Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Today's Wedding Rings for Men are Stylish and Practical

By Kim Allarie

Not too long ago, most men who got married wore a simple gold wedding band to mark the occasion. These days there are more choices in men's wedding rings than ever before. Platinum, titanium and tungsten have entered the scene. The traditional look is still available, but the choices are now a lot broader.

Think about traditional men's wedding rings. They're usually yellow gold, or even white gold. Sometimes they have a subtle pattern etched in. They're stylish, classic and attractive.

Then there's the opposite extreme. For example, a contemporary tungsten band is ultra-hard and lightweight. It's perfect for those looking for an attractive, reasonably priced ring that stands up well to abuse. They're highly scratch resistant and can polish to a high sheen that looks a lot like silver.

Another favorite these days is titanium. There are two kinds of titanium: black and light. Both are lightweight, durable and make for a stylish choice in a wedding ring.

Light titanium is gray in color and can be polished to a fine sheen. It can be inlaid with a stripe of yellow gold or crowned with a diamond that matches the woman's ring.

Genuine black titanium is produced by a special manufacturing process that creates a uniform color throughout. You'll never have to have it re-plated and it won't show scratches.

But your options in a men's wedding ring today go beyond just the choice of metal. These days, a lot of men are choosing a band that's narrower than the more traditional styles. For people interested in an attractive and discreet ring, this thin, lightweight style is ideal.

Many men's rings these days also feature inlaid gems such as sapphires, diamonds and rubies. And the quality of the stone is just as important as it is in a woman's ring. Color, clarity and cut are all important.

To sum it up, a good example of a modern men's wedding ring is a narrow platinum band with a small oval diamond. Many men these days will wear a ring of this type. That's because they're much more style conscious than generations past.

All the attributes of the best wedding rings continue to be incorporated into modern designs. Scratch resistance, durability and other qualities remain important. But added to these is a whole new world of style options for men's wedding rings. - 16651

About the Author: