In this day and age, the variety of materials used for men’s wedding bands is almost as plentiful as the number of different styles available. In recent years, the popularity of contemporary metals – such as tungsten carbide, titanium, stainless steel and cobalt chrome – has increased dramatically. Although these modern materials do have their advantages, many people believe that nothing can quite compare to men’s wedding bands made from one of the precious metals: gold, platinum, silver or palladium.
You may pay a bit more for some of the rings made of precious metals, but these wedding bands offer a number of benefits that make them worth your consideration.
Precious Metals Are The Traditional Choice:
Although gold remains the perennial favorite for men’s wedding bands, all of the precious metals can be considered more traditional choices than contemporary materials. The beauty of platinum’s rich, silvery luster is unmistakable. If your groom loves the white metal look but platinum is a little out of your price range, consider a ring made from either sterling silver or palladium, both of which are more reasonably priced than platinum. Palladium is a member of the platinum group metals and can be considered a sister metal of sorts to platinum, although it is more lightweight and somewhat more durable. Sterling silver is the most economical choice out of the precious metals, and a higher quality sterling alloy called Argentium silver is a great option for those who want a more tarnish-resistant and durable silver ring.
Precious Metals Can Be Resized
Unlike most of the contemporary materials, men’s wedding bands made from any of the precious metals can be resized should his ring size change in the future. This can be especially important for a piece of jewelry like a wedding band, which your husband will wear each and every day. It’s not unusual for someone’s ring size to change at least once throughout the course of the next several years. When it does, a wedding band made from any of the precious metals can be resized accordingly.
Precious Metal Jewelry Is Often A Good Investment
This is particularly true of gold, which has been steadily growing in value over the last ten years. Platinum, the rarest of the precious metals used in jewelry, also holds a very real value, although it is considered to be more of a volatile investment than gold. This is because platinum is heavily used in other industries, and depending on the current industrial need the price of platinum can be up or down. Regardless of which metal you choose, when purchasing a precious metal wedding band as an investment, make sure to take metal purity into account. You’ll want to look at the higher karat grades of gold like 18K or 22K (pure 24K gold is generally too soft to wear as a wedding band) and 950 (95% pure) platinum or palladium.
Precious Metal Wedding Bands Can Be More Easily Restored
Although all types of jewelry can be repaired to a certain extent if they become worn or damaged, it’s much easier to find a professional jeweler who restores rings and other pieces made from precious metals. These metals also lend themselves much more readily to the restoration process – whether it involves reshaping the ring, restoring its original luster or adding additional material to reinforce the piece.
Precious Metal Jewelry Can Become An Heirloom
Many people want to be able to pass down jewelry from one generation to the next, particularly women and men’s wedding bands. Although you could certainly do this no matter what material the jewelry is made of, the fact that precious metals are more valuable than contemporary materials makes a ring made of gold or platinum, for example, perfect to pass along to your children or grandchildren as an heirloom. Remember, also, that because precious metals can be resized, it makes it much more likely that lucky recipient of the heirloom will be able to have the wedding band resized so it can actually be worn.
When it comes time to select the ring that your future groom will wear every day for the rest of his life, why not choose the very best? Whether it’s gold, platinum, sterling silver or palladium, a wedding band made of precious metal is sure to be one piece of jewelry that your man – and possibly your children or grandchildren – will treasure for years to come.
