Wedding Ring Guide
For many people it is a life goal independent of their current relationship status, others only want it when they know the right partner at their side: marriage.
Once the engagement ring is on the fingers of the lucky ones, this goal and with it the change to the wedding ring is finally within reach. The selection of the wedding rings is an exciting process for both, because these rings mean that two lovers swear eternal allegiance to each other. What is important when buying these two rings and how can you lay the foundation for a fulfilled married life with beautiful wedding rings?
Of Tradition(s) and Modernity
The ring symbolism itself is already one of the most romantic signs of love. It stands for eternity and infinity. Just as the ring (or circle) has no beginning or end, so also the love of two people, who symbolically represent them with a wedding ring, should last forever.
The traditional wearing of the wedding ring on the ring finger is connected with the ancient belief that the ring finger of a vein leads directly to the heart. The ring thus established a direct connection to the heart, which sealed the eternal covenant of a couple with an oath of eternal faithfulness and love.
Nowadays the selection of possible wedding rings and their design is very large, since there are different materials and design possibilities. Here creativity is allowed, new materials, new engraving techniques and also an individually designed stone trimming make individual wedding rings possible. Engagement and wedding rings can of course also be worn on different ring fingers.
Order wedding rings online?
The advantages of online shopping are already known to many. In addition to fast and secure postal routes and the convenience of the shopping experience, the sheer unlimited choice is praised as a major advantage over the retail trade. Especially those who are looking for high individuality at a relatively low price will rather find it online than at the well-known jeweller around the corner. High-quality online shops built up with a lot of love strive for the most meaningful and realistic photos and videos of their wedding rings.
Determine wedding ring style
A plain ring? A fancy, unusual wedding ring model, perhaps still with coloured gemstone? The question of style plays an important role when buying wedding rings. The best way to get inspired is at every opportunity. Online you can browse through large assortments for a long time, jewellers display their most beautiful pieces in the shop window.
Wedding Ring Trends
Unusual wedding rings
Why is it always gold with diamond? Most classical and well-known wedding ring providers seem to know only the standard and perhaps still some alternatives. If you like to approach it traditionally, these wedding rings are perfect for you - but if you want to give your love an individual expression, you also need an unusual wedding ring.
Rarely chosen materials such as green gold would be a possibility where the style can still be kept traditional. Also more rarely chosen colour stones or ring designs, which one would associate otherwise rather less with wedding rings, make a beautiful, unusual wedding ring. Rings can also be individually designed by personally engraving them. In the meantime, some manufacturers have also taken up the rather unusual tastes and finished rings that have a fresh and modern design or inspire with atypical design creations.
The material question
In the past, wedding rings were almost exclusively made of gold. Only gradually did a few white gold models appear in the shop windows of jewellers. In the meantime, a whole range of materials has established itself on the market.
The choice of material is directly determined by your requirements. Which material is best suited for your wedding rings is therefore determined by your personal taste, but also by your everyday life, as each material has different properties. If you are looking for cheap wedding rings, then you should look around the stainless steel area. If robustness is the most important issue for you, then the rings should be made of tungsten or ceramic. You will find the lightest possible rings in the titanium area. And if the value of the material plays the leading role, then it should be gold or platinum. Here is a small overview of the most common materials.
Gold wedding rings
Whether white, rosé, green, multicolor or yellow gold. The most classic of all jewellery materials never goes out of fashion. The determination of the fine gold content is relevant here. You can choose between 333, 585 or 750 gold rings.
In general, it can be said that the higher the fine gold content of a wedding ring, the more prone it is to scratches. However, the value of the wedding ring also increases with the increase in the proportion of fine gold. In addition, "softer" rings can be engraved better, deeper and more detailed.
Silver wedding rings
Silver is a cheaper, but no less attractive alternative to the traditional gold ring. Silver rings are slightly more maintenance-intensive than gold rings, but can be easily cleaned in special silver baths quickly at home. 925 Sterling Silver is mixed as an alloy with other precious metals such as copper for reasons of hardness and processing.
Ceramic wedding rings
Ceramic rings are relatively new in the field of wedding rings and this although ceramic is one of the earliest materials processed by man. The material scores with its cost-effectiveness and great surface. Individual engravings are shown to their best advantage on the white or optionally black material. A stone setting can also be chosen individually. From zirconia stones to real diamonds, there are no limits to your imagination.
Titanium wedding rings
The noble silver-grey surface and the extraordinary hardness of the material predestine titanium for jewellery production. It is ultra light, harder than steel and absolutely corrosion resistant. In recent years, titanium jewellery has become increasingly popular as a material for wedding rings. This is mainly due to the extraordinary durability and hardness of the material. The material is also very popular among allergy sufferers as it is completely nickel-free. The value of titanium is measured in its degree of hardness. Due to the crowning and extraordinary lightness of the material, titanium rings are distinguished by their outstanding wearing comfort.
