Picking the appropriate wedding jewellery can be quite a hassle for a young would-be groom. This is not to say that women have an easier time picking out their wedding jewellery – after all, there is a much, much wider range of choice available for a woman to choose from than for a man; however, on the whole, it is probably fair to say that women have a pretty simple formula when it comes to picking their wedding ring. Generally, they just choose what metal they want the ring to be made out of (gold, white gold, etc), and what style they want the diamond to be (cushion cut, princess cut, etc). Once they’ve made these two decisions, the process is simple – just go for the largest diamond you can afford.
For men, however, the choice is much more nuanced. For one thing, jewellery is always harder for men, because men are not allowed to wear too much jewellery. Generally, things like necklaces and bracelets are seen as more suited to feminine characteristics than to masculine ones – so much so that it is frowned upon for men to wear jewellery that is too flashy or ostentatious. Generally, the rule for men is that their jewellery should be more functional than dressy. Of course, mens wedding bands are entirely non-functional; generally, however, less is more. Most high-end jewellery houses make mens bands as muted as possible.
This, of course, poses a problem for men who are looking for wedding ring sets – they need to find something that is capable of withstanding regular use, but can also look good in a more formal setting, with a suit or tuxedo. This is not as easy as one might imagine. Generally, it is a good idea to get something that is as versatile as possible, and to stay away from softer metals, such as pure gold. A good alternative is white gold wedding rings which is nowhere near as pure as 24k yellow gold. White gold is an alloy, a mix of gold and other metals, which means that the other metals strengthen the gold, making it resistant to regular everyday use. White gold also has a very sophisticated look and can be seen as both more formal and more informal than yellow gold, meaning it is versatile – largely, this versatility is the main reason white gold remains the more popular choice.
The other key concern, of course, is price. With the current economic climate affecting all of us, and unemployment as high as it is, it is sometimes better to postpone the purchase of an expensive wedding band for a few years, and just get a makeshift one for the moment. If you are a frugal young man who is concerned about spending too much on their rings, do not worry: there are plenty of options out there when it comes to cheap wedding bands. Tungsten for example, has become quite popular; they have a very unique look to them, particularly the more interesting variants such as black tungsten, which looks more exotic and sophisticated than far more expensive metals, such as platinum or rhodium. Tungsten is a logical choice for men but not something you would think of when choosing a wedding band for a woman, although it’s appearance is elegant it is still thought of as more of an industrial metal and not necessarily a precious metal.
As another example of a cheaper metal, titanium wedding bands for men are one of the most sought-after new options. Titanium is a very unique metal – it is very, very strong but also very light and comfortable, resulting in the perfect mix of qualities for a wedding band that will be worn on a regular basis.
If you’re finding choosing a set a little daunting there are a few things you should keep in mind, think about your lifestyle, choose a ring that will accommodate it, do you do a lot of gardening or outdoor activities? If so, don’t choose anything too dainty, a style that suits a rough and tumble individual is more important. Are you individualistic? If likely don’t want a plain jane style, something with a unique style is more up your alley.
Comfort, do you wear a lot of jewellery? If not, you need to make sure you ring fits like a glove sort of speak. Budget, if money is an issue you’ll likely want to stick to a lower karat and stay away from higher karats, the higher the karat the higher the cost. Choosing your metal, do you prefer yellow or white gold? White gold tends to go with more clothing but can cost slightly more.