Ring Leaders


Engagement rings get all the glory. Whether it’s a solitaire diamond nestled in a bed of platinum, or a triumvirate of sparkling gemstones, the engagement ring sparks oohs and ahs from everyone. But the right wedding band can elevate an engagement ring to a new level of style, and even stand on its own as a band of breathtaking beauty. The key to finding the right band is knowing when and where to look, what stones and metals to keep in mind, and what style will make the right statement for you.


Engagement rings get all the glory. Whether it’s a solitaire diamond nestled in a bed of platinum, or a triumvirate of sparkling gemstones, the engagement ring sparks oohs and ahs from everyone. But the right wedding band can elevate an engagement ring to a new level of style, and even stand on its own as a band of breathtaking beauty. The key to finding the right band is knowing when and where to look, what stones and metals to keep in mind, and what style will make the right statement for you.

Getting Started
Working with a jeweler you feel comfortable with is the first step to finding a wedding band. “It is such a personal thing. Do what feels most comfortable to you,” says Karina Mattei, owner of Mattei Galleria in Brookline. How do you find “your” jeweler? Look around for someone who is listening to your likes and dislikes and who puts you at ease. “A lot of people who come to me have been referred,” says Mattei. “And if a jeweler has been in the business for 20 years, that tells you something.”

Referrals and word-of-mouth are good ways to find a reputable jeweler before even entering a store. “Word-of-mouth is the best advertisement,” says Isabella Shnayder, co-owner of Euro Design Jewelry in Natick. The next step is knowing the difference between a jeweler and a salesperson. “You have to feel how experienced the person is, and if they are only pushing a high-price ring, they are probably just a salesperson,” she says. “If someone gives advice on what looks right and what might be good for the couple, not just the most expensive ring, then that person has experience.”

At Adamas Fine Jewelry in Newton, partner Veronica Sagherian recommends couples look at bands at least four months before the wedding to get familiar with rings and jewelry in general. “Jewelry may be new to them, especially the man, who can be less decisive,” she says. “We specialize in custom designs, and we like at least six to eight weeks to make the rings.” The extra few weeks give you a cushion for making adjustments to the size or design.

Starting your search for wedding rings four months before the Big Day is the general consensus among most jewelers—especially if you’re looking at going custom. “It all depends on how complicated the ring is,” says Shnayder. For custom rings, Schnayder makes a wax imprint of the engagement ring to match the size and style with the wedding band, and then makes a model of the wedding rings for the couple to try on. This process generally takes about four months. “Together we make sure it’s what they want,” she says.

Mix & Match
Most couples tend to choose the same material but different styles for their bands. “We usually sell bands that are not matching,” says Michael Lebowitz, vice president of merchandise and sales for Royal Jewelers in Andover. “Matching [wedding bands] used to be the case, but not anymore.”

Platinum is the material of choice. “Platinum is still king. It is durable and lasts longer,” says Marc Krutiak, store manager for Lux Bond & Green in Boston. White gold is the frequent runner-up to platinum.

“Platinum is one of the most expensive metals, which has an allure,” says Sagherian. “It also is more classic, complements diamonds well and is everlasting.” White gold can be less expensive while offering a similar look to platinum. “You also see surface scratches on platinum much sooner,” says Schnayder.

Many women want at least a few stones (diamonds or colored gems) on their wedding band. And eternity bands (bands with diamonds that go all the way around) are becoming more popular. “This is something old that is becoming new again,” says Krutiak.

Lebowitz cautions brides-to-be, though, against getting carried away with a wedding band. “You want two beautiful and distinctive rings that complement one another. You don’t want one speaking louder than the other,” he says. “It is like a pretty painting: You don’t want the frame to be prettier than the painting.”

Plain and simple is the request most jewelers hear from men, with wider, lighter metal bands as the style of choice. “Men don’t want to feel the ring,” says Shnayder. Titanium, a very lightweight metal, can take a beating without showing scratches and is a slightly less shiny color than platinum.

For men looking to match their band to their wife’s platinum wedding ring, Schnayder offers a cost-saving tip: choose a slightly less-expensive metal in a similar color. “Save the platinum for her wedding band and go with 14K white gold or something more affordable for him,” she says.

Make Your Mark
When it comes to engraving wedding bands, most jewelers are more than happy to squeeze as many characters on the ring as will fit—keeping in mind that the woman’s band will most likely be smaller and thinner. Keep the message personal, but not too long to allow for readability. Most couples opt for their initials and wedding date. “I’ve also done a ‘Forever in Love’ and the wedding date, and ‘For My Wife, the Love of My Life,’” says Sagherian. “As long as it fits, we’ll do it.”

For a different approach to engraving, Sagherian advises couples to think outside the ring—with designs instead of characters. “External engravings, such as an antiqued filigree, is an open design you can see, such as lines running through the ring,” he says.
“Antique design is one-of-a-kind, handmade and original to you.”

Standard internal engraving (such as initials and date) is usually free at most jewelers, but detailed, external engravings factor into the total cost of the ring.

New & Noteworthy
For the nontraditional groom, Krutiak points to a rose-gold wedding band, made of a reddish-pink gold alloy. “I actually chose rose gold for myself because I wanted to be different, and it is not a color you see every day,” he says.

Lebowitz recommends a combination of several different metals for men. “Take a lamination of different metals [such as] rose gold, platinum, white gold and put them together like a layer cake,” he says.

Alexis Gilbode, jewelry buyer for Alpha Omega in Cambridge, sees men’s bands getting wider (6, 7 and 8 millimeters) and women’s bands becoming thinner (from 2 to 3 millimeters). Popular for women at Alpha Omega are the Furrer-Jacot bands from Switzerland, a diamond-intensive band.

Lux Bond & Green’s micropavé diamond bands also are tops with women. “It gives the illusion of there being no metal, just diamonds,” says Krutiak. The shared prong (five to seven diamonds placed in a row with no space between) is gaining in popularity too.

And there’s no rule that women need stop at just one wedding band. The stackable wedding bands at Adamas Fine Jewelry combine two or three bands in the metal of your choice, with diamonds or multicolored gems. “You can take a pink sapphire and match it with a white diamond in a rose-gold setting, or a brown diamond with a white diamond to complement it,” says Sagherian. “These are for someone who wants to wear something a little more interesting than your traditional band.”