Image: Paul Martin Eldridge

If you’ve ever picked out a wedding band you know it can be an exciting time. You want just the right ring that not only represents your love, but also yourself. In the past few years men have been getting more involved in the fashion aspect of their own wedding bands. Gone are the days of the simple gold ring. Now many men want something as unique as they are.

Unfortunately, many men work with their hands. If not at their employment then at home. Everything from hard labor to putting together the new bookshelf for the home office can cause scratches and dents to their wedding band. Gold is the preferred metal, but it is soft and easily marked. In the recent years another metal has come into focus that offers both an attractive appearance and a durable staying power: tungsten.

Tungsten wedding rings for men offer many different advantages over traditional gold, white gold or silver jewelry.

• Stronger than Steel
  You can literally pound a tungsten ring with a hammer and it will not bend or break.
• Scratch Resistant
• Hypoallergenic
• Tungsten retains it’s luster and color for many years; without cleaning or polishing.

Formerly, couples were resistant to getting tungsten rings because of an ongoing myth that, once put on, a ring would have to be cut off in the case of an emergency. This is just not true. Tungsten rings go on and off of the hand the same way any other ring does. However, you do have to be careful to have your finger properly sizes before purchasing because tungsten is almost impossible to have re-sized due to it’s strength.

While mens black tungsten rings are still the most popular for their masculine appearance, you can also find more unique designs now like high-shine inlayed, brushed, tungsten rings with diamonds and laser etched.