The Man Registry’s GroomsAdvice blog is proud to share these exclusive tips for finding the groom’s wedding band by Michael O’Connor, Jewelry & Style Expert

Guest Blogger Profile: Michael O’Connor

Michael O’Connor’s wedding band tips are a must read for all grooms.

Now more than ever, couples are expressing their special personalities and relationships in the wedding rings they choose to wear. Men have moved away from settling for just a plain band. The trend is for rings imbued with meaning and character—customized in some way from textured finishes and special gems to carved symbols and engraved inscriptions.

Men are becoming more adventurous in the band styles they choose, as design options for gents continue to expand. Jewelry designer Scott Kay, known for his platinum engagement rings, now has a growing and diverse collection of men’s wedding rings in strong, masculine patterns from rope and weave to bolted and gothic hand forged looks.

Scott Kay Platinum Wedding Band

In a recent online poll, about a third of bridegrooms insist on comfort fit style bands, a quarter prefer a masculine satin/brush metal finish, which looks amazing on platinum, 15% set diamonds, and 10% each include precious stones, carved designs, and two-tone metal looks.

When deciding on wedding bands, just remember it’s not so much about matching your band to your bride’s as it is about harmonizing the rings. There needs to be something that illustrates that the bands go together. To synchronize your rings, I advocate metal harmony. And of all the metals to choose, platinum provides the durability needed for every-day-wear, while expressing your greatest commitment.

Hearts on Fire Platinum Men’s Wedding Band

Platinum wedding bands have a masculine weight, they’re tarnish free and look great over time. Its density and weight make it more durable than other jewelry metals, able to hold stones securely in their settings and not wear down as quickly as other jewelry metals. Because most platinum jewelry is 95% pure, unlike 18k-gold that is only 75% pure, it’s hypoallergenic, a bonus to those sensitive to metals. And diamonds and gemstones look amazing against the pure and natural white luster of platinum.

Celebrity bridegrooms prefer platinum including actor Josh Kelly who traded rings by Ryan Ryan with film star Katherine Heigl, and tennis champ Andy Roddick who exchanged Tiffany rings with his bride Brooklyn Decker. Other platinum band fans include Russell Crowe, Adam Sandler, Tom Cruise, and Will Smith.

Furrer-Jacot Platinum Groom’s Wedding Band

But if you think platinum is out of reach, know that many of today’s innovative designers are creating handsome platinum pieces for under $1,000. While platinum may be slightly more expensive than gold, it provides the best value for your money. In some cases the price differential between platinum and gold is small.

I usually advise couples to look for their wedding bands while shopping for the engagement ring. If not then, at least start shopping six months prior to your day. Most jewelers offer layaway plans so you can pay off the rings in time. If you postpone the decision until the eleventh hour, you’ll likely have to “settle” for something. By that time in the process, you’re probably over budget, making smart considerations like platinum and desired extras like diamonds no longer viable.

A special thanks to guest blogger Michael O’Connor