Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Stainless Steel Wedding Bands

Stainless Steel wedding bands are a wonderful alternative to traditional gold or platinum.  When deciding if a stainless steel band is right for you, it is important to be aware of the pros and cons of a steel ring.

There are lots of positive aspects to buying a stainless steel ring.  It is durable and resists scratching and tarnishing.  It also won't rust or corrode.  This can be an important feature, since a wedding band is usually put through a lot of wear and tear when it is worn daily year after year.  Since steel is used to build a skyscraper, it should be durable enough for a wedding band!

Steel rings are far less expensive than gold.  They are also less expensive than other alternative metals such as titanium or tungsten. They also look a lot like platinum, but cost much less. They can be quite versatile and can be used for tension set engagement rings for diamonds or can be easily engraved.

Stainless steel rings are easy to maintain. They can be cleaned with warm water and dish detergent to keep them looking their best. A soft cloth can be used to polish them. After years, they can lose their original polish, but a jeweler can restore their shine relatively inexpensively.

Steel rings are also more eco-friendly than many other metals. Their production produces less waste and requires less energy than other metals. Most stainless steel rings are hypoallergenic, unless they are mixed with nickel.

One of the major negatives for some people is that stainless steel rings cannot be re-sized or repaired. This is an important consideration when choosing a wedding band as it will not be able to be re-sized in the future if you gain or lose weight. They can however, be easily cut off in the case of an emergency.

Stainless steel wedding bands are relatively new and there are not available in as many options as other metals. However, they are very versatile. They are an affordable, yet expensive looking alternative to precious metals.