Wedding bands and men's style

[zjpj]

I have two questions on wedding bands for men.

1. Do you think the metal of the man's ring should match that of the bride? If the bride has a ring set in platinum, should/must the groom have a platinum wedding band to match?

2. Possibly even sillier question: should a gentleman's watch metal match that of his wedding band? Does a different metal or different colored metal band clash or look off with such a watch?

[mikepara]

Whereas many 'couples' buy matching rings, your wife is not an accessory so it is unimportant if she wears the same ring as you. It is unlikely to be noticed at all. It is more important to get a ring your happy to wear for life (if your lucky).

As for matching watch straps... april fools day was 8 days ago!

[marden]

A chap shouldn't have a wedding ring at all - although this flies in the face of convention in the US and parts of Europe.

[Cantabrigian]

Neither my wife nor I like the look of yellow gold so it was pretty wasy for us - we both got simple platinum bands. I think that while it definitely looks better if your bands match it is a lot more important for you to each like your ring.

[geebee]

A chap shouldn't have a wedding ring at all - although this flies in the face of convention in the US and parts of Europe.

I found your statement intriguing and I came across this:

http://weddings.about.com/cs/rings/a/mensrings.htm

This is relief as I do not enjoy wearing jewelry. I am still a bachelor and if I should ever marry, I will not wear a ring.

GB

[Guest]

Funny thing that you actually have very few choices if you shop for a wedding ring. I wanted a flat band and the fashion is to have a convex band. Go to Tiffany's and that is the only choice they offer. I had to go to the oldest jeweler in the world, in Paris, who had no trouble filling my order. But the fascism of the process really bothered me.

[zjpj]

A chap shouldn't have a wedding ring at all - although this flies in the face of convention in the US and parts of Europe.

I found your statement intriguing and I came across this:

http://weddings.about.com/cs/rings/a/mensrings.htm

This is relief as I do not enjoy wearing jewelry. I am still a bachelor and if I should ever marry, I will not wear a ring.

GB

Some friends of mine who are very observant Jews don't wear them as the Torah has some prohibition on not wearing women's jewelry or some such thing.

[dopey]

I have lost two platinum wedding bands and my Jeweler refused to sell me a third one, insisting I just get a cheaper one of white gold. I did, but I think I lost it.

I have no idea why Dr. Bresch had a hard time finding a flat band. A decent Jeweler will order anything you want of any metal (at least the ones on 47th Street will). It is true that they may stock only whatever is the current hot-seller but anything not terribly unusual can be ordered with a pretty quick turnaround (mine were always ordered - I initially ordered flat but then I stopped caring).

As for Zipj's comments about Orthodox Jews not wearing wedding bands: There may be several customs, but the absolute prohinbition is not universal among observant Jews, though it may be frowned upon as a bit too modern or egalitarian. On the other hand, there is a good basis for not exchanging bands under the wedding canopy as the ring must be given to the bride, not bought or exchanged for by her. I have been advised on more than one occasion that wearing a ring beginning some time after the ceremony does not present a religious issue. Anyone who cares though, should seek advice from someone who knows what he is talking about rather than relying on what some guy says on the internet.

[Guest]

Dopey, I have no idea why I had so much trouble. First, maybe because I was in Philadelphia! Maybe I only went to the well-established places, rather than the back room-type stores on Jewelers Row, which I recently visited and probably would have been more fertile hunting ground. Except from a Zales-like catalogue, I do not recall anyone's making flat wedding bands. Oh well, the most important thing is that the marriage was a great success. Second, I had a chance to experience really great service at one of the world's most prestigious jewelers.

[LB]

Is anyone familiar with the custom of wearing a gold signet ring (on the left hand ring finger) as a wedding ring?

[yachtie]

Matching plain bands, in Iridium. Actually that was probably my first "bespoke" anything.

[zhhooper]

Is anyone familiar with the custom of wearing a gold signet ring (on the left hand ring finger) as a wedding ring?

This is precisely what I do.

It's a family custom to receive a gold signet ring w/monogram upon high school graduation. I wore this on my right ring finger until I married. My wife is not a fan of men wearing multiple rings and I was very accustomed to my signet.

So I opted to engrave my signet ron the inside with our initials and wedding date and since the wedding have worn on my left ring finger.

[Keith T]

I wear a simple band made of yellow gold, which does in fact match the metal of my wife's band (and engagement ring). I think it looks fine with my stainless steel watches, though you may find those who would disagree.

[JMurphy]

I have an aversion to mixing metals--the color, really, not the metal itself--that not only goes from watch to wedding ring but also spectacles, belt buckle, shoe buckles, and the hardware on braces and cases. I used to have both gold and silver accessories and swap stuff around according to whatever metal I was inclined to wear on a given day.

A dozen years or so ago I started to eschew gold and started buying only silver. (Started with a stainless Sub) so now I don't have any gold save a pair of monks with gold buckles. I always feel like people are staring at me when I wear the monks with a silver watch..... but that's me.

Unfortunately, the marriage went south but the gold band was stolen when I was cavorting in Sun Valley.

[Droogie]

It is more important to get a ring your happy to wear for life (if your lucky).

And perhaps most important to have a wife you'll be happy to wear the rest of your life.