Platinum groom's wedding ring

Grooms will start wearing their wedding ring on day one of the marriage. If you want to go first class, buy the king of metals - platinum. Platinum is a real investment, is hefty and will keeps its shine. You'll pay a bit more for it, but it's probably worth the investment.

Platinum Wedding Rings

Platinum wedding bands are hefty, tarnish free and manage to look like a million bucks. What more could you ask for in a wedding ring? The principal advantage to a platinum wedding ring is that it's exceptionally strong and looks unlike anything else in the market.

What metals go into a Platinum Wedding Ring, exactly?

Typically, platinum, the element, is alloyed with some other metal, similar to the way white gold is an alloy of elemental "yellow" gold and some other metal (sometimes even platinum). In the case of platinum, alloys include palladium, iridium or ruthenium (depending on the commodity price.), however they are used in small quantities in order to maintain platinum's high purity. Platinum wedding rings are not measured in karats, contrary to gold wedding bands. Look for platinum wedding bands that have "PT 900" or "950 Plat" imprinted on the inside of the band. This means that the wedding ring is 90 or 95% pure platinum, and 5% of some other metal.

Compare this to a typical gold wedding ring or gold engagement ring which will be between 14k and 18k. Translation: As much as 42% of your precious little wedding rings could be made of something other than gold. That's not the case for platinum wedding bands.

Platinum is rare, but platinum wedding bands will be more costly

Platinum is the most expensive wedding band material. That's because platinum is exceedingly rare. How rare? 30 times rarer than gold. According to Platinum Guild International, the industry group representing platinum jewelers and the industry, "It is estimated that if all the platinum in the world were poured into one Olympic swimming pool it would be scarcely deep enough to cover your ankles." This is in comparison to gold, which would fill three Olympic swimming pools, and beer, which would fill multiple...oceans.

The Price of Platinum Wedding Rings

The price of platinum has recently gone up quite substantially as the economic markets have taken a turn for the worse. Because commodity prices in general have skyrocketed, the price for platinum has gone up almost $800 per ounce since December 2007. (Picture a hockey stick.)

A recent survey of prices, however, indicates that platinum can still be had without breaking the bank. A 3mm wide platinum band cost $400 at a leading online retailer, whereas a more traditional 6mm wedding band was selling for $1600. From the groom's perspective, however, it's not a bad investment for the only important piece of jewelry that a groom is going to sport.

An Investment in Platinum

A platinum wedding ring is an investment because you're purchasing the highest quality of metal for your rings - no plating will be required down the road (as opposed to white gold which is plated with rhodium that eventually wears off). Platinum also "feels" like it's worth a lot. Platinum is heavy stuff. How heavy? Well, a 6" cube of platinum weighs about as much as you did in the tenth grade (around 165 pounds!) Platinum wedding bands will not lose any metal as they get scratched or dinged - the metal is just displaced. This contrasts with gold, where every scratch represents a potential loss of some of the metal in the wedding band.

Here's what you can expect after one year of wear. As you can see, in this somewhat un-scientific photo, platinum holds up very very well. It is platinum, after all.

Men wedding ring

Later edit: my wedding ring is 7 mm.
The last thing a groom thinks about is his wedding ring. It's the poor cousin to his bride's spectacular diamond engagement ring. That said, the groom's wedding ring is the one indicator that this man has a gorgeous wife somewhere, possibly on his arm. The great news is that a groom and bride's wedding rings are the one item in a wedding that don't cost a fortune. In this article, GroomGroove.com covers what a man needs to know about the most important piece of jewelry he'll ever wear.
Cost of the Wedding Ring

A man's wedding rings will cost between approximately $100 (for titanium rings) to $2000 (for platinum with diamonds set in the ring), with most rings coming in around $600. The reason for the price range (albeit much less of a range than a woman's diamond engagement ring) is the material used to make the band, and whether diamonds are used.
Mens Wedding Rings Materials
A groom's wedding band will be made of platinum, white gold, yellow gold, titanium, stainless steel or, lead. (Just kidding on the lead bit). Platinum and white gold are, at present, the most popular materials.

White gold is an alloy of gold (ie. it is gold and silver or palladium). This is where the concept of Karat comes in. Karat is a measure of the purity of the material. An 18K gold ring has 75% pure gold (the element). The higher the karat, the softer the ring and the more easily it will get scratched and dented. Accordingly, 18K is considered the optimal karat (with pure gold coming in at 24 karats).

There are positives and negatives with each type of wedding ring material you purchase. In particular, each will show different wear and tear after some time. The photo above shows what you can expect after one year of wear from each of the popular wedding ring materials.
Width of the Wedding Ring

The width of a man's wedding ring is measured in millimeters. The smallest rings are 3 mm in width, whereas the largest rings are 8mm in width. Generally, men will purchase a ring that is on the larger side, tending towards 5-6 mm.

Style

Most younger generations of men choose simple wedding bands, and generally, have shied away from yellow gold in favor of 18k white gold or platinum. Some men have chosen rings that have a braid carved in them, or alternatively, some other edging that the manufacturer has set. Diamond-studded rings for men are definitely in the minority.

For additional comfort, grooms should consider purchasing a ring where the inside of the wedding ring is cambered or with rounded edges. Frankly, however, when a groom first wears a ring - any ring - it is likely to feel like a foreign object, with hard edges. Over time, rounded edges probably don't add much, especially since most of the time, you'll not even notice your ring. (You will, however, notice when your ring is not on your finger, as you reach to play with it. Read on to find out why this is the case.)
When to Buy the Wedding Band

Generally, a groom will buy his bride's diamond engagement ring separate from the wedding bands, as the bride and groom each have wedding bands, and may want to choreograph the look of their rings with matching wedding bands. Accordingly, the wedding bands should be purchased two months before the wedding (at the latest). This will allow for time to get it sized properly, and make any adjustments.
Ring Measurements

The diameter of the ring will be measured either by your jeweler, or if you are buying wedding rings online, all reputable online retailers have suggested wedding ring size guides that you can print out. And even if you are buying your ring online, jewelry stores will happily fit you for your ring (as they try to sell you on their product!)
Working Out

A note - men should take their ring off and put it in a safe place (and the same place) when going to the gym to work out. This is because dumbbells and barbells can easily scratch or dent ring materials. Don't leave it in the locker, but rather, put it in your bag. Countless husbands have had to admit to their wives that they lost their 18k white gold wedding ring at the gym.
Playing with Your Ring

One of the first things a groom will do upon wearing his ring for the first time as a husband, and not a groom, will be to play with it. Twisting it on his finger, many a groom will twist and turn at the ring when nervous, such as when the groom makes his wedding speech.
Your wedding band will be a constant reminder of your wife and the commitment you've made. Perhaps it's a reminder that you haven't bought flowers recently. Or that you should tell her that you love her everyday. Whatever it signifies to you, take some time to pick out a man's wedding ring you will be happy to wear.