almost right then contact us and let us know what you would like and we’ll change it for you. Conversely, if you don’t see anything you like but have an idea in mind then talk to us – if it’s practical we’ll make it for you, the cost is not necessarily prohibitive.