A Circle Of Love
By Tresa Erickson

Wedding rings have been a cornerstone of wedding ceremonies since ancient Egyptian times. Every year, thousands of couples around the world slip them onto each other's fingers as a pledge of their eternal love. In just a few short months, you will be joining the ranks and slipping a circle of love onto your fiancé's finger, but first you must find the perfect ring.

The time has finally come for you to choose a wedding ring for your fiancé. Think just any old ring will do? Think again. With the wide range of styles now available, your fiancé might just want something different than the traditional gold band.

Few couples today purchase matching wedding rings. Many go for rings that complement each other in color or shape but have their own unique design. The styles of wedding rings for men extend beyond the plain gold band. Walk into any jewelry store and you'll find textured bands, two-toned bands, diamond bands and more. The choices are endless.

Men's wedding rings generally come in three shapes: flat, half round with a flat interior and a rounded exterior, and comfort fit with a rounded interior and any exterior. The width of the ring also varies, ranging from four to seven millimeters. Finishes include gold, silver, platinum and more. Some rings even feature two-tone finishes. Gold bands with platinum edges, for example, are popular. Many rings also come with diamonds. One popular style has burnished diamonds scattered around the band and set flush with it, while another features a channel of diamonds encircling the band.

With such a large variety of rings to choose from, you may have trouble choosing one for your fiancé. Try to keep his personality and preferences in mind. If he works outdoors and tends not to wear jewelry, you may want to select something simple like a plain platinum band, whereas if he works indoors and wears jewelry, you might go for something a little more intricate. Don't forget about his activities. Some styles tend to wear better than others. Men who are avid rock climbers will not fare well with textured or diamond bands. Not only will dirt get trapped into the crevices of a textured band, but one nasty blow to a diamond band might loosen or crack the stones.

To know for certain what kind of ring your fiancé would like, take him with you and let him pick it out. That way, you'll ensure he's getting something he'll wear. Then once the wedding is over, all you'll have to worry about is reminding him to take it off when he's doing dirty work and occasionally snatching it from him to clean it.