Choosing Wedding Rings: Some Do’s and Don’ts

 Take Care When Choosing Your Wedding Rings

Your wedding rings signify the most solemn oath you will ever make and you will wear them for the rest of your lives. You shouldn’t just buy them on a whim, or make a snap decision you could well regret later. There are a number of practical and aesthetic considerations you should make in order to find the ideal rings which will serve you best through your life together.

Choose Your Precious Metal With Care As Not All That Glitters Is Gold

Wedding bands are fashioned from precious metals as befits their significance. Gold has been the metal traditionally used for wedding rings, but platinum and palladium are also popular choices. Yellow gold is the traditional classic, but it can be alloyed to make decadent rose gold, or sophisticated white gold. Pure gold is too soft for jewellery, so all jewellery grade gold is alloyed with other metals. Platinum is more dense than gold, so is heavier, palladium looks similar to platinum but is not as heavy.  All these precious metals come in various jewellery grades and should carry stamps or hallmarks to guarantee this. Don’t trust allegedly precious metals which aren’t stamped or hallmarked, and beware faint hallmarks or dubious stamps simply reading ‘pure gold’ or ‘solid gold’.

Enrich Your Wedding Bands With Gemstones But Don’t Burden Your Conscience

Traditional wedding rings were plain, but bands inlaid with precious stones are becoming increasingly popular. Diamonds, being the hardest and most brilliant of gems, are the obvious choice to adorn a wedding ring. There are commercially produced, man-made diamonds, for sure, but having decided on a naturally occurring precious metal for a ring, most couples prefer diamonds mined from nature’s sources.  You wouldn’t serve fine Cognac in a plastic beaker, would you? Take expert advice when selecting diamonds and be aware of the four Cs determining their value; Carat; Colour; Clarity; and Cut. Don’t consider diamonds which are not independently graded and be sure they carry certification from a body such as GIA to guarantee they carry no taint of conflict or human rights abuse. 

Don’t Expose Yourselves To Allergic Reactions

Some jewellers alloy their precious metals with nickel. This can cause an allergic reaction to their wearers. Even hypoallergenic metals like platinum are alloyed by some producers with nickel. The range of platinum wedding bands at The Beautiful Company is guaranteed nickel-free. Do be sure no nickel is used in the creation of your wedding rings; you certainly don’t want to develop a nasty, painful rash.

Guarantee Your Satisfaction And Don’t Make Do With Second Best

Do be sure that the jeweller you purchase your wedding rings offers you the option to change your mind.  You are making lots of massive decisions around the time of your wedding, not just for the day itself, but also for the security and comfort of your future together.  In these circumstances, it’s easy to make an error of judgment and find yourselves with rings which don’t quite match your dreams.  If you have to keep these rings, those misgivings will never quite go away.  Look for jewellers offering exchange, or better yet, money back guarantees if their products don’t satisfy you. Finally, avoid jewellers who charge for delivery, you’re spending lot with them; it’s got to be their job to get their products to you.

Mary Desilva