Tungsten vs. Gold: What's Right for a Men's Wedding Band?

If your ring search has led you to tungsten versus gold, you may be at a bit of an impasse. While not particularly similar materials, they each have their own unique pros and cons. If you think they both look great, let’s get into the specifics and see if we can get your conundrum solved.

Pros of Gold

Classic Styling

Gold bands are the (pun intended) gold standard in the wedding industry. Dudes have been wearing them forever, and they’ll continue to wear them forever. If you like classic stylings or want to buy a ring you’re sure will look good in a few decades, gold is a hard option to beat.

Easier to Resize

Gold is a softer material, so it’s more malleable and easier to resize. That may not be as big of a deal to you now (assuming you bought the right size), but in the years to come, it may be helpful. Your fingers will change when you get older, and you may need to go up or down half a size. Really strong metals don’t offer that option.

Ease of Maintenance

Gold is a practical metal that’s really easy to maintain, so fans of low-maintenance rings will love it. Because of its universal popularity, any jeweler can work on it and clean it, so you never have to worry about caring for a more unique metal. Of course, since it’s low maintenance, you can do most of the cleaning yourself if you like. We recommend an annual cleaning of your ring regardless.

Cons of Gold

Softer Metals Are Easier to Bend

The downside of gold being painless to resize is that it can be easier to bend your ring accidentally. Now, it’s not going to be some acute issue where you caught your ring on a blanket once and now it’s an oblong shape. This is, however, something that can happen over time. If you repeatedly hit it on the corner of the table or get it caught on a sweater, your ring can bend.

Can Show Wear

Another downside of a softer metal. This is partially in how you do your preventative maintenance, but it’s worth noting. Over the years, gold can and does show wear. Some wear is a given, but a small amount of preventative maintenance can really help.

Source: shutterstock.com/LightField Studios

Pros of Tungsten

Durability

Tungsten is one of the strongest natural materials in the world. It’s made to take a beating without showing wear, so it can handle whatever your daily life looks like.

The Look

If you like a sleeker, more modern look, then tungsten wedding bands are for you. Tungsten rings have a really unique look and can be finished in several different colors if you don’t like the standard silver look. If you like the look of a silver ring but want something a bit unique, tungsten is the way to go.

Source: shutterstock.com/VAKS-Stock Agency

Cons of Tungsten

It’s a Hefty Ring

It’s a very strong ring, but that comes with a weight penalty. This, however, may not be a con for you. Some dudes like a heftier feel in their ring. Whichever side of that equation you fall on, just know it’s a heavier option than most.

Can’t Be Resized

Real strong, real heavy, real breakable if you try to resize it. Because it’s so strong, it’s next to impossible to resize, so be sure you get the right size. If not, of course, we’ve got you covered with returns.

Conclusion

That’s the quick and dirty of it. Not particularly dirty at all, but so the saying goes. Hopefully, you’ve got it sorted out and you’re now on to picking the ring for you!