Male gold rings come in all styles, sizes and colours, which makes finding the rings you want a little more complicated than it should be. This short guide can help you find what men’s gold rings you want. Jewelry can be complex when it comes to finding something specific you have in mind, which is why custom jewelry is a great option. Malleable is an ethical jeweller company and craftsman who can forge from new materials or reuse some of your old jewelry.
Colours
The colour of gold rings has changed as technology has improved and the jewelry industry adapted to reach larger audiences. Some colour changes were created because of the other metals added to make jewelry cheaper or stronger, while others only changed because of colourant added to give it that colour.
Yellow
The most popular colour of gold is yellow gold. It is what gold looks like in its refined state and is often the most yellow when it is 24k karat gold (99.999%).
Yellow gold is often seen as a symbol of wealth and power across the globe, making it the most used luxury metal for rings in the world. Metals such as Zinc, Copper and Silver are used to lengthen the gold making it less pure and thus less expensive.
White
White gold rings for men’s wedding bands or engagement rings are the colour result of a gold alloy created when using mostly gold and some palladium. The higher than palladium percentage, the white the gold alloy will appear. Palladium is a much more expensive gold, meaning its specific colour is more expensive.
A cheaper white gold can be made if the gold and palladium alloy is mixed with zinc and copper. Palladium is hypoallergenic, meaning it is better to use on your skin which is why it is more expensive than gold. Zinc, copper and nickel are not hypoallergenic metals but make the colour more affordable for jewelry lovers.
Blue
One of the rarest shades of gold, blue gold, is made by oxidizing gold and ruthenium or rhodium alloy. This colour is a soft blue with tinges of yellow. The colour is made through a complex oxidizing process of heating, cooling and reheating the metal until it reaches the optimal colour. The metal is quite brittle so we avoid using this metal.
Rose
The very popular Rose gold is made by mixing gold, copper and silver. The copper count causes the pinkish tinge within the alloy. The majority of rose golds are either 18k or 10k karat gold. The colour can be red if more copper is used or pink if there is more silver than copper within the alloy.
Black
While it has become more known recently, Black gold is not a very popular colour for gold. It can be made in several ways, but the only lasting method is laser treatment. The lasering treatment causes nanostructures on the gold to absorb light changing its colouring to a black finish. Black gold is often plated onto jewelry as bigger pieces require way more black gold, which is expensive to make and not as profitable to jewellers.
Styles
There are countless styles of gold rings for men. They mainly separate into men’s gold rings with and without precious stones. Many styles incorporate more shaping and craftsmanship into the gold rather than bigger or more stones.
Styles with precious stones
Round/Princess cut
The round cut or princess cut refers to a style with a central precious gem, a diamond. It is surrounded by smaller gems styled to draw attention to the centre stone. Round cut rings are some of the most expensive as they are meant to display a large precious stone. Round cut styles are not meant for men or women, but most styles will have thicker designs in rings for men.
Most round-cut styles are a combination of other styles. Ring designs of round cut gold rings for men have fewer additional bands of smaller stones and rather are thicker and bulkier.
Square cuts
Square or rectangular cut styles such as Asscher or Emerald cuts are similar to round cuts. These styles are less decorative but draw more attention to a square-cut precious gem. More extravagant men’s rings will have thing bands of stones around the main gem.
Asscher cuts generally only have a singular stone. This is decorated by shaping the ring around the stone using slight slights or crafting lines and shapes in the ring’s band. Asscher rings are great options for men as they are simple but exquisite.
Marquise
Marquise rings have a triangular shape, usually copied as a smaller band underneath the central triangular band of stones. Marquise styles are less bulky and are great for slimmer fingers. Marquise rings are cheaper as they have less precious gems but have more intricate band designs to compensate.
Styles without precious stones
Signet
Signet rings were originally used as moulds for wax seals but have since been gentrified. The new signet style will have a symbol, sigil or crest that is the main feature of the ring. Generally, these rings are bulkier as they need space for a small logo. Signet rings can be made from any metal, but more intricate designs use yellow or white gold.
Wedding Bands
Wedding bands for men were only introduced at the beginning of world war 1. It was not very common for men to have a ring signifying they were married. The most common gold rings for men are wedding bands. These wedding bands usually have simple, clean and plain yellow gold bands with minimal or no decoration.
These rings are less expensive than most designs for wedding rings for women but are meant as a reminder that the man is married rather than decorative rings.
