A long time ago, men wedding rings did not even exist. They are a fairly recent phenomenon, having become common only in the past hundred years or so and for much of that time, consisted of little more than a simple, unadorned gold ring. Oh, they gave their wives rings, fancy gold rings that might have jewels encrusted, but as for them there was no visible notation of marriage.
Nowadays, almost all men wear wedding rings. Older men, such as those individuals who were born in the 1920's and 1930's, may not necessarily see a reason for wearing a ring, but any man born after the 1940's or so definitely allowed for a gold wedding band to be slipped on his finger.
Men wedding rings are typically simple bands fashioned out of pure gold. This is the traditional type of wedding ring, for both a woman and a man. However, men wedding rings have changed considerably in the last few decades and on any given day you might spot some gold men wedding rings, and some wedding rings made up of other materials, as well.
Did you know that gold is a relatively soft metal? Over time, it will give way to tarnishing, scratches and minuscule nicks. While it's certainly acceptable for men wedding rings to have a bit of ruggedness or wear to it, many men and their couple wish for a more durable ring that will look pristine. For this type of ring, other materials will certainly be called into play.
These days, men diamond wedding rings and exotic pieces made from palladium and platinum and even tungsten rings have largely replaced the old-fashioned men wedding bands of yesterday. These materials are of very high quality, and very resistant to tear and wear. Platinum is another material that is perfect for wedding rings for a man.
Like platinum and palladium, this material is quite "masculine", but is also very resistant to scratches, nicks and tarnishing . Rings made out of these materials will easily last through several generations and even centuries, which make them ideal heirlooms. Tungsten rings as well as men wedding bands made from platinum and palladium is common and quite popular.
Although weddings are often sentimental occasions, men in American society are still expected to exhibit a certain degree of "ruggedness" and several of the alternative materials that go into today's men wedding rings are a reflection of this. For all their beauty and luster, men gold wedding rings are relatively soft and easily scratched; they will also tarnish if not polished regularly.
If you are looking for men wedding rings that come in alternative materials to gold, then you'll want to start doing some jewelry shopping. Jewelry shops in the malls may have a bit to offer in terms of rings made up of other materials, but your best shopping source will be online. Online, you will be able to find many stores that specialize in men wedding rings that are made out of titanium, platinum and other non-gold materials.