Tungsten Wedding Rings
Tungsten is a silver-grey heavy metal with an extraordinarily high density. This makes tungsten wedding rings extremely scratch-resistant. However, the high surface hardness also ensures a very high surface tension of the material, which increases the susceptibility to impact.
Stainless steel wedding rings
Stainless steel is one of the younger materials in the field of jewellery production. In the beginning, especially in the field of pure fashion jewellery, the material proved to be suitable for more than just processing into cheap mass products. Allergy sufferers appreciate the material because of its skin compatibility. The cheapest alternative in the field of jewellery metals is enjoying growing popularity, as more and more renowned jewellery designers are having timelessly elegant pieces of jewellery made of corrosion-resistant metal and including them in their collections.
The stone question
While wedding rings for men are kept simple and usually have no stone trimming, there are no limits to creativity with the ladies ring. Traditionally, only a white diamond is set, but several stones are quite conceivable and enjoy growing popularity. Coloured stones can also be used and positioned differently.
Diamond or coloured stone?
Today, coloured stones are rather rare in wedding rings and are therefore considered unusual. However, this was by far not always the case. Excavations show that coloured gemstones were preferred especially in the Middle Ages. Thus many finds show beautiful Citrine, Topase or fire-red rubies in the stone trimming of the former wedding rings of noble families. Even though they are the exception rather than the rule today, online jewelers also offer wedding rings with colorful stone trimmings.
The engraving question
By engraving the wedding rings, the couple has the possibility to make the rings even more individual. A personal saying can be engraved or also the name of the partner as well as e.g. a date. In general, rings can be engraved in two different ways.
Diamond engraving
This is a colourless relief engraving, which is carved into the ring (not possible with tungsten or ceramics). The tip of a diamond displaces the engraving material. The advantage of this popular engraving method is its fineness and cost-effectiveness. The disadvantage, however, is the lower depth and durability of the engraving.
Laser engraving
In the laser engraving technique, the engraving is permanently burned into the ring. The molecular surface structure of the engraving material is changed by the effect of heat and enables coloured and therefore very visible prints. The engraving method is a bit more expensive, but allows a deeper and more visible engraving of the wedding ring.
The ring size
Who has already handed over the engagement ring to his beloved, has at least in this respect one important question less to clarify. Mostly it is therefore also the gentlemen who do not even know which ring size they have. Of course, fingers develop in the course of a marriage, because everyone gets older - yet the wedding ring is bought in the current ring size. Many online jewelers offer a free fitting service. Here the customer has the possibility to try on different rings to ensure his size. Alternatively you can also visit a jeweller to determine your own ring size. Here, however, a small service price of 5-10 € should be expected.
Individualization of wedding rings
Special requests? Have a look around online. Very professionally managed online shops offer a wide range of different wedding ring models. Custom-made products by jewellers are many times more expensive in comparison. Start from a model, what comes next to your requirements and ask for changes such as thickness, width or the stone setting.
Care tips for wedding rings
Different influences can cause your wedding rings to change over time. You should take them off, for example, when washing the dishes or washing your hands. The rings should also be removed when using hand creams or in contact with perfume, deodorant hair spray, salt water or chlorinated water. Contact with these substances can cause them to deposit on the surface and change its appearance. For all work where the rings could be scratched or damaged, this should also be removed.
Gold rings can be cleaned with special gold baths or can be returned to a jeweller for cleaning. Silver rings can be cleaned with a special silver bath or given to a jeweller for cleaning. Jewellery should generally be cleaned at regular intervals. Rings without stones can be cleaned e.g. in a mild soap lye. You can also use a toothbrush to remove dirt from grooves. The wedding rings should then be dried with a cloth.
Any contact with other objects will potentially leave marks or scratches on the surface. These wear marks depend on the activities of the wearer. There is no material from which rings are made that cannot get any traces of wear or superficial scratches. Traces of wear are therefore no indication of poor workmanship or poor material quality.
Depending on the material, it is recommended that rings be refurbished after some time. The monetary effort, but should be worth the investment. Under certain circumstances it may not be possible to remove all traces of wear despite refurbishment, as this depends on the depth of the traces and the nature of the rings.
Image Sources
- Main picture bridal couple: iStock.com/Halfpoint
- Infinity symbol: iStock.com/lynxaqua
- Put on the ring: iStock.com/SimonDannhauer
- Order wedding rings online?: Eray/stock.adobe.com
- Wedding Ring Trends: Michael Svoboda/stock.adobe.com
- The Stone Question: Alle Edelsteinbilder: iStock.com/aeya
Of tradition(s) and modernity: