What Do Wedding Rings Speak About?

Wedding rings, also called wedding bands, are an eternal sign of love between two engaged partners. Most weddings require an exchange of rings taking place between the uniting groom and bride before they could be pronounced husband and wife. The ring itself is stated to be a symbol of an unending love, due to its circular shape. Similarly, the ring finger is traditionally believed to house a direct vein to heart, which describes the intense emotional bond that might develop between two engaged individuals. One could find many similar stories prevailing around the world while trying to learn more about wedding rings.

There is a rich history behind how wedding rings got introduced in the Christian way of life. It wasn't until the days of Pope Innocent III that couples were asked to wear two rings, one during engagements and the other while finally being married. Families offered rings just to seal engagements prior to this historical pronouncement by the Pope. He also asked the engaged couples to observe a waiting period before they could finally marry. These orthodox dictates slowly grew into colorful traditions, as Christianity traversed across the world over a period of many centuries.

Wedding rings are normally placed on left ring fingers of couples from the USA, France, Sweden and the UK. They are placed on right ring fingers however, in the case of Germany, Spain, India, and Chile. Interestingly, while Jews traditionally place wedding rings on their left hands, like the orthodox Christians, they prefer wearing it on the right ones after being married. There are also varying norms for the period when one of the partners has died. This universally gets deemed to be the end of any wedding concerned in most societies. However, much of this differentiation of norms might stem from the fact, which part of the world you were looking at.

A hardened alloy of Gold, Bismuth, Tin and Copper is often made use of in manufacturing wedding rings. Sometimes Platinum, Nickel and Titanium are also introduced to yield varying results. Platinum is mixed up with white gold for manufacturing a separate class of Platinum wedding rings. Similarly Titanium and Tungsten carbide are also used to produce durability, affordability, varying textures and shades of eye-catching ring designs.

However, less costly metals like Silver, Brass and Copper are scarcely used compared to the more expensive ones due to the former's corrosiveness. Aluminum and some other toxic metals are hardly ever made use of in the manufacture of either wedding rings or similar other ornaments. However, the widest and cheapest known alloy of the modern world, stainless steel, is surprisingly gaining ground as one of the options these days. Its durability, which is at par with that of Platinum and Titanium, could be attributed for this wondrous growth.

Retail shops may normally quote wedding rings at $600 and more, but could easily be procured at lower rates from various online resources. A brief look at some of the existing jewelry sites might suggest how they were selling most jewelry items at a reduced cost, including those from the latest wedding rings. These websites could easily meet with the demands of all market segments, starting from the casual jewelry buyer to the seeker of high-end ornaments.

By: Pankaj Mohan

Why Am I Allergic to my Engagement Ring?

Buying an engagement ring is when most people begin to learn more about jewelry, or learn more of what they don't know. With the so many options, price points and places the buy rings, it may seem as though you're spinning in circles. More often than not, people think only of price, quality and style when buying an engagement ring or wedding rings. But, the single most important aspect should be the elements. More and more people are finding they are allergic to certain precious metals, specifically nickel alloys used in many gold engagement rings and everyday jewelry. The most common symptom of nickel allergy is contact dermatitis, causing itching, redness, and blisters. Not exactly what you want to propose to your life partner.

According to the June 2007 Issue of Dermatology Nursing, "an estimated 20% of women and 4% of men are affected by contact dermatitis." These numbers may seem nominal, but since 1980 these cases have doubled.

Precious Metals & Engagement Rings - What's in my Ring? Precious metals used in jewelry are comprised of metal alloys which are mixtures of various elements including hydrogen, oxygen, copper, niobium, nickel, iron and gold. Traditionally, engagement rings have been made of gold. White gold, sterling silver, platinum and newer metals like tungsten and titanium have made their way onto the jewelry scene both for reasons of style, but also to address allergic reactions.

I've Worn Gold Before - Why Am I Allergic Now? Many people, especially women, have found that their skin has a reaction to gold jewelry. This reaction is not really to the gold itself, but to the nickel that is in the chemical composition of gold. This reaction is caused by a sensitivity to nickel that builds up over time. Women begin wearing jewelry at a much earlier age than men and are more prone to allergic reactions, however with the increase in body piercing popularity in both sexes, the number of men effected by nickel is on the rise too.

Can I Buy A Gold Ring without Nickel? Most engagement and wedding rings have traditionally been made of 14k or 18k gold. The reason for this is while 24k gold is pure, it is extremely soft. Wedding rings and everyday jewelry are exposed to water, sweat, scratches and dings that 24k gold can't stand up against. The other elements that are contained in 14k or 18k gold for both gold and white gold include different alloys such as silver, zinc, copper, and nickel. It's these other alloys that cause the allergic reactions, nickel being the biggest culprit. Nickel is added to make gold more durable, so if you try to buy a 24k gold ring, it will be pure but it won't be very durable.

How Do I Ensure My Engagement Ring Won't Cause A Rash? There are many options in hypoallergenic jewelry. Platinum and titanium rings are not only beautiful alternatives to gold, but they are more pure.

