While choosing the wedding ring, a bride needs to consider several aspects and the material for the ring is one of the most important. Traditionally gold is the first choice when a metallic ring is concerned. But gone are the days when brides wanted something sparkling on their fingers; this is the time when even a material like wood is one of the most popular wedding ring materials. If you pay a visit to Northwood Rings, you will be amazed to see the extensive range of options you can get for your wooden wedding rings, which add classy uniqueness to your bridal ensemble. Varieties of wood like rosewood, ebony, English oak, maple, mahogany and many more are made into splendid wedding rings with the adornment of gold, silver and natural sand inlay, gemstones, metal accents and every beautiful design you can imagine. Here is a list of materials you can choose so as to suit your needs to get a perfect wedding ring for you.
Gold
Gold is the time-honored material not only for wedding rings but for all types of jewelry. Because of its unmatched glow, it is attracting mankind and especially women since ages, for being made into jewelry. 9 carat gold is of lowest value because it contains many other non-precious metals with around 37.5% of gold. As a result it tends to tarnish over time. 18 and 22 carat gold is more expensive because of the higher percentage of gold they contain. In general, gold rings are more prone to scratches than other harder metals and can become thinner over time.
White Gold
White gold is a material which carries the prestige of gold, the glowing white color of silver and a lower cost than platinum. No wonder, it is extremely popular. But you have to remember that it needs quite a lot of maintenance. Its downside is rhodium coating because of which you get that silvery glow wears off pretty easily. This means that you will have to make regular visits to jeweler to get a new coating done.
Silver
By and large, silver is a preferred material more for fashion jewelry than for wedding rings, because of its inexpensive looks, tendency to get scratches easily and wear thin, and tendency of its sparkle to look dull over time. Silver reacts quickly with the acid containing in human sweat and so, silver rings get a tarnished darkened appearance over time. It can be removed, however again it means regular visits to jeweler.
Wood
Believe it or not, wood is a wonderful material for wedding rings and is getting quite popular nowadays because of its uniqueness, style, economy and eco-friendliness. Moreover it denotes a commitment to the Earth and to each other too! Wooden wedding rings can be crafted in endless ways and can be added the adornment of various types of inlays and gemstones. In short, they look equally high-profile as gold and other metallic rings. Especially for brides having metal allergy, wooden rings are like a boon. Their downside is they cannot match the durability of metals. Also they are difficult to keep clean and have no intrinsic value.
Titanium
Titanium is a comparatively new material for wedding rings, but is fast getting popularity, because of its durability and strength.
Tungsten
You might have studied about titanium in your school days that it is used to make the thin filament in electric bulbs. But the same material is getting popularity in the wedding ring market too, because of its super hardness, resistance to scratches and durability. Moreover, despite that fact that it is not as glorious as gold or platinum, it keeps its shiny appearance for years. But keep in mind that a tungsten ring cannot be resized and it becomes impossible to remove it in emergency – the only option is to break the ring.
Stainless Steel
Actually stainless steel should be an apt material for wedding rings, because its durability is excellent and it is rust-free, giving an elegant appearance for years. But it has not gained much popularity. However experts are of opinion that as the precious metals will become scarce, stainless steel will become popular. Stainless steel is rust-free but some signs of scratches are seen on it, which is a trifle shortcoming.
If you keep this information in mind while shopping your wedding ring, you can make a more educated decision according to the properties of ring materials, prices, looks and your requirements.