Mimic
A new style has recently emerged in rings for men. This style is named after many different names but is supposed to be made to look like a different object. They can be modelled to look like bullets, fingers, wheels, etc.
Fidget Rings
For men with ADD/ADHD and anxiety, fidget rings have a smaller ring that can be turned around. These rings are a recent style that has developed to help men and women stimulate themselves if they are stressed or anxious. These rings can be made with gold as well as other metals.
Why do specific rings go on certain fingers?
Thumb
Thumb rings have no specific historical meaning or reason. They must go on the thumb. Instead, thumb rings are used to create symmetry when your three middle fingers get crowded. This is most common among people who spend long hours typing as more rings on the middle fingers bump into each other, causing the wearer discomfort or fear of damaging them.
Index finger
This finger was used to show off the most flashy ring as it is the finger most people use to point or gesture. Wearing a more expensive ring on this finger will receive more attention than others simply because it is more noticeable. It is the second most used finger for rings, after the ring finger. Wearing a ring on the index finger creates great symmetry when the only other ring on that hand is the ring finger. Index fingers were the fingers officials or noble families would use to display their crest or sigil. The use was not practical like pinkie rings but meant for display.
Middle finger
The middle finger is often the palace for a small ring with little or no bulk and stones as it is the finger that most often leans or bumps others. Bulky rings are worn on the middle finger and frequently interfere with carrying, holding or gripping anything as you need space between the other fingers for the ring itself.
Ring finger
This is the most well-known finger to place a ring on. Rings on the ring finger are seen as an indication of marriage or engagement. It also indicates that the wearer is not looking for a relationship since they already have one.
This is the finger most people have their most expensive ring or rings on. Placing a ring on someone’s ring finger is seen as a sign of a marriage proposal or a promise not to seek another romantic partner.
Pinkie
The pinkie, aside from the ring finger, is the most popular finger for a ring. This is because signet rings were used to close a wax seal with a crest or marking. Signet rings were the most used rings when people used wax seals. Officials and governments would give officers or clerks these rings as it was needed for official correspondence. Signets are not used much today for their original purpose but instead to hold more rings.
Sustainable jewelry
Sustainability is one of the terms many businesses use to green-wash the products for their clientele. Instead of ensuring their products are not harmful to the planet, some use umbrella terms such as “green” that mislead consumers.
Malleable works to ensure that its jewelry is forged in as environmentally friendly ways as possible. They try to limit their carbon footprint so that generations can live and enjoy the fruits of the planet, such as the many gems it has to offer. The jewellers create unique pieces to make all people feel comfortable and beautiful wearing their pieces.
The jewelry is not only sustainable but uses recycled metals and gems such as sterling silver. This helps create ethical and sustainable pieces that you can wear, knowing that they did not harm the environment in their creation.
The Process of customizing Malleable Rings
Custom rings require more work than picking one from a catalogue. The process is not as long as it seems.
Consultation
The first step is to have an hour-long consultation with a specialty jeweller where you can discuss everything about your ring. This will start with general sizing, then move into talks about designs. This is where you can speak about having the ring-shaped to match a family heirloom, the aesthetic you want, and the pricing you can afford.
You can bring your ideas about the piece with photos, sketches, and other thoughts you want to speak about regarding your piece. If you wish to have other pieces created to match the ring, you can also mention them here. The jewellers can also work with pieces you already have, such as heirlooms you might want to recycle.
Choosing the Metal and Stones
The second step is about finding the metals and stones that will work with your ideas. Other shapes and placement of gems will also be discussed here. If you’d like to reuse gems, this is the last place to have them ready so that they can be added to the design process.
Using stones from pieces you don’t wear or use to create sustainable pieces is encouraged. This is not necessary if you don’t want to part with your jewelry. Completing this step should leave you and the jeweller with sound ideas you’re happy with.
Digital Design
Following the consultation, the design process will continue with you being sent digital copies of the ring before the crafting begins. This will be done with 3D software to ensure any reused stones’ exact measurements and fitting. A copy of the ring will be sent for you to comment on and give feedback as to whether you like the piece.
Crafting
Now that the design process is done, you are happy with your design. The crafting will begin. The stone will then be set and finished by polishing your finished ring. The piece will be crafted with diamond graders, jewelry designers, and goldsmiths.
Delivery
The process is nearly done. The final step is deciding whether you’d like to pick up the ring yourself or have it delivered to you specially. The staff at Malleable will also provide you with the necessary information on the pieces’ certifications, appraisal, and insurance.
