Men’s wedding bands are often designed with simplicity in mind, but you still have plenty of variety to choose from— especially when it comes to metals. While men’s wedding rings tend to have fewer frills in terms of detailing, they’re also available in a more diverse range of metals. You’ll find men’s wedding bands crafted from classic precious metals, like gold and platinum, but you’ll also find men’s rings that feature more unusual metals, like cobalt and black titanium.
With so many options in the metals department, it can be challenging to fully grasp the pros and cons of each. However, if you’re searching for your ideal wedding band metal, we’re here to make the selection process easier. Below, we’re going over everything you need to know about seven of the best wedding band metals for men, including what you should know about their style, durability, and price.
Gold is the most traditional option for both men’s and women’s wedding bands, but you won’t find many wedding rings that are made out of pure gold. That’s because pure gold, also called 24 karat gold or 24k gold, is too soft to be worn in jewelry. To make gold jewelry that’s strong enough to take a bit of wear and tear, you need to mix 24k gold with stronger metals, thereby creating an alloy. The karat next to the alloy denotes how much pure gold is in the alloy. The closer an alloy is to 24k, the more pure gold it contains. So, 18k yellow gold contains more pure gold than 14k yellow gold, which contains more pure gold than 10k yellow gold.
Speaking of yellow gold, that’s the first gold alloy we’ll be featuring. Made of pure gold, silver, and copper, yellow gold retains the classic sunny yellow color of pure gold. This gives the alloy a timeless, traditional appeal, ensuring a yellow gold wedding band will never go out of style. In addition to standing the test of time style-wise, yellow gold will stand the test of time in general. While it isn’t as strong as platinum or some alternative metals, yellow gold is still quite durable, making it a practical choice for a lifetime of everyday wear. Yellow gold jewelry is also easy to adjust and it retains its value very well over time, so many consider gold jewelry a good long-term investment.
In terms of price, yellow gold is less expensive than platinum but more expensive than most alternative metal options. Then, compared to other gold alloys, yellow gold will cost around the same per karat. For example, since 14k yellow gold, 14k white gold, and 14k rose gold all contain the same amount of pure gold, they’ll be priced similarly.