Can less expensive wedding rings still be made of quality materials and designer created? Yes! It can be pretty complicated to budget for your wedding, large or small. Especially since there seem to be more ‘must haves’ each year. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to talk about some inexpensive wedding ring ideas – all under $500! Your wedding bands can still be made of quality materials and designer made even if they are less expensive.
925 Sterling Silver Wedding Bands: $195-$500
Sterling silver is a great affordable wedding ring option. Typically wedding rings in silver range from $195 to $500 for plain bands without stones and depending on the design. As sterling silver is a soft metal it’s better to choose designs that can be made thicker so there is less chance of the ring becoming misshapen over time. By ‘thicker’ I’m referring to the metal thickness of the ring from the surface of your finger to the top surface of the ring, not necessarily the width.
Due to the softness of the metal it’s also likely that your ring will receive more scratches and dings with daily wear. A good idea may be to select a wedding ring design that already has a pattern on it so the scratches are not so obvious.
Also, you should be aware that sterling silver rings have the potential to tarnish or oxidize. Usually when a ring is worn everyday the natural oils in your fingers tend to keep the ring polished but, if there are any little nooks and crannies in your ring, you may expect tarnish to develop there.
Alternative Metal Rings: $195-$500
Alternative metals such as titanium, tungsten and stainless steel are great for inexpensive wedding ring ideas. The price point can’t be beat and they are extremely durable. On the down side they aren’t sizable due to their very specific and difficult working properties.
Because of these very specific working properties I’m unable to custom make an alternative metal ring. My studio is set up for precious metals such as silver, gold and platinum.
Alternative metals require an entirely different workshop set up. What I do instead is source alternative metal rings from suppliers for my clients. I can order certain designs in and if they aren’t quite right we can return them and try something else.
Also, if you were ever to find yourself in the emergency room and needing to get your ring off in a hurry, you should know that they are extremely difficult to remove via cutting. So if you ever felt that your ring was getting tight on your finger, for any reason, you’d want to take it off before it becomes too difficult to remove. On the plus side if you ever needed to keep an elevator door open you probably could do it with your super ring!
10k Gold Wedding Bands: $295-$500
Gold rings vary in cost depending on the amount of metal required. Therefore the smaller the finger size and the smaller the width, the less expensive they are. These considerations tend to coincide with many ladies rings because they usually have a smaller finger size and prefer thinner bands.
Often men’s wedding bands will be a bit wider which adds to the cost. If you’re trying to keep your costs to a minimum you may want to consider a men’s band that is 4 to 5mm wide or less.
If you’re looking for a fairly simple design with a minimum amount of metal there are many styles of wedding bands in 10k gold with a price tag less than $500! There are many colour options available in 10k gold including: rose gold, white gold and yellow gold.
Have you Considered Reusing Your Old Jewellery?
I’ve created many wedding bands and wedding ring sets by reusing old jewellery or heirloom gold. If you aren’t planning on incorporating gemstones and the design is fairly simple you will not exceed a budget of $500.
Ideally you will want to have enough metal weight for the entire ring so that you do not need to add any new material. Take a look in your jewellery box and see if there are any broken chains, single earrings or older style pieces you aren’t wearing anymore. As long as they are gold I can combine them together to create your ring.
Here are some examples of wedding rings I’ve made for my clients by reusing their old jewellery:
Find out more about reusing your old jewellery!
Final Thoughts
On a personal note, I do feel that traditional wedding band metals such as gold and platinum are traditional for a reason. They really are the most durable and workable metals out of all of the options. I say this not because I want you to spend more money, only because they really are the best suited to the purpose.
Of all the investments that go into the big day, your wedding rings are the items that you will be taking away with you for a lifetime. That being said, there’s nothing to say you can’t go with an inexpensive option in the meantime and upgrade later for a special anniversary! Ultimately I think you should always try to focus on what is most important to you and your partner.
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