Your wedding ring is a big deal. It’s precious, and serves as a permanent reminder of your commitment and of your love.
What else is important? Your health and fitness.
However, your wedding ring and your sport or workout routine aren’t always the best sparring partners!
Luckily, today’s man has many more options when it comes to men’s wedding rings.
Nowadays, staying active doesn’t mean forgoing a wedding band… it simply means that we need to take into consideration what metals and types of ring are best suited to the sport you play.
Whether you’re a pro athlete or a weekend warrior, some of the things you’ll want to consider include…
Your sport, and what it involves
First thing’s first: what’s your sport?
If you’re looking for a wedding band you can safely wear while on the pitch or track, you’ll want to start by looking at your sport.
In particular, some of the things you’ll want to look at include:
- Humidity, sweat & moisture
- The risk of impacts
- Chafing/rubbing (does your sport involve gloves or ropes?)
- How frequently you train or compete
Each of these can impact which metal and design are best-suited to your lifestyle.
For example, cricket players use their hands a lot – it doesn’t matter whether you’re a batsman, fielder or wicketkeeper. As such, the cricket player needs to think more about ring durability than, say, sprinters.
Your DORA stockist can help. Just tell them what sport you play, and they’ll provide recommendations for ring metal and design.
What’s the most durable metal for an athlete’s ring?
Let’s be practical, guys: if you’re going to stay physically active after your nuptials, your wedding ring is probably going to endure a lot of wear and tear.
What sports you play and how often will impact exactly what kind of wear-and-tear is involved. And this in turn impacts which metal you should choose for your wedding band.
So, what are your options?
Gold
At DORA, we love gold wedding bands.
It’s the traditional choice, and for good reason – it’s precious, beautiful and it wears well.
Most importantly for athletes and active men, it’s tough and durable.
For starters, gold is a smidge more scratch-resistant than platinum, allowing it to take hits better. It’s also rust-resistant – if you engage in a lot of water sports or are worried about sweaty hands causing your wedding ring to rust, then gold is a natural choice.
Noticed scratches on your gold ring? Don’t panic – gold can easily be repolished by any jeweller.
If your gold ring has suffered a scratch or two after a season of footy, just take it back to your jeweller and have a little chat with them about making your ring look brand new once more.
It’s a surprisingly easy job!
Finally, gold rings can also be enhanced with protective coatings that provide an extra layer of protection. Have you decided on a white gold ring?
Rhodium plating can make it even more scratch-resistant.
Platinum
At DORA, we don’t just love gold – we love Platinum wedding bands, too.
And it seems that many men out there are in agreement, if platinum’s soaring popularity as a choice for men’s wedding rings is any indicator!
What’s not to love about this beautiful white metal? It has a unique pure white appearance, doesn’t fade or change colour, and is more exclusive than gold.
And for the sports lovers out there, it wears extremely well for similar reasons to gold – specifically, platinum is dense and strong and can be polished up easily and quickly.
As a metal that’s denser than gold, it’s much less likely to break or deform on impact – an important consideration if your sport involves a lot of physical impacts.
And while it may scratch easier than gold, when platinum scratches, it doesn’t actually lose any volume. Instead, particles just get moved around – as such, scratches in a platinum ring can be buffed out, just like a gold ring.
Keep in mind: platinum is a denser (and therefore, heavier) metal than gold. While this isn’t a big deal for most men, for athletes, