Mens Rings

Though there are class rings, sports rings and fraternal rings, many men don't see a ring on their finger until they are married, and seldom thereafter. Moreover, the wedding band could be a man's only jewelry other than a wristwatch. Therefore, care must be taken when choosing a ring for a man. Find a mens ring that is both comfortable and durable.

Men do focus on the details when choosing a ring. Metals can be colored, polished or matte; gemstones can be authentic or simulated in a lab. Since fewer men than women consistently wear rings, it's best to simply try on a good number in different styles. What looks great on one hand may not be as striking on another.

Jewelry experts will tell you these basics: width of the ring adds to the width of the finger, length adds length. Narrow bands get lost on larger hands, while the reverse is true when a wide band is worn on a smaller hand. Perhaps this is why many men choose a medium-width band with an inlay of stones or intricate design.

Men who work with their hands must also consider the strength of the metal used for the ring. The purity of jeweler's gold is measured in karats, which are expressed in units of 24ths. Thus, pure gold is 24-karat or 100 percent gold, 18-karat is 75 percent gold, 14-karat is 58.5 percent gold, and so on.

Gold jewelry is priced according to its purity, or karat weight. A karat, or carat, is 1/24th part of pure gold. Pure gold is commonly alloyed with other metals (copper, silver, zinc, nickel) to increase its hardness. There is no such thing as naturally occurring rose, white or green gold. Gold itself is only one color: yellow. All of other "colors" are a mixture of pure 24K yellow gold with various other metals. The percentage of the other metals (copper, silver, zinc, nickel) produces the different shades of gold.

Be sure to remove rings before swimming, sports, and gardening. A ring holder works well for storing rings when not in use.