If there’s one piece of jewellery you’ll be wearing for most of your adult life, it would be your wedding ring. For most men, it’s the only jewellery they would wear.
Since it’s going to be such a vital piece of bling, it’d be wise to know a bit more about it. Why wear them, where to buy them, how to choose them, and how much will they cost?
Wedding band vs engagement ring – what’s the difference?
The engagement ring is given to the woman to chope her, so that every man within her vicinity knows she has promised her devotion to someone and is off the market. (By the way the man has no engagement ring, so he can’t be choped until the wedding. Ponder this bit of inequality if you will…)
Even though the engagement ring is really just the promise ring (and not the commitment ring – the symbol that says you’re committed for life), it has always gotten more attention in popular imagination. Maybe because it’s flashier or comes with a lot more drama.
In any case, the wedding ring is what you put on your spouse’s left finger (the ring finger) at the wedding ceremony. It’s worn all the time after that as both a reminder of your promise to each other and also to warn off potential suitors.
Why a ring though? Thank the Egyptians for that. They are believed to be the first people to exchange wedding rings. They considered the circle a symbol of eternity. So, the ring was supposed to symbolise the everlasting love between the couple.
And why the left ring finger? Thank the Romans for that. They believed the vein on the 3rd finger of the left hand leads directly to the heart. They called it the vein of love. Wearing the ring given to you by your spouse on that finger represents his or her direct link to your heart.
How do you choose your wedding bands?
For the woman, the wedding ring is worn with the engagement ring. Because the woman wears both rings, getting the wedding ring to match the engagement ring is a good idea. For this reason, most people will buy their wedding rings from the same place where you got their engagement ring.
Some jewellers have made it even easier by having matching wedding and engagement ring collections. But these tend to be of the super-atas variety – think Cartier, Chaumet and Harry Winston.
Alternatively, you can simply go to a jeweller whose designs you like. Even if they don’t have matching collections, you can still find wedding bands that’ll complement your engagement ring. It doesn’t have to be totally matchy-matchy, but it can still have a semblance of being part of a set. Go for…
Matching metals: Rings usually come in yellow, white, rose gold or platinum. Just make sure both rings are the same type of metal.
Matching gems: If your engagement ring has a gem set into it (diamond solitaire, pave diamonds or precious stones), your wedding ring can feature the same gem, only tinier, to echo the look of the engagement ring.
Matching band width: Rings come with different widths. Your wedding band should not vary too much in width from your engagement ring.
Matching designs: If your engagement ring has notches or etchings carved into the band, you might want to repeat the pattern somewhere on your wedding band
Complementary curves: If your engagement ring has a unique-shaped gem set into it (especially if the gemstone is an oval or a marquise), you can have a wedding ring that is contoured to accommodate the shape of the gem.
Where to find affordable wedding bands in Singapore
Wedding bands can cost as much as $10,000 a pair. The cause of the eyebrow-raising price tag are the gems that are embedded in the wedding band. More diamonds or precious stones, more money. But you can get away with wedding bands that cost a fraction of that for a pair. Here are some suggestions:
James Allen wedding bands ($576)
Poh Heng wedding bands ($998)
Goldheart wedding bands ($1,066)
SK Jewellery wedding bands ($1,498)
Are there any alternatives to the wedding band?
While the wedding band has a 6,000-year history, there are several other ways to symbolise your union if you’re not into jewellery or conventions. As a bonus, these can be more affordable and harder to misplace than a tiny ring.
Wedding bracelets: Any sort of bracelet will do really, but a nice option is to order matching bracelets from Etsy that can be personalised with engravings. They can cost as little as $60.
His & hers watches: If you’re the practical sort, matching watches might be a good alternative to wedding bands. The sky’s the limit when it comes to watches – you can buy a pair from Qoo10 for $50 bucks, or go all-out and buy a 5-figure watches from the usual big timepiece brands like Patek Philippe.
Wedding ring tattoos: For the ultimate representation of your commitment, nothing beats matching tattoos. You can tattoo your ring fingers together for under $200.
What kind of wedding bands did/would you go for? Tell us in the comments!