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It isn’t often you hear a couple say they’re shopping for men’s engagement rings, but in reality the concept isn’t so new. The more “hip” and urban the couple, the more likely they are to look for gender equity in their choice of wedding jewelry. Instead of relying on the gender roles of their parents’ generation, newly engaged couples want to begin their marriages as equal partners. This doesn’t necessarily mean that women are “proposing” to men with an engagement ring – although it could mean that – but rather that both parties should agree to wear one. Some men will reject the idea of wearing an “engagement ring” unless their fiancé presents the ring as an engagement gift. Then, it is usually accepted and proudly worn on the right ring finger. However, with the widening acceptance of men’s engagement rings - and mounting pressure on men to wear one - many will compromise by wearing a unique or alternative engagement band on the left hand. In order to fully understand why guys often balk at men’s engagement rings, it’s important to consider the reasons why they buy women an engagement ring in the first place. For one, an engagement ring on a woman’s left ring finger tells the world she is “taken”, “spoken for”, or otherwise “off the market”. A second reason is the message that a ring sends about the giver’s buying power. When you consider the difference in price between a ¼ carat diamond and a 2.5 carat solitaire from Tiffany, a diamond engagement ring can say a lot about a couple’s wealth. When women buy men’s engagement rings, they are less concerned about social status and “ownership” and more interested in a genuine expression of their loving relationship. Since a man’s engagement ring is usually a plain or minimally embellished band, it isn’t always obvious that it’s an engagement ring. Except for the fact that it is worn on the left ring finger, it might easily be mistaken for a fashion ring. That’s why some women prefer to have the ring inscribed with the upcoming wedding date, a loving phrase, or a special symbol of their love. A sterling silver “Forever” ring or a men’s promise ring will often suffice as a men’s engagement ring, but most couples opt for a something a little more substantial. Men’s engagement rings can look a lot like wedding rings, or they can look completely different. The only rule here is that “there are no rules!” So if you are considering an engagement ring there are many different options available. You can look at bands with a single colored gemstone, like a ruby, sapphire or diamond, or you can opt for a plain gold band with a meaningful inscription. Many couples look for engagement rings that have a similar look without actually matching. Others want a ring made of polished titanium or tungsten because it will maintain its lustrous shine. The truth is, once you get past the initial hesitation about wearing men’s engagement rings, the concept makes a lot of sense. After all, when a couple gets engaged, they are both “off the market”, and they both will wear a wedding band some day, so why not start now with his and hers engagement rings?
Romance is in the air around Christmas, and it is a time when many couples get engaged. Whether you plan to have a spring wedding or your nuptials are still a long way off, once the planning begins things can get a little hectic. After you have set a date, chosen a location, purchased a gown, figured out the guest list and hired a photographer, your attention may turn to the choice of wedding jewelry. The purchase of rings used to be more exciting for women than it was for men, but the tables have turned over the past few years. Most couples are surprised to learn about how many different men’s wedding bands are now available.
The trouble with visiting a retail jewelry store is that you rarely hear anything negative about the rings you like best. If you are looking at white gold men’s wedding bands, the jeweler will tell you those are the best choice, and if your attention turns to palladium or platinum, then you can count on them telling you that these are an “awesome choice” too. It is hard to be objective in such a setting. That’s why when it comes to men’s wedding bands; it helps to figure out which metal or style you like best and then shop online to compare prices.
You may already be familiar with some of the traditional metals, such as yellow gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver. But the latest styles in men’s wedding bands are also made from non-traditional metals like titanium, tungsten and cobalt chrome. The styles being shown today are more than just the standard domed-profile rings. Many of them have black or gold carbon fiber insets; others are made from black titanium or black stainless steel, or a contemporary two-tone finish. You will find titanium rings with cable insets, grooved and carved tungsten rings, designer cobalt chrome rings, stainless steel mesh rings and much, much more.
Deciding on a ring may also come down to price, and many men are amazed at how affordable these newer metals are. For example, if you shop online you can find a gorgeous tungsten carbide ring in almost any style for less than $75, and a surprising selection of handsome titanium rings for under $60. When you compare this to the price of 18K gold or platinum, alternative men’s wedding bands are even more attractive.
As you start to plan for your big day, there is no need to save the choice of wedding rings for last. Choosing rings together, as a couple, can be one of the most romantic times of your engagement. Instead of being bored by standard looking men’s wedding bands, be prepared to be dazzled by the vast selection of unique and alternative rings.
When one gazes long enough at any piece of art, images emerge that stir the imagination; they can even ignite curiosity about the artist’s intention. Such is the case with men’s cable rings. Even though these alternative men’s rings may seem like just another jewelry trend to some, they have a way of recalling the grit and glamour of America’s Industrial Age.
In case you’re wondering what wire cable has to do with industrial innovation, or for that matter jewelry, let’s take a look back in time at when the first cable car system was tested by Andrew Halladie in 1873.
Before his first cable car neared the top of Nob Hill in San Francisco, Halladie was already using wire rope in his designs for a suspension bring across the American River in Sacramento. And he was the first to implement wire rope cables for pulling heavy ore cars on tracks out of underground mines. These are just a few of the images that come to mind when looking at today’s collections of men’s cable rings.
Industry has found even more applications for custom cable assemblies since the late 19th century, including the operation of missile systems, commercial aircraft and space missions. High performance cable plays an important role in motion control and industrial automation, where it operates robotic equipment and keeps industrial manufacturing systems moving. From the earliest wire suspension bridges and cable cars to mission critical aerospace applications, wire cable has been a key player from the start. Maybe this explains why men’s cable rings are such an appealing symbol of masculinity and strength.
