How to Buy Your
Wedding Bands
By Ettagale Blauer
What piece of jewelry is more tied to emotion than the wedding band? While an
engagement ring signifies a promise, the wedding band symbolizes the actual
fulfillment of that promise, the marriage itself. It transcends adornment: it
is an integral extension of the wedding vows themselves: "With this ring, I
thee wed." We pledge our troth, we promise to love and honor and we exchange
wedding rings as the symbol of that pledge.
This small circle of metal is a very potent and significant jewel. The unbroken
circle symbolizes eternal love, a continuing, endless flow through time. This
universal symbol has been an important part of the wedding ceremony for more
than five centuries. Isn't it romantic to think that you and your mate are
linked by this ancient tradition to brides and grooms who exchanged their vows
through the ages? It not only symbolizes this marriage, it also links you to
the chain of generations past and future who celebrate the marriage ceremony.
But which wedding band is right for you? Which one captures the full sense of
that tradition? Here are some hints on how to figure out just what it is that
you and your mate want to wear on your ring fingers from this day forth. Of all
the choices you will make for your wedding day, only the wedding band will
endure. As beautiful as your gown is, no matter how delicious the cake turns
out to be, even if the bridesmaids love their dresses and you have the most
perfect honeymoon ever, it is only the wedding band that will be close to you
every day, a beautiful symbol and reminder of the day you took your vows.
Whether you choose a gold band or one of platinum, or a ring set with diamonds, your wedding band should reflect your style, your personality and your taste. It should be a pleasure to choose your wedding band: just look at the beautiful possibilities at Mondera.
Do you like the traditional look of a rounded, brightly polished gold band? You can choose one in 14k gold, 18k gold or even 24k gold. Remember that the higher the karat of gold, the more golden in color the band will be. Do you like the more modern look of a band with a flatter surface and squared off edges? Do you like the look of textured gold? How wide would you like the band to be?
You might consider a band that takes a beautiful middle ground by mixing the two colors, combining white and yellow gold or yellow gold with platinum.
More intricate design, choose an all-yellow gold band that has alternating sections of textured and
For some, the gleaming color of gold symbolizes the warmth and love of a marriage and is considered the 'traditional' metal. But traditions are just waiting to be created and that's exactly the case with the new tradition of choosing a platinum wedding band. Platinum's superb strength and purity make it an ideal choice for this eternal symbol of love. Platinum also coordinates with many engagement rings that have platinum settings. You may want to wear the two rings together, on your left hand, and in that case, platinum, or white gold, is the ideal choice.
A Band For Him
For many men, the wedding band may be the only piece of jewelry they'll ever
wear other than a wristwatch. You're both going to want to spend some time
considering this purchase carefully. Like so many of the decisions you're going
to make for your wedding, you don't have much experience with this one, so take
the time to consider the options. The groom may be surprised to discover that
he's very interested in a stylish ring that speaks of his love and his new
commitment. Keep your eye on the details - though a wedding band is small in
size, it packs a lot of design on that surface. Through the years, you'll
appreciate the richness of the design, the way it catches the light, whether
it's reflected from a gleaming polished surface or bouncing off the details of
a more intricate design.
Matching bands for men and women are among the many choices the two of will see
on the Mondera.com site. These graceful designs are designed to suit both male
and female hands. They offer a unique way to express your shared love. For some
couples, however, the exact same design doesn't have equal appeal to both
partners. Don't read any great significance into this - all it means is that
you have different tastes in wedding bands! There's no reason to get yourselves
tied up in knots because you can't agree on the design of a wedding band. Enjoy
your diversity and consider instead bands that have a family resemblance. You
might select bands that are both yellow and white gold, but with different
decoration. Or she may choose a diamond wedding band, while he chooses one that
is all metal. Remember, the wedding band symbolizes your love and commitment,
and symbols come in many designs and patterns. It's even possible for one
partner to choose a simple, unadorned gold band while the other one has a
diamond-set band. What counts is how much you each like your band and how well
it suits your hand.
Consider the Hand
Some basic jewelry buying rules will help you sort out the many beautiful
choices you'll see here. When buying a wedding band, remember that your hand
shape should play a role in the choice. The basic rule is the same when buying
any ring: width adds width, length adds length. A band that is too narrow may
look lost on a large-boned, wide hand. Consider a medium-width band with an
interesting herringbone design. If you like the look of a wide wedding band,
but do have heavy or wide fingers, choose one with rounded edges that put the
least pressure on the flesh of the fingers. The flatter band looks better on a
narrower finger. For slender fingers, a wedding band with a diagonal design
pulls the eye across the hand and gives the illusion of greater width.
Consider the height of the ring when making your choice. A band set with
diamonds makes a larger visual impact and should be chosen with the shape of
the hand and fingers in mind. An open-work design gives a feeling of lightness
and is flattering to a broader hand. Because larger stones also go well with
the larger hand, a ring that is generously set creates a pleasing appearance.
The smaller or slimmer hand will look good with a multi-stone ring, a series of
smaller stones in a channel or prong setting. Just like perfume, which uses the
wearer's body chemistry, your wedding ring takes on the characteristics of your
hand. The hand is the showcase for the ring.
These rules will also help you understand why two different style rings may be
the ones that suit you best. Remember Jack Sprat and his wife; they were a
perfect couple because their differences complemented each other so well!
Ettagale Blauer writes about fine jewelry for consumer magazines. Her books on
jewelry include Contemporary American Jewelry Design (Chapman and Hall) and
Wristwatches: Five Decades of Style and Design (Schiffer). Her latest book is
African Elegance, on the arts and crafts of sub-Saharan Africa.
Ettagale Blauer writes about fine jewelry for consumer magazines. Her books on
jewelry include Contemporary American Jewelry Design (Chapman and Hall) and
Wristwatches: Five Decades of Style and Design (Schiffer). Her latest book is
African Elegance, on the arts and crafts of sub-Saharan Africa.
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