How to choose a wedding ring

There are a number of things to consider when choosing your perfect wedding ring, from suiting your skin tone to width, profiles and finishes. As we often get asked at Hatton Jewels on the best way to go, and all the things to consider, we’ve put together a complete list of advice. So, read on for our guide on choosing the perfect wedding ring to match any style and budget.

Things to consider when buying a wedding ring

It is a good idea to have a conversation about the following three questions before having your design consultation to ensure you are on the same page.

1. Are we working around an engagement ring – shape, style, metal?

This usually only applies to a lady’s wedding ring, but not exclusively, and the design may influence the gent’s wedding ring if you would like them to have a cohesive feel.

2. Do you want both wedding rings to match?

Does it matter to you if the rings are made of different metals? Do you want them to have a complimentary design feature?

3. Have you seen any ideas that you like?

Take a look at what is available on the high street as a starting point, but don’t get overwhelmed. We highly recommend setting up a Pinterest board where you can save all the designs you like at first glance. You can then look through this later and see if any design features keep cropping up, e.g., a metal colour, engraving, contemporary design or more traditional.

Choosing the right metal for your wedding ring

There are four things to consider when deciding on which metal to use for your wedding ring.

1. Consider the colour of your existing jewellery

If you’re looking for a wedding ring to sit alongside an engagement ring, the norm is to match it, but don’t feel you have to! If you’re looking for a wedding ring to wear on its own, the choice is entirely open. If you don’t usually wear jewellery, take a look at the metal colours you are drawn to on the hardware on your bags, clothes and even interiors, e.g., kitchen door handles. If you tend to err on the chrome side, you would probably prefer a silver-toned metal like white gold or Platinum, whereas if you like the warm tones of brass or copper, you could consider yellow or rose gold.

2. Look at skin tone

An often-overlooked element is how the metal choice works with your natural skin tone. It is best to try on a few different types to see which works best. This is usually just personal preference.

3. Durability

You want to take into account your lifestyle in terms of the metal you chose. No precious metal is going to stand up to rock climbing and DIY (we always recommend you take it off when doing an activity that might damage it!), but some precious metals are stronger than others. Platinum and Palladium are both considered the most hard-wearing, but remember that even these are much less durable than stainless steel for example, which we come into contact with all the time with cutlery and door handles, etc. Silver is the softest and will collect marks and dents the fastest.

4. Price tag

The price of the chosen metal is a significant consideration. The price of precious metal fluctuates, however right now going for a platinum option for your chosen metal is good value for money.

How do I get the right width for my wedding ring?

Matching the sides of your engagement ring or contrasting? An excellent way to get the feeling of a matching and cohesive pair of rings when you’re looking for a wedding ring to sit alongside an engagement ring is to match the width of the engagement ring. If they match at the sides, when you look down on the rings, they’ll look made for each other.

What suits your hand

If you have really small fingers, you generally don’t have a lot of room for a wide ring. It is best to try on various widths to gauge what works best for you.

Trends

The traditional norm if you like, is for the man’s ring to be wider than the ladies. This is for no other reason than because men’s hands tend to be larger, so have more space for a wider ring. We have come to associate wider rings with them looking more masculine, but there is a growing trend to men opting for slimmer designs for a contemporary look. The easiest way to make a wedding ring look like it matches an engagement ring is to replicate the profile.

Comfort and style

Curvier profiles tend to be deeper meaning they can be a little comfier at times. None the less if you are wanting a straighter and flatter design, the curve on the inside can make it can feel slightly less restrictive for those not used to wearing rings. Flatter styles tend to look wider than curved ones and also more contemporary. A highly domed D profile, for example, looks very traditional.

What is the most durable wedding ring?

The deeper the ring, the more longevity it has. The metal will wear over time, so if you start too thin, it might mean the ring needs replacing or repairing later on down the line. Once you’ve got the main details decided, you can then consider if you want any other design features.

Finish or texture

You could consider an alternative to the standard polished finish. Some people prefer the idea of a matt effect to their ring, so we can achieve that in a multitude of ways – either a brushed finish (a light surface texture applied with sandpaper) or a deeper matt finish like a pin end or sandblasted effect. It is worth noting that all these textures will eventually over time even out to a dull shine, polished included.

Another alternative could be to have a texture like a hammered finish. This can have the typical dimpled hammered effect or can be made to look like tree bark.

If you’re interested in seeing any of our stunning wedding rings, simply book an appointment online, or give us a call on 0203 116 0069 and speak to one of our friendly, expert members of staff who can help guide you through any type of jewellery purchase. We also offer jewellery valuation for insurance purposes, or if you have some jewellery you’re looking to sell, use our sell my jewellery page. 

We’ve helped thousands of customers over the years design custom rings (with our design your engagement ring service), choose the perfect present for an anniversary, sell jewellery and choose jewellery for many special occasions, so if there is something you’d like but can’t see online, we’re confident we can make it to your exact needs, just get in touch.