Buying Wedding Rings: Materials, Prices and What to Look For
Gold, platinum or titanium? And what do wedding rings actually cost? Everything you need to know before buying the rings you'll wear for a lifetime.
Wedding rings are the only purchase from your wedding that you'll wear every day afterwards. Reason enough to think it through. This is everything you need to know about materials, prices and timing.
Which material suits you?
- Yellow gold – the classic. Timeless, warm and easy to work with. Choose 14 or 18 carat for daily wear.
- White gold – modern and neutral. Note: the rhodium layer needs to be reapplied every few years.
- Rose gold – warm and romantic, flatters almost every skin tone and is hugely popular right now.
- Platinum – the most durable precious metal: heavier, stronger and hypoallergenic. But 40 to 60 percent more expensive than gold.
- Titanium and zirconium – light, scratch-resistant and affordable. Ideal if you work with your hands, but hard or impossible to resize.
What do wedding rings cost?
A pair of gold wedding rings costs an average of €800 to €2,000. With diamonds, that goes up. Titanium pairs start from €300. Big price differences between jewellers are normal — always ask what's included: engraving, polishing and resizing.
Five things to look out for
- Order in time. Allow 4 to 8 weeks of delivery time, longer for custom work. Start no later than three months before the wedding.
- Have your size measured professionally — at the end of the day, when your fingers are slightly thicker. Never order based on an old ring.
- Choose a comfort fit profile if you've never worn a ring: the rounded inside feels much better.
- Consider your work and hobbies. Do you play a lot of sports or work with your hands? Choose a scratch-resistant material or a silicone "work ring" as a second ring.
- Don't forget the engraving. Wedding date, names or a secret message — submit the text at least two weeks before delivery.
Should the rings match the engagement ring?
More and more brides choose a stacking band that fits against the engagement ring. Bring the engagement ring to the jeweller and try the combination together — check that the rings sit nicely against each other without spinning.
