From the Irish Claddagh, to Eastern European puzzle rings, there are many styles and traditions. However one constant remains. The wedding ring symbolizes the bond between the bride and groom. The strength of the metal represents the strenght of the bond that is created when the bond of marriage is formed.

Most commonly made of gold, other materials are now popular. Silver, either for the color or cost remains popular, and Platinum has long been a popular alternative gold with its brilliant white color and durability.

Simple bands are most popular, but some carving or embellishment is quite common. The French traditionally have a 3 ring, design that symbolizes faith, hope and love. Other European cultures sometimes prefer a puzzle ring design that requires the husband to re-assemble the ring before he can put it back on his finger.

Lifestyle may help determine some of the options when it comes to rings. Simple bands, made of gold or other materials, may be best for active lifestyles. Least likely to catch or snag, the mountain climber or sailor, who handle lots of ropes or the mechanic who puts their hands into machinery may want to wear a very simple ring, or remove it during work.

Wedding Rings - Metals

Of course, the most commonly used metal for wedding rings is gold. Whether white or yellow gold, it is certainly the number one choice. The gold used in wedding bands is not pure. As with most gold used in jewelry it is commonly mixed with other metals to make it hard enough.

In the case of yellow gold it is mixed with copper and silver to give it the rich yellow gold color and at the same time make it durable enough to withstand the life of a wedding ring.

In the case of white gold, it was traditionally mixed with nickel, however, many people have shown a slight allergic reaction to this mixture or alloy, so white gold is now often made with silver or palladium. Then, to really make the ring white, it is usually plated in rhodium to give it a bright white color. The rhodium plating will need to be re-done every 1-3 years or so, depending on how rough it is treated.

That brings us to platinum. If you really want a bright white, but don’t want to deal with having the coating re-applied every couple of years, platinum is a great choice. Bright white and very durable, platinum rings are usually a bit more expensive for 2 reasons. First, platinum is more expensive than gold. The materials used to make the ring cost the jeweler more. Also, platinum is harder and required more effort to work (melt and carve), so making the ring is a little more difficult.

Recently, some other metals have been making inroads into the wedding ring family.

Stainless steel is becoming increasingly popular, especially with the sporty and rugged set. Depending on the finish it can be shiny or burnished and it can also be cast in interesting shapes or carved. The metal is so hard, that prices can rise as the complexity of the ring increases, but it is very durable.

Titanium and tungsten have also become popular. They are very hard metals and there have been some claims about the safety of tungsten rings. Some have claimed that hospital equipment is not able to cut them in the case of an emergency, while others have disputed this. Titanium and tungsten, being very hard, are extremely durable and able to withstand very rough treatment.