What's the Difference Between Platinum and Titanium Rings? Platinum - Platinum is known for being the rarest and the heaviest of the precious metals. It's also the most expensive. It's typically 90-95% pure and weighs twice as much as gold. It doesn't tarnish like gold and doesn't loose its luster over time. Platinum is durable but it can be scratched. There are many positives for platinum, but it's not for everyone. Price is a barrier to many, and some women while they admire the rare and expensive qualities of platinum, the weight on their finger gets tiresome over time.

By Sam Brown

Advice for engagement rings

Buying an engagement ring is very significant since it symbolizes the commitment of spending your lives together.

Your search for the perfect engagement ring, may be very difficult and time consuming due to the various designs, styles, settings and sizes.
In addition, many women have a very specific idea of how their engagement ring will look.

These helpful steps will help you find your perfect engagement ring and save you time and research:

1. Budget
The first thing you should do before beginning your research is determine your budget.
This will help you eliminate the irrelevant rings and diamonds, and will start making your choice a little easier.
Even if your budget is not as high as you would like it to be, know that you can always reset and add stones later on.

2. Personal taste
If your engagement ring is a surprise, you should do some research.
Try to observe her jewelry and notice if she likes white gold or yellow gold, big flashy jewelry or more delicate jewelry and etc.
Asking her close friends for advice always helps- they usually know.
If the engagement ring is not a surprise, or it’s an upgrade to a prior ring- we suggest making the decision with her.

3. Learning about diamonds
Learning about the 4 C’s- Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut, is an easy way to learn basically everything you should know before purchasing diamonds.
This will help you understand the cost and quality of diamonds.

4. The diamond
Now that you have learned about the 4 C’s, it’s time to choose your diamonds.
Diamonds come in many shapes and sizes.
A very popular shape in diamonds is the round brilliant.
We suggest looking online at loose diamonds for various shapes, sizes and prices.

5. Settings
Now that you have chosen your diamond, you can choose a setting to mount the diamond on.
Some of the most popular settings for engagement rings include the solitaire, the prong setting and the channel setting. These are available in white gold, yellow gold and platinum.

By Angel

Should a Man Wear a Wedding Ring or not?

Strange as it may seem the use of a wedding ring by men was not common until recently. Whereas women have worn wedding rings for eons, men have not. The use of rings as a symbol of everlasting love enshrined in marriage can be traced back thousands of years. But not so much for men.

It was, in fact, during the second world war that the use of wedding rings by men became more common. (Note that mens wedding rings and mens wedding bands are interchangeable, both meaning the same thing.)

It became the custom for US soldiers going to war to publicise their marital status by the wearing of a man’s wedding ring. They were happy to make public their commitment to their wife by the wearing of a public symbol that declared that commitment to all. Given that this habit of wearing mens wedding bands was reasonably new it was all the more creditable that these men were willing to forego the marital obscurity available to them from not wearing a ring and actively chose to make a public statement about their choice.

Men’s wedding rings have become increasingly more common since that time. Today it is probably as common for a newly married man to wear a ring as not. This may be due to several factors. The modern man may consider it his duty to choose to make the same public marital statement as his wife will. And his wife may well consider it a condition of the marriage that he do so. After all, in these days of equality, if she is prepared to make a statement then should he not do so as well?

Despite the fact that the wearing of a ring by a woman is a matter of choice, it is in fact almost obligatory due to the fact that it is so common. Many women do not even consider the possibility of not wearing one. Often, however, a man usually considers the wearing of a man wedding ring very carefully.

There are a number of issues to consider. Firstly, is he concerned about a public display of his marital status? Some men, whether rightly or wrongly, are threatened by this. Others are not in the least concerned.

Secondly whilst the wearing of jewellery by women is so common as to go unremarked that is not necessarily the case for men. For many men the wearing of mens wedding bands is just a case of being asked to wear jewellery. Men often do not feel comfortable wearing jewellery and in many cases have never done so before. Whilst some men see their wedding band as different to wearing ordinary jewellery, others feel just the same as if they were being asked to wear ear rings. “It’s just not done by men”. The author, for example, wears a man wedding band, but would never consider wearing any other form of jewellery.

And as many men have never worn any form of jewellery before they have no idea what it will feel like to have something permanently on the finger. Is it heavy? Does it rub? Silly as it may seem to women this can be of concern to some men.

(If this genuinely is of concern it is quite possible to find a cheap jewellery shop, buy the cheapest ring available and wear it for a while. See exactly what it feels like. And find out your size at the same time.)

Men’s wedding rings are, in the eyes of some men, effeminate. “Real men” don’t wear rings or jewellery at all. This is becoming less of an issue as the wearing of a man’s wedding ring becomes more common, but is still an issue with many men.

Culture is also a consideration. In many cultures the wearing of wedding rings by men would never be considered. Men must think about how their particular culture, and also their religion, would view the wearing of a wedding band.

There are also practical considerations. Many men are engaged in trades where the wearing of a man wedding band would be downright dangerous. Although unlikely it is quite possible for a ring to get caught in machinery. In some jobs a ring cannot be worn on the job, and must be removed. This can also apply to women.

Ultimately though, the wearing of a men’s ring is just one of the many choices the man will have to make once he makes the commitment to marry. And it is often a choice made by the couple together, maybe one of the first they make in conjunction about their wedding.

Which finger is the ring worn on, and why?

Generally a man’s wedding band is worn on the ring finger, the same as for women. The ring finger, for those unmarried men not familiar with the concept, is the fourth finger of the left hand. This is considered to be the finger closest to the heart.

This notion came originally from the ancient Greeks who believed that this finger had an artery which flowed straight to the heart. Whilst anatomically incorrect this makes for good fable.

So you have both decided that he will wear a men’s wedding ring!

Once the man or couple have made the decision to purchase a men’s wedding ring for him there are still choices to make. Do they want to wear a matching set? Or does he prefer that his ring looks quite different to his wife’s. It is perfectly possible for a couple to buy a ring set where the style of the rings match perfectly, or even with matching engraved messages of love.

Generally though, even where the couple are to wear a matching ring set, the two rings are different. It is more common for the man’s wedding ring to be wider than the woman’s. This is because men’s hands and women’s hands are different. A woman usually has narrower finer fingers, and so a narrower band suits her hand. A man on the other hand has wider chunkier fingers and so a wider man wedding band is more suited.

This often results in the mans ring costing more than the woman’s ring even with matching styles, as the mans ring uses more, often expensive, material.

There are many innovative styles available now. Many men prefer a simple unadorned band, however others enjoy highly decorated styles which make a loud statement. The wearing of, for example, very wide and highly adorned Celtic rings is becoming much more common.

When considering the styles of men’s wedding rings it is well worth thinking about the personality of the individual. While different men have very different personalities different rings will suit different personalities as well. A loud outgoing man, for example, can wear a loud outgoing unique men’s ring.

There are many different ring materials which also reflect the personality of the individual. Titanium or Platinum are both becoming much more popular. Whilst diamonds are not, of course, as popular with men as with women, they do make a clear statement which pleases some men who choose them. Diamond men’s rings clearly say “I can afford it” or at least the big ones do. But it can be a brave man who chooses to wear a large diamond band.

Ultimately there are no rules about choosing a man wedding band. It is up to either the man or the couple together to make a decision. Will he or won’t he. There are a variety of considerations. First, will he wear one? Once that decision is made in the affirmative then there is a whole world of choice about styles, widths, materials and the type of statement the ring makes, both for the man and the woman.

But once he has his ring on it is rare that he decides that he doesn’t like it. And even if he doesn’t, it is rare that the woman will let him take it off!

Copyright 2005. Peter Crump

The Importance of Custom Wedding Rings

Have you finally found your soulmate? You know what I'm in, the one that makes your heart skip a beat? Well, I know one thing for certain, when it happens there is no mistaking it. The whole "seeing fireworks" thing isn't just a myth. There's just a natural attraction that magically brings you closer and closer together. And eventually that the day will come. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the bells are ringing. Your wedding day can certainly be the most memorable day of your life. Since this special day can sneak up on you rather quickly, it's a good idea to be prepared. Have you considered wedding rings yet?

This can be a complex subject if you let it. You have your mind set on something, and then you no longer want it. You're considering one ring design, but then you're not sure if it's the right one for you. Yeah, that sounds all too familiar to me. Fortunately these days you're not limited to the relatively small choices of wedding bands available at your local jewelry stores. In fact, custom wedding rings are well within your reach.

Have you considered custom wedding rings for that day of days? Now, I want you to take a minute and think about this; how many times are you planning to get married in this lifetime? Well, hopefully your answer is one. If it's anything more than that and I think you're nuts, but that your business. That's why I urge you to consider all options available. Your primary goal is not to find a beautiful wedding ring, but to find the absolute perfect wedding ring for your sweetheart. This isn't as easy as hopping down to your local jeweler grabbing them out of the case. You may have to check out the world of custom wedding rings. Writing about this reminds me of the day I popped the question.

I was incredibly motivated and I had to find the absolute perfect engagement ring. This meant exhausting all of my options regarding custom wedding rings and engagement rings. I immediately visited the World Wide Web to begin my quest. After hours and hours of browsing a multitude of web sites specializing in custom wedding rings, I finally found the one I was looking for. Or more accurately, created the one I was looking for. Yes that's right; there are many online jeweler's that let you design the ideal wedding ring, online. I knew right from the beginning that I preferred a platinum band with a heart shaped diamond and two sapphires on each side. This was my vision.

If you are interested in custom wedding rings, then I urge you to start looking on the net. Looking on the information superhighway that is. You can easily surf through a plethora of online jeweler's that offer custom wedding rings for affordable prices. Make that special ring for that special day and all the days to follow.

By Morgan Hamilton