First created by the Edward Mirrell Jewelry Company as part of their “Cable Sport” collection, men’s cable rings have one or two narrow wire cables running through the center of an otherwise polished ring. Since their introduction, men’s cable rings have become so fashionable so quickly that they’re now being copied by practically every designer. The Edward Mirrell Company uses black titanium memory cable to create these rings, a resilient material that is also used in medical stents because it always returns to the shape in which it was set.
Some of the more popular varieties of men’s cable rings are made from durable stainless steel and titanium, and while they are more commonly worn as fashion rings, the polished titanium version makes an eye-catching alternative wedding ring.
Another stylish way to wear men’s cable rings is in a monochromatic design which pairs glossy black titanium with two natural colored cables, separated by a strip of black titanium. Also popular is a slightly domed titanium ring with a contrasting black cable inset and single cubic zirconium.
No matter how you choose to wear this new braided wire style, men’s cable rings are made for men who want a masculine-looking ring, with a “twist”.
When it comes to the latest technology - like Blu-Ray players, HDTV and Apple iPad - men have a tendency to be “early adopters”. This means they generally want to be the first on their block with the latest gadget or toy. So it came as no surprise to jewelry designers when men readily accepted the concept of men’s titanium wedding rings and jumped on board with the trend.
While the purchase of a wedding ring may not be quite as exciting as a new smart phone or flat-screen TV, research shows that men are more likely to accept a new product when it offers something better than the old one. Nowhere is this more evident than in the meteoric rise of men’s titanium wedding rings. In this case, the “old” product is a traditional gold band and the new one is titanium, a space-age metal that has recently entered the marketplace. Gold is still an attractive choice for men with more conservative tastes, of course, but the early adopters are ready for something new.
You may be thinking to yourself, “titanium is not new,” and you would be right about that, since it has been used for decades to make airplane propellers and human prosthetic joints, but it is relatively new as a jewelry metal. It has joined other industrial metals, like tungsten and stainless steel, to become one of the hottest new jewelry materials for fashion rings and wedding bands.
So why are so many men choosing titanium over gold and other metals?
For the most part, men choose rings made from a titanium alloy because it’s so much stronger than traditional metals. Known as the element “Ti” on the periodic table, titanium offers superb tensile strength, hardness, and durability while being relatively lightweight. Therefore, when the aircraft grade of this metal is used for men’s titanium wedding bands, it is strong enough to withstand the rigors of daily wear. When you consider how much less expensive it is than gold and platinum, it’s no wonder men have gravitated to this extraordinary metal.
Besides being used to make men’s titanium wedding rings, titanium is also a popular choice for fashion rings. Tension-set diamond rings, where a diamond is mounted in the open circle of a titanium band, are another excellent use of this strong jewelry metal. Titanium can also be paired with other metals, such as a gold inlay, for a unique two-toned look. Or, it can be anodized with color in electrolyte solutions and made into black titanium rings; a look that is all the rage in contemporary men’s jewelry.
No matter what your reasons for choosing a men’s titanium wedding ring; one thing is certain: it will look terrific for many years to come and it makes the ideal expression of your everlasting love. Not only that, you may be the first on your block to get one!
If you’ve spent time any time shopping for men’s rings recently, you may have noticed the number of new and different metals now competing for your business. Gone is the era when 14K yellow gold “ruled the day” in men’s rings. Gold prices are on the rise, which means even the more “industrial-type” metals are being used for fashion rings and alternative wedding bands. The result? Men have more choices than ever.
A more recent entrant into this crowded marketplace is garnering a fair share of the attention these days and deservedly so. Men’s cobalt chrome rings offer the color of platinum and the durability of tungsten with the weight of white gold, making them an attractive choice for any man. They also beat many other popular metals on price.
As someone who knows a lot about men’s jewelry, specifically rings, I’ve seen several new “alternative” metals introduced on a regular basis over the past few years. First there was titanium, a very strong industrial metal that is slightly darker than silver and practically weightless on the finger. Then there was tungsten, which is a lot heavier than titanium and popular for its scratch resistance and durability. These were soon followed by stainless steel, which is relatively new to the world of men’s wedding rings but has many of the same strengths as other industrial metals. Pair these with the existing “traditional” jewelry metals of gold, platinum and silver, as well as alloy metals like palladium, and you can see how crowded the marketplace has become. But stop the presses - another trend is on the horizon, and it is men’s cobalt chrome rings. Seemingly overnight, these remarkable rings have landed on the hands of men all over the world, and they are getting very high marks.
When I first started hearing about men’s cobalt chrome rings, I figured they must be a lot like other industrial metals – such as titanium, tungsten and stainless steel. But cobalt chrome is different. As mentioned earlier, it has the polished brilliance of platinum, hence the word “chrome,” the same strength and durability as tungsten and titanium - without being too heavy or too light – and a scratch-resistant surface that won’t tarnish, fade or chip. Who could ask for anything more, right? Men’s cobalt chrome rings are also hypoallergenic, resizable and bio-compatible.
All these great features aside, I’m convinced that men’s cobalt chrome rings are so popular because of how much they look like platinum. And they are not just like that when they’re new. Cobalt rings stay as brilliant as platinum forever because their radiance doesn’t come from a shiny plated surface; it comes from the metal itself. In fact, to the untrained eye it is almost impossible to tell which one is which. It is the price of these rings that really sets them apart. Most of the men’s cobalt rings I’ve seen are less than $200.
So, before you write off men’s cobalt chrome rings as “just another industrial metal” entering the jewelry market, try one for yourself. This metal is so special that it wouldn’t surprise me if it went up in price over time. Make an investment today in one of these great looking men’s cobalt chrome rings.
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