In the US, 30-35 percent of marriages end in divorce. (It’s ~34 percent, according to the CDC.) That’s a startling statistic considering there are typically just over 2 million stateside weddings each year. If true, 600,000 of them separate before death does them part. That’s bad news for love, but there’s hope: the US divorce rate hit its lowest point ever in 2019, and, on average, marriages are lasting longer now than they did 10 years ago.
As such, there’s reason to read the data more optimistically. According to the above numbers, most marriages don’t end in divorce. Plus if you’re here, eager to order (and wear) a wedding band of your own, that’s probably a good sign — it’s time to put a ring on it (your ring finger).
Men’s Wedding Bands: What to Consider
Sizing
David Yurman
Ring sizes range from 2 to 17, but 5 through 13 is a truer spectrum. Few men wear beyond a 13, and even fewer require something smaller than a 5.
According to legacy jewelry company David Yurman, this is how you figure out your ring size: 7 (17.3 mm), 7.5 (17.7 mm), 8 (18.1 mm) 8.5 (18.5 mm), 9 (18.9 mm), 9.5 (19.4 mm), 10 (19.8 mm), 10.5 (20.2 mm), 11 (20.6 mm), 11.5 (21 mm), 12 (21.4 mm), 12.5 (21.8 mm), 13 (22.3 mm).
If you’re between sizes, always size up. That’s because your fingers swell, shrink and swell again several times throughout the day, and they only get worse with age. But if you’re getting a comfort-fit ring, go a half-size down. Comfort-fit rings generally fit looser.
Not sure which size you are? Figure it out with our guide to measuring your ring size.
Widths
Almost every single brand offers its rings in a number of widths, catering to personal styles, size preferences and work or hobbies. They range from 1mm to 8mm, with 4 through 6 serving as the sweet spot. Those are the widths most men prefer: neither too wide nor too slim, subtle but still noticeable.
Materials
When ordering a ring, you can go a number of routes. There are numerous precious metals to choose from, but there are also silicone and smart options, too, like the Gucci Oura ring.
- Yellow, Rose or White Gold (10K, 14K, 18K)
- Silver (.925, .999)
- Tungsten
- Silicone
- Wood
Yellow, Rose or White Gold (10K, 14K, 18K)
Gold is by far the most popular metal for men’s wedding bands, but true gold — 24K gold — is too soft to be used for rings, which experience a ton of wear and tear. You’ll find 10K, 14K and 18K gold options, which are ~42, ~58 and ~75 percent gold respectively. They’re still predominantly (or nearly half) gold, and, as such, soft, but they’re hard enough for everyday wear. Scratches will show less easily, meaning doing things like gripping a dumbbell won’t damage your ring. And, if really do bang it or drop it, it won’t shatter.
Silver (.925, .999)
Silver, as it does in sports, comes second. It’s an equally solid option, but it comes with different connotations. Silver is calmer; subtler, even, and it says a lot about those that pick it. It’s cheaper than gold, and softer, too, making it more prone to scuffs and scratches. Like gold, it’s unlikely to shatter or crack.
Tungsten
Tungsten is a super-hard rare metal. It’s great for rings because it’s scratch-resistant, and it can sometimes pass for silver — or refrigerator silver, if you will; the shiny gray GE uses for its line of kitchen appliances. The metal is super hard, but that makes it prone to cracking. Instead of denting or bending like gold or silver, it’ll literally break… and there’s no fixing a cracked ring.
Silicone
To mitigate the risk of damaging an expensive ring, plenty have switched to silicone, a material that’s more comfortable and less pretentious but equally sentimental nonetheless. Is it my favorite look? No, but there are real reasons to wear silicone over, say, silver. Take electricians, for example: they can’t wear metal rings for fear of electrocution. Doctors, especially surgeons, can’t wear metal rings, while hypoallergenic silicone is safe.
Finishes
When buying a wedding band, you have several finishes to choose from: polished, matte, milgrain or hammered.
- Polished: A polished ring is super shiny, but it’ll dull with wear.
- Matte: A matte ring is dull from day one, but not in a bad way. It’s muted at first and will only fade further with wear.
