Wedding rings play an important part in a wedding ceremony as a symbol of your love and an enduring sign of the promises you make to each other. Traditionally couples have invested in purchasing gold wedding rings or bands, however, with the rising price of gold and changes in fashion styles, there are some interesting new trends emerging.

Wedding bands have become more ornate. Diamond wedding bands have reached a peak in recent thanks to the celebrities who proudly display theirs.   Coloured diamonds are also gaining in popularity, particularly the yellow, blue and aquamarine diamonds.

In the past, the men’s ring was often of little concern to either as long as the woman’s ring was attractive, but these days, men are increasingly looking for a nice ring or diamond studded ring as much as the women are. 

Practicality and cost are driving people to also consider alternative wedding bands to gold. There is an increasing demand for Platinum, Titanium and Tungsten rings.  The white-silver colouring of these metals are a fashionable complement to diamonds, and make strong, attractive wedding bands.

Because of its rarity, Platinum is the more expensive of these alternative metals. It is slightly heavier than gold, whitish in colour, hard wearing and will last a long time without maintenance. Platinum is a great choice for those looking for a high value ring. 

Titanium, often used in rockets and space exploration, has an incredible weight to strength ratio. It is light, like plastic, but very strong.  It can be made in a range of iridescent colours.

Tungsten represents the ultimate in durability and is very affordable.  It is the hardest of all metals used for jewellery, virtually indestructible and almost totally scratch-resistant. A tungsten wedding ring really does last a lifetime, and this idea of permanence is making it an increasingly popular option. The hard-wearing properties of Tungsten is especially attractive to couples who lead active, outdoor lives. 

Whether you prefer a highly decorated, diamond encrusted ring, or a plain wedding band made of Titanium or Tungsten, the trends away from the traditional gold band allow for an abundance of options. Deciding what rings to buy becomes a matter of personal expression, taste and lifestyle. 

NZ Wedding Directory has a range of jewellers who work with all the materials mentioned in this article.