Men’s Wedding Rings: Beyond Basic Bands

Close your eyes and imagine a men’s wedding ring. I’ll bet you most people see the same thing: a plain gold band. Maybe it varies slightly in thickness and profile, but essentially most men’s wedding bands are quite boring.

If you’ve been underwhelmed by the selection of men’s rings at the chain jewelry stores, I’m here to share some ideas for men’s wedding rings that aren’t boring (finally!)

Make It Your Own with a Custom Design

For a lot of men, their wedding ring is the first piece of jewelry they’ll wear. This is the perfect opportunity to showcase a little bit of your personality and style, so lets step away from the ordinary and explore a few less conventional options.

Below are some ideas to personalize your wedding ring, but don’t limit yourself! Mix and match these concepts to create a custom band that truly reflects you.

custom mens white gold wedding band with salt and pepper diamonds
Men's wedding band in white gold with salt & pepper diamonds

Option 1: Add Some Bling

When it comes to adding a touch of personality to your wedding band, consider creating a men’s ring with stones. You can choose something subtle like the line of salt and pepper diamonds in the ring shown above or go all out with colourful gemstones.

Stones add a pop of colour and sparkle to your band, making it stand out from the crowd. But if you’re not into showiness, you can also set them inside the band. Adding an inset stone that matches your partner’s ring or represents something special like a birthstone can be a great way to add a secret meaning to your wedding ring.

If you’re a man who appreciates refined style, consider using less traditional gemstones.

Wedding Ring Stones to Consider:

  • Black Diamonds
  • Sapphires
  • Rubies
  • Meteorite
  • Raw/uncut diamond
Men's White Gold Wedding Band with Sandblast Texture

Option 2: Play With Texture

Using texture opens up a lot more options for customizing your wedding ring. Exploring different finishes like matte, brushed, or hammered can add contrast and visual interest to an otherwise plain ring band.

In the photo above, we used a combination of sandblast texture with contrasting high polished edges. The juxtaposition of ultra-shiny with matte shimmer gives this ring a totally unique look and feel.

Mixing textures can help create a sense of depth and dimension. When we combine various finishes, such as a hammered center with polished edges or a brushed finish with engravings, we can build a piece that truly reflects your personal style.

Types of ring texture to consider:

  • Matte
  • Brushed
  • Hammered
  • Sandblasted
  • Polished
Yellow gold signet ring with round grey meteorite set into the top.
Men's signet ring with meteorite stone and engraved initials.

Option 3: Forget the Standard Ring Band

There is absolutely no rule that your wedding ring needs to be a band! Look at the signet ring in the photo above. Engraved with the couple’s initials and set with a slab of meteorite stone, this is definitely a men’s wedding ring that breaks the mold.

If you want something with more presence than a straight band, look for inspiration in historical men’s jewelry (like wax seal rings, masonic rings, etc.) and choose some details that can be incorporated into your ring.

Wedding Ring Styles to Consider:

  • Straight Band
  • Signet
  • Celtic Knots
  • Viking Braids
  • Solitaire rings (yes we can do this for men too!)
Custom Men's wedding band with engraved roman numerals.

Option 4: Add Some Personalization

A simple way to enhance a basic men’s wedding ring is by adding some personalization. Think of any details you can add that may be meaningful to you and your partner. Consider engraving a meaningful date, a special phrase, or a symbol that represents your love.

Drawing inspiration from your culture or historical periods can give you some good ideas. Incorporating a family crest or a symbol of a story related to your partner makes your piece even more you.

By infusing your personality and love story into your ring, you create a piece of jewelry that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also deeply meaningful.

Ideas to Personalize Your Wedding Ring

  • Your partner’s initials
  • Family Crest
  • Symbol of love
  • Wedding Date
  • Quote/Inside joke

Men's Wedding Rings to Avoid

While I am all for choosing a ring that is different and original, some things are an absolute no for me. I believe that a wedding ring should be made to be worn and last a long time (if not forever) with minimal maintenance. But not all rings are created with durability in mind.

I’ve seen a few companies advertising non-traditional men’s wedding bands made with fun materials like recycled oak barrels or crushed stone inlay. Be aware that wood is not a strong enough material to withstand daily wear. Stone inlay is often sealed with resin (i.e. plastic) that will scuff and scratch if rubbed against another rough surface.

These rings can be gorgeous but will not wear well and are very very difficult (if not impossible) to repair. They also can’t be resized by a traditional jeweler (or sometimes not at all).

While gold does scuff and lose its shine over time, it can be polished up quite easily. Gold can also be resized and repaired if needed. There is a reason that precious metals have been the traditional material for jewelry for thousands of years.

Final thoughts:

I tell all of my clients: you are the person who is going to be wearing this ring every day.

You are the only person who has to love it.

So think beyond the conventional men’s wedding bands and consider a custom wedding ring.

Andrea Shelley

HI, I'M ANDREA! I create powerful, meaningful jewelry that you can connect with and enjoy each day. I believe that jewelry, when worn purposefully, can have transformative powers. My pieces go beyond decoration to help connect you to your inner self and focus your energies to your greatest strengths. If you're enjoying my content, you can support my page by buying me a coffee so that I can continue to make more content for you.

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