- Milgrain: A milgrain ring is adorned with tiny metal beads, which form a border around the ring’s edge.
- Hammered: Hammered rings — or other rings with textured finishes — have a unique, handmade look.
Fits
It’s generally agreed upon that there are two fits: regular and comfort.
- Regular: Regular-fit rings feature a flat inside, which creates a hard edge that can feel a little rough on removal if your ring is too tight.
- Comfort: Comfort-fit rings feature a rounded inside, which helps the ring slide on and off without catching the skin.
Edges
Just as there are two options within, there are two primary options for your ring’s edge. You can either go rounded or flat.
- Rounded: As the name implies, rounded means there’s a vertical groove that extends beyond the ring’s real edge.
- Flat: Flat, on the other hand, is flat all the way around, like a wagon wheel.
Engravings
Many brands offer internal engravings for an extra fee: Marke, for example, charges $50 flat for personalizations. They can add emojis, nicknames, dates, notes, hand-drawn doodles and even more truly custom creations.
Lead Times
If you’re days away from The Big Day and don’t have a ring yet, you might be SOL (shit out of luck). Most brands advise waiting at least a week to receive your ring, or even longer if you’re adding an engraving, need a custom size or are adding a diamond or other gem.
Resizing
Some stores offer complimentary one-time resizing. Lifetime resizing is rare, mostly because rings can be resized no more than twice, maybe three times, before they’ll be too weak to confidently wear.
How We Tested
Evan Malachosky
Being newly engaged myself, I’ve been on a personal mission to find a wedding band. That lead me to standalone stores — the Tiffany store in my nearest mail — but also online offerings that do at-home try-ons (like Warby Parker does with glasses).
As such, I was able to feel, closely examine and even wear a number of these rings, both for purpose of studying them for this story and in preparation for my own forthcoming wedding.
Marke Classic Ring
Marke
- Metal(s): 10, 14, 18K Yellow, Rose or White Gold, Platinum
- Size(s): 2.5-14
- Width(s): 3-6mm
- Finish(es): Polished, Matte
- Engraving: Yes
Marke is one of the newest options on the scene. Owned by suit rental company The Black Tux, this brand aims to streamline the purchasing process. You can order at-home try-on kits in your preferred metal and size, and test-run the entire collection over the course of five days. You only pay for shipping, which totaled out to ~$10 for me. The kits can feature rings for just you, the groom, or two grooms or a groom and a bride, making it easier to find matching bands.
Most brands don’t offer at-home try-ons, thus requiring a visit to a standalone store. These are typically sparse, though, especially in tertiary cities. If you definitely want to get hands-on with the rings before buying one, Marke is your best bet.
Blue Nile Classic Wedding Ring
Blue Nile
- Metal(s): 14K White Gold, 14K Rose Gold, 14K Yellow Gold, Platinum
- Size(s): 3-14
- Width(s): 2-7mm
- Finish(es): Polished
- Engraving: Yes
Blue Nile stocks a wide array of men’s wedding bands, from white gold rounded options to flat-edged platinum iterations. But the retailer’s white gold rings are the most well-known, with hundreds of high-score reviews. Wearers appreciate how shiny it is upon delivery, but love how the ring wears in: slowly but in a noticeable way nonetheless.
Blue Nile is also an excellent spot for finding a ring on sale. They often run extended discounts, and will always deliver your ring for free, often within a four-day window.
Ridge Ring Set
Ridge
- Metal(s): Tungsten, Titanium, Carbon Fiber
- Size(s): 7-14
- Width(s): 8mm
- Finish(es): Bevel
- Engraving: No
Ridge, the same brand behind the popular Ridge Wallet, makes wedding bands. The brand sells its rings in sets, meaning you get your tungsten, titanium or carbon fiber ring and a silicone ring to wear when you’d rather not risk losing or damaging your metal ring. This is a thoughtful addition that comes at no extra charge, which makes these sub-$200 beveled rings even more of a steal.
Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon
Oura Ring
- Metal(s): Titanium
- Size(s): 6-13
- Width(s): 8mm
- Finish(es): Coated
- Engraving: No
Oura’s wedding band-sized wearable wellness device, the Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon, monitors a number of metrics — heart rate, body temperature, oxygen levels and broader movement — to calculate three daily scores: Sleep, Activity and Readiness. Together, they provide an assessment of how you’re sleeping, performing and responding to stress, but also whether you’re working out or resting enough, whether your period is coming or whether your diet (cups of coffee included) is impacting your body’s natural cycle.
It’s your own $349 comprehensive health consultant. Best of all, it looks like a regular wedding band, thanks to a recent update that ditched a notched edge in favor of a rounded one.
Brilliant Earth Matte Wedding Ring
Brilliant Earth
- Metal(s): 18K White Gold, 18K Yellow Gold, 14K Rose Gold, Platinum
- Size(s): 3-12
- Width(s): 4-7mm
- Finish(es): Matte
- Engraving: Yes
If your first piece of jewelry is your wedding band, a matte ring might be the safest way to wade into accessory-wearing. High-shine men’s wedding bands are super noticeable, which has long been a deterrent for the super-shy (or seriously unstylish). But matte rings are also a shortcut to how the ring will look for the rest of your life: worn in, with its original luster left behind.
Brilliant Earth does a great job of still making its matte ring look mint, though, by giving it an ornate, kind of brushed finish.
David Yurman DY Classic Band Ring
Daniel Yurman
- Metal(s): 18K Yellow Gold, Grey Titanium, Black Titanium, 18K Rose Gold, Platinum, 18K White Gold
- Size(s): 6-13
- Width(s): 6mm
- Finish(es): Polished
- Engraving: Yes
David Yurman’s DY Classic Band Ring comes with a decorative, cabled interior, which doubles as a way to prevent pinching. That’s an impressive addition, of course, but no one sees that. The real show-stopper here is the ring’s high-shine finish, which helps others see this thing from across the street. And, since it’s high-quality metal Yurman works with, this ring will hold its shine longer, meaning it’ll be nice and bright each time you clean it, too.
Tiffany Forever Band Wedding Ring
Tiffanys
- Metal(s): Platinum, 18K Yellow Gold
- Size(s): 4-13
- Width(s): 4.5mm, 6mm
- Finish(es): Polished
- Engraving: Yes
The Tiffany brand we know today is built on a long legacy of fine silver. Now, the brand has expanded into other metals, but the core principles remain: to do things well, but simply. That’s why Tiffany’s wedding bands endure, at least in terms of value. You can find a number of them for resale on sites like TheRealReal, either at or beyond the original retail price.
I’m not saying this is something you should consider when buying a ring — how much you’d get if you sold it — but it’s worthwhile knowing that if you had to, you could probably sell this thing, and for more than its weight in whatever metal you ordered.
Above all else, it’s just a solid ring. The Tiffany Forever Band sits atop the category, and opening one of the brand’s little blue boxes is still quite the thrill.
Mejuri Smooth Band Wedding Ring
Mejuri
- Metal(s): 14K Yellow Gold, 14K White Gold, Titanium
- Size(s): 4-12
- Width(s): 1-6mm
- Finish(es): Polished
- Engraving: Yes
Mejuri makes wedding bands for both men and women. From 1mm to 6mm, there are loads of widths to choose from in a number of metals. The Smooth Band, however, is the best-looking flat-edged band we’ve seen. It’s not starkly sharp, but it is still mostly flat. The interior, though, reveals a comfort-fit-style bevel, which helps prevent pinching.
Ring Bear Milgrain Ring
Ring Bear
- Metal(s): 10K, 14K, 18K White and Yellow Gold, Platinum
- Size(s): 4-14 (half sizes)
- Width(s): 3mm, 4.5mm, 6mm
- Finish(es): Polished, Matte
- Engraving: Yes
Milgrain calls for the addition of tiny metal beads to the ring’s outer edge, creating a border between it and your finger. To create the milgrain, jewelers use a knurling tool, which rolls around the ring’s outer edge, creating the engraved pattern. Ring Bear’s Milgrain Ring is a great example of the option, which is rather alternative in today’s landscape.
