What to spend on a man’s wedding ring.
The bulk of wedding preparations and choices traditionally fall squarely in the lap of the bride – exactly how both men and women like it. From the color of the flowers to the food at the celebration to the matching wedding bands, the conventional approach grooms have tended to adopt has been, “Whatever you say, honey.” They have limited their input to more important matters like what alcohol, and how much, will be served. And, of course, the cost.
Jewellery has never been the realm of the average male, and wedding bands were no exception. There has been a sea change of late, however; as increasingly companies have adopted a more male-centric path to both their advertising and marketing.
We explain why here
The observable result of this shift has been that wedding bands, which conventionally were slightly outside the scope of responsibilities that most men wanted to take on have now become less daunting for them. Where before the groom largely simply acquiesced to his bride’s selection, the groom of today is spoilt for choice himself – a wide selection of rings are available that allow him to indulge while also letting him assert his masculinity.
Shopping as a couple, most bride- and grooms-to-be will be able to choose rings that factor in value and form at a starting price of about $200 for a tungsten wedding ring to about $600 for a simple, unadorned gold band band. The average price of a woman’s wedding band is said to be about $4,000, though, and prices go into five figure sums.
Men’s rings tend to be less expensive, mainly due to the fact that they are less intricate and so require less workmanship. A major factor which jewellers don’t tell you that goes into the pricing is the emotion or emphasis that men place on a wedding ring there to signify the wedding while for women its more a statement.
The average gold men’s wedding ring costs about $500 for a 7mm piece with a simple, unadorned finish in 9ct. Of course, thinner bands made of gold would cost considerably less – a 3mm ring could come in at half that price. On the other hand, the price of platinum rings is approximately 25% more than that of 18k yellow gold as a general guide.
Wedding bands for the modern man are no longer just the traditional gold or platinum or silver. More exotic materials like titanium, palladium, cobalt and tungsten are coming of age in the male wedding band market. Their appeal to men lies in their practicality, purpose and sometimes a quieter sheen that speaks volumes.
These materials do generally tend to be less expensive than those of the traditional gold and platinum. Why? Because the true purpose of a ring is to signify the wedding and one can choose the way one wants to express it. These contemporary metals( tungsten, titanium, etc) were designed to be industrial or engineering metals due to their practical applications such as strength, scratch resistance and high melting point, etc which can be perfectly adapted to make a wedding ring that needs very little maintenance.
Palladium, another metal that we have is slightly higher in price compared to the other alternatives such as tungsten and titanium. Palladium falls under the category of platinum sister group and is still considered a semi noble metal and is whiter and brighter in comparison to platinum. The price is generally lesser than that of 18ct.
The price of a simple men’s wedding rings made of titanium or tungsten can be as low as $200 This will give you an unadorned, glossy band with a smooth finish. Exotic designs, with inlays of gold or other precious metals will increase the price, as will colored enamel inlays which are usually a feature of grooved rings. The average price of titanium men’s wedding rings tends to be in the $300 to $400 range. Expect to pay approximately 50% more for the same designs in black or blue titanium.
Tungsten carbide rings, an alloy made of tungsten and carbon is one of the most durable options available to men, and their cost is just as appealing –well-worked pieces cost around $500 each, but there are options for as low as $200. Tungsten carbide rings are virtually scratch-proof in normal circumstances retain their sheen without the need for polishing, and can be summed up as the no maintenance wedding ring which perhaps explains their growing popularity among men.
Ultimately, the price of a man’s wedding ring should be determined by one factor above all others – an affordability that matches your lifestyle.
Simply Suave’s men’s wedding rings cater to every preference of design and material you could desire, and to every budget. – If we don’t already have the perfect piece waiting for you, we will make it. During my years as a jewellery salesperson I used to try this line with great success when men were buying for themselves but not when they were shopping for their girlfriends/wives( due to a fear of return)
It is not always the pedigree of the object, but the delight that it brings.
Check our all Mens Wedders here All Mens Wedders. Read History of Mens Wedding Rings History of Mens Wedders.