While it was once not fashionable for a man to wear a wedding ring, now choosing the right ring for the man of your dreams is a major decision you will have to make.

Men's wedding rings and bands did not become the traditional thing to wear until the last century or so. This was mostly because jewellery was not something that men wore on a regular basis.

For many men, wearing a ring - in some occupations - could present a danger if the ring became entangled on machinery or equipment.

Wedding rings and bands for men tends to be wider, but other than that there are no hard and fast rules about what a man's ring should look like.

There are plain gold bands, bands that contain diamonds and precious stones and bands made of platinum and titanium. One thing that is common in wedding rings for men is that they usually do not have a raised stone - again for practical reasons.

Although gold was the common metal used in wedding rings, contemporary wedding rings are often made of platinum or titanium. Both of these metals have advantages when used in a wedding ring for a man.

Men's Gold Wedding Rings

Yellow gold in a wedding ring is the most traditional metal because it was seen as a symbol of wealth and warmth. The mark inside the ring will tell you the carat, which is the quality of the gold. For men that work with their hands, 10k or 14k is the best choice as they are much stronger than higher carat weights such as 18k or 24k.

White gold is also another option when it comes to a wedding band. It coordinates perfectly with silver or platinum jewellery. While it is more expensive that a sterling silver ring, it looks like platinum, but is not as expensive.

Men's Platinum Wedding Rings

Many men are now choosing to wear platinum wedding rings because of the qualities of this metal. Platinum has a white lustre that really does show off any diamonds in the ring to perfection.

It is 95% pure as compared to 75% purity in gold. As a result, the platinum does not scratch or tarnish so that it will look just as good on your 25th Wedding Anniversary as it does on your Wedding Day.

Platinum is also a hypo-allergenic material so that normally anyone can wear this metal with no allergic reactions.

Men's Titanium Wedding Rings

Titanium wedding rings are light weight and the metal makes it easy to wear on a daily basis.

Titanium is a newer form of metal used in mens wedding rings. This metal is not an alloy. It is a naturally occurring metal that is extremely hard - much stronger than either gold or silver. It is also lightweight, resistant to corrosion and is hypoallergenic. There are many men who do have an allergy to wearing gold or silver. Titanium makes an excellent choice.

There is a wide range of colors in titanium - the traditional color of course is silver. You can also have a choice of finishes in titanium depending on your individual style - matte, satin or polished.

Black titanium wedding rings are perhaps the most contemporary of all rings made from this metal and these rings can also contain diamonds or other precious gemstones.

Published with permission (FCDMInc)