Just Mens Rings asked:




Okay, gentlemen, it is time to dispel some of the myths surrounding the selection of men’s wedding rings, especially now that there are so many different metals on the market. You may not hear this kind of advice from a traditional jeweler (maybe because they are secretly hoping you will drop a couple grand for a platinum ring), so I am going to give it to you straight: Palladium men’s wedding bands really are every bit as great as people say they are. And that is my honest opinion.

Sure, platinum is a stunningly beautiful metal, and gold is always a luxurious pick. There are even many new and incredibly strong “industrial metals” available today, such as titanium, tungsten and stainless steel. Each of these metals has its own unique selling points, and each can be made into a great-looking ring, but as someone who keeps up with all the trends in men’s wedding rings, I strongly recommend that you check out palladium men’s wedding bands. This naturally white metal is a jeweler’s “dream come true”. In my humble opinion, palladium is the quintessential metal for the modern man.

You may be wondering why I’m so excited about this metal. Yes, palladium looks great on any man, and yes, it is an affordable choice that has the look and feel of platinum, but what really turns me on about palladium is what it’s “not”. It is not going to break the bank, like platinum can do. It contains no nickel, so it is not going to cause an allergic skin reaction (like white gold will do in about 20% of wearers.) Unlike some stronger industrial metals, it will also not be difficult to resize if your ring size changes. It will not need to be re-plated like white gold or refinished like yellow gold. And it will not feel too light on the hand like titanium can, or too heavy like tungsten or platinum.

Palladium men’s wedding bands are neither too light nor too heavy, they have a brightness that is comparable to platinum, and they are hypoallergenic too. Palladium is strong enough to absorb sharp blows without scratching and will not wear away like gold often does.

In case you’re wondering why you’ve never heard of palladium, it may be that it didn’t become popular as a jeweler’s metal until recently. While it has always been mined alongside platinum, jewelers found palladium difficult to melt for fine jewelry, so it was used as a “strategic metal” by the military. It wasn’t until much later, when diamond-setters began to use palladium for its strength, that it was reformulated into a jewelry grade alloy known as PD950. This premium alloy is made from 95 percent white palladium and 5 percent ruthenium, making it even more precious and pure than white gold.

As if these reasons weren’t enough to convince you to check out palladium men’s wedding bands, these rings also offer excellent value. What’s interesting is that palladium is just as rare and pure as platinum, but it costs so much less is because it is not yet in as much demand. On average, palladium is about one-fifth the price of platinum. But as its popularity rises, the price may start to creep up, which could add value to a palladium wedding ring over time.

Palladium men’s wedding bands are available in a stunning selection of styles from Benchmark, one of the nation’s top ring designers. Why not check them out today?

Just Mens Rings asked:




For some men, buying a wedding ring is the first time they have purchased a valuable piece of jewelry for themselves; making the process of choosing a ring can be daunting. Before you start shopping for wedding bands, it is a good idea to learn a little bit about some of the newer precious metals that are now available.

One of the most exciting developments in the world of wedding rings has been the introduction of palladium wedding rings. In case you are unfamiliar with this metal, it is a jeweler’s dream come true. Not only is palladium whiter than white gold and much less expensive than platinum; it is also hypoallergenic and extremely durable.

Men’s palladium wedding rings are a great choice for the man who wants the look and feel of platinum without the price. It is actually considered one of the “sister” metals of platinum, and shares many of platinum’s unique characteristics, like being hypoallergenic, naturally white, durable, strong and non-tarnishing. In fact, in many areas of the world, platinum and palladium are mined together. First used as a “strategic metal” and reserved for military purposes only, palladium was never really considered a jeweler’s metal until diamond-setters began using it. A newly formulated alloy made from 95% premium white palladium and 5 % ruthenium, known as PD950, has made this metal an excellent choice for men’s wedding rings.

When you compare other jewelry metals to palladium men’s wedding rings, you will notice that comparably priced metals don’t measure up to the pure whiteness of palladium. For example, white gold only becomes white because pure yellow gold is mixed with other metals, like zinc and nickel. That’s why white gold always has a slightly yellowish tint. Sometimes it is electroplated to appear whiter, but these coatings eventually wear off. If you want to buy a ring that is naturally white in color, without costing a fortune, then a men’s palladium wedding ring is the perfect choice.

The weight of a palladium men’s wedding ring is similar to that of 14k gold, so it is neither too light nor too heavy on the hand and feels very comfortable on the finger. If you’ve ever tried on a platinum ring, you know that they are at least 60% heavier than gold or palladium wedding bands.

As for durability, the allure of palladium is that it is virtually tarnish-proof and is strong enough to absorb sharp blows and mars, rather than wearing away like gold does.

Basically, palladium gives you many of the same desirable features as platinum at a much more reasonable price. It is just as white as platinum, and much whiter than white gold, never needs rhodium plating, is hypoallergenic, and more precious than white gold. But the best part of all is that palladium, on average, is about one-fifth the price of platinum.