Which Wedding Band Is Right for You?

Picking the right wedding band is just as important as picking the right engagement ring — maybe even more.

According to New York Magazine, Laurel Pantin, style director at InStyle, said shoppers should think of wedding bands as “a piece of jewelry you love” when worn by itself, “that isn’t necessarily made to be so matchy-matchy with your engagement ring,” she suggested, before adding, “I rarely wear my engagement ring now that I’m married, so it’s nice to have a band that you love on its own.”

Bridal stylist Gabrielle Hurwitz tells her clients to be cautious if they’re choosing a wedding band solely because it’s trendy, even though that “can be really tempting.” She said, “Your wedding band is not only a symbol of your love and commitment to your spouse, but it’s also a piece of jewelry you’ll wear every day.” Publicist Danielle Gadi agreed, saying: “Don’t buy something because it’s trendy or because you see it on every ‘It’ girl on Instagram.”

Shoppers should also think about “whether you gravitate toward more subtle or statement-making jewelry in your everyday life,” Hurwitz explained, adding that a bride take into consideration her lifestyle as well: “If you’re super-active, you’ll need a more durable band.” A plain wedding band in a lower-karat gold is perhaps less valuable but more durable, and affordable.

If you do opt for a gemstone wedding band, or diamond wedding band, bezel or flush settings are a good choice in terms of protection, and make sure to avoid “any soft stones of 7 or below on the Mohs scale of hardness” like opal, tanzanite, or morganite, said Adrianne Sanogo, GIA-certified gemologist and co-founder of the Black in Jewelry Coalition. “Since it’s a ring you will wear and treasure for the rest of your life, the gems or materials you select should be durable.”

Fit and comfort are also key. Jewelry stylist, designer, and collector Jill Heller said, “Always look for style and quality, but never compromise on comfort. When a ring doesn’t fit well, it’s obvious and doesn’t look good.” Additionally, be sure to find out if your ring can be resized over time, if not go up in size, as advised by jewelry expert Leigh Batnick Plessner. For example, eternity wedding bands often can’t be resized. She said, “Maybe you’ve had a baby or maybe many nachos — or maybe both — but fingers do change with time.”

Weather is another factor to take into account.

Maura Brannigan, Fashionista.com’s editor-at-large, shared: “My husband and I decided to try on our bands on the hottest day of the summer, like the kind of New York City day where you sweat through your shorts. After a very gluttonous pre-fitting lunch, our hands had ballooned like a marshmallow in the microwave.” When the couple picked up the bands shortly before their wedding, “obviously — obviously! — our bands did not fit; I think my husband’s was something like two or three full sizes too big,” she said. “It ended up being fine and we got replacements sent over in time, but do try to gauge your size in weather more consistent with average temperatures.”

Less than $500

Less than $1,000

Eternity bands