The Ultimate Guide to Buying Men’s Wedding Bands

It's no secret that choosing a men's wedding band comes with its own set of challenges.

It's no secret that choosing a men's wedding band comes with its own set of challenges. You need to find a wedding ring that you want to wear everyday for the rest of your life, and the chances are you want it to express who you are as a person. We've put together a guide to help you choose the perfect men's wedding ring style, so that you can show it off on the vein amoris finger, and live happily ever after.

Determine Your Budget

Getting married doesn't come cheap, which is why it is important to work out your budget when it comes to choosing yours and your fiance's wedding rings. You can either choose to buy your wedding rings in a pair and have similar styles, or have different ones of your choice. We also advise adding 10% onto your budget to cover costs you may not have catered for. If you're planning for a Winter Wedding, then check out our Christmas Wedding hacks.

Find Out Your Ring Size

Every person is different, so don't be surprised to find out that your fiance's ring size is different to yours. After you've decided how much you're going to spend on the wedding bands, it's time to find out your ring size. Before you choose a metal or style, you should get your ring size - it will save the heartbreak of finding a ring you like and realising it doesn't fit. You can find out your ring size by using our Ring Sizer guide here.

When it comes to measuring your ring size, we recommend doing it when your hands are at a mild temperature. This is because heat causes fingers to swell up, and the cold makes fingers slimmer - this means you may end up buying a ring that's too small for you!

Quite a lot of men find that they measure up between two sizes, so we recommend choosing the bigger size for comfort, just to guarantee that you'll be comfortable, especially if you're going for a wider band. Once you've determined your ring size and budget, it's time to look at other aspects!

Pick Your Metal

Choosing the metal for your men's wedding band is one of the best parts of choosing a wedding ring! Picking the type of metal you'd like for your ring is a very important factor, as it will influence the durability, cost, maintenance and aesthetic of the ring. It is also important to ensure that you choose a metal you aren't allergic to. So, sit down with your future husband/wife and discuss the following metals:

• Platinum - Platinum offers the whitest colour in terms of metal, and is the rarest. It is the most durable metal and has a constant white shine. Due to its rarity and resilience it is one of the more expensive metals.

• White Gold - White gold is made from a mix of yellow gold and white metal. White gold delivers a similar aesthetic to platinum. In order to maintain the white shine, your white gold wedding band will need to be plated with rhodium every few years.

• Yellow Gold - Yellow gold is the most traditional metal used in a wedding band, and is naturally soft.

• Silver - Silver is malleable and a much cheaper alternative to other metals. It is also the most common precious metal.

• Rose Gold - Rose gold is a mix of gold, silver, copper and other alloys. This is one of the more popular metals at the moment.

• Palladium - Palladium features a dark grey shine that's hard to mimic from other metals. It is part of the platinum family but much cheaper. It is also resistant to corrosion.

Men's Wedding Ring Styles

Decide on the Wedding Band Profile

Once you've determined the metal, ring size and budget it is time to choose your ring profile. There are a variety of classic wedding ring profiles to choose from, and in all honesty this factor is just as important as knowing your ring size. Finding the perfect wedding ring profile ensures maximum comfort. So what are these ring profiles?

Classic Court Wedding Band

A court style men's wedding ring is one of the most common shapes, alongside a D-Shaped wedding band. The classic court profile features both rounded interiors and exteriors, giving the aesthetic of a nearly rounded ring, Because of this, it is arguably one of the most comfortable rings to wear.

D-Shaped Wedding Ring

A D-Shaped men's wedding band is the second most popular ring profile and holds similarities to the Classic Court profile. This ring boasts a flat interior and rounded exterior - much like the letter ‘D'. If you want something traditional but with a better fitting, then we recommend the D-Shape profile.

Flat Rings

If you want something completely different to a classic court men's wedding ring, then why not consider the flat ring? It must be mentioned that this ring isn't suitable for men who lead an active lifestyle or have a practical job, as this type of ring will catch on machinery.

Flat Court

The flat court ring features the exterior of a flat ring with the comfortable rounded interior of a classic court, and it's very popular with men right now. This streamlined design leans more towards the modern side. If you prefer something more refined with a cleaner finish, then this streamlined design is perfect for you.

Bevelled

The bevelled profile features a flat interior with a slightly angled exterior with two edges. If you're looking for a striking wedding band where light can bounce and create a luminous shine, then the bevelled profile is for you. However, if you want a thinner ring then this profile will not suit, as it requires a wider band.

Concave

The concave profile showcases a curved outer surface and has a much more elegant aesthetic. The interior of the ring is the same as the interior of the court profile, so you'll be guaranteed to have a beautiful and comfortable ring.

Choose the Width

Now that you've worked out your budget, ring size, metal and profile it is time to look at the width of your wedding ring. The average size of a men's wedding band sits between 5mm - 7mm. If your finger size is under 9.0 then we recommend a 6mm ring so that it doesn't over power your fingers.

The best way to make a decision on the size of your men's wedding band is to go and try the different band widths. That way you can get comfortable and see what will suit you.

Decide on a Style

Men's wedding bands being set with brilliant diamonds and other gemstones is becoming much more common, and it really is up to you. Whether you want a plain, patterned, matte or polished ring with a shining finish, the choice is yours. Remember, your wedding band should reflect your personality and you and your spouse as a couple.

Get in touch with one of our experts today to discuss your wedding ring wants and needs.