How to Choose a Wedding Band: Metal, Width and Fit

Your wedding band is the piece of jewellery you'll wear most. It goes on every day and rarely comes off, so the right choice is as much about comfort and wear as looks. These are the decisions we walk couples through at our Cotton Tree studio, in roughly the order they come up.

1. Choose the metal

Most wedding bands are made in gold or platinum. Each wears differently.

• 18ct gold is 75% pure gold, alloyed with other metals for strength. It has a richer colour than 9ct and is the most popular choice for wedding bands.
• 9ct gold is 37.5% gold. It is harder-wearing on scratches and costs less, with a paler colour.
• White gold is gold alloyed with white metals, then usually plated with rhodium for a bright white finish. The plating wears with time and can be renewed, which we do in the workshop.
• Rose gold gets its warm colour from copper in the alloy.
• Platinum is naturally white, so it never needs replating. It is heavier and denser than gold, and when it scratches the metal moves rather than wearing away, which gives it a soft satin look over time.

Tip: match the metal of your engagement ring. Metals of different hardness worn side by side can wear against each other, and the softer one loses.

2. Plain or diamond-set

A plain band is the most durable choice and the easiest to resize later. Diamond-set bands add sparkle. The setting style changes how they wear:

• Claw-set stones show the most light but the claws can catch, and should be checked from time to time.
• Channel-set stones sit between two walls of metal, protected and snag-free.
• Pavé covers the surface in small diamonds for an all-over sparkle.

Bands with diamonds all the way around (full eternity bands) look beautiful but generally can't be resized, so get the size right at the start.

3. Width and profile

Width is personal, but consider your hands and your engagement ring. A fine band can be lost beside a large engagement ring; a wide band can overwhelm a delicate one. Profile matters for comfort too. A rounded inside edge (often called comfort fit) slides over the knuckle more easily than a flat one.

Wider bands sit tighter on the finger than fine ones in the same size. For bands wider than about 6mm, it's often worth going up half a size. Our ring size guide explains how to measure.

4. Make it sit with your engagement ring

Many engagement rings have a centre stone or setting that sits low, so a straight band leaves a gap between the two rings. There are three common answers:

• A fitted or shaped band curves around the engagement ring's setting so the two sit flush.
• A straight band with a gap, which some people prefer for its clean look.
• Raising the engagement ring's setting so a straight band slides underneath. This is a job for the workshop and is best decided before the wedding band is made.

The simplest way to judge is to bring your engagement ring in. We'll try bands against it and, if needed, make a band shaped to fit.

5. Finish and engraving

Polished, brushed, matte and textured finishes all change the look. Brushed and matte finishes show light scratches less, but they will polish up with wear and may need refinishing over the years. An engraving inside the band (a date, initials or a short message) is a lasting personal touch; ask about it when you order.

6. Allow time

Handmade bands take longer than off-the-shelf rings. If you have a wedding date, tell us when you first visit so we can confirm what's achievable when we quote. Every band we make is quoted individually.

See and try bands in Cotton Tree

At NY2K Jewellers, wedding bands are made at our own bench in Cotton Tree, in plain and diamond-set styles in gold and platinum, and matched to your engagement ring. The workshop is led by Paul New, a Fellow of the Gold & Silversmiths Guild of Australia (№081) with more than 40 years at the bench.

Browse wedding bands in the studio now, read more about our handmade wedding bands, or visit us at Rovera Plaza, Shop 5, 23 Cotton Tree Parade, Cotton Tree, Maroochydore QLD 4558, Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:00pm. You can also book a consultation or call 07 5443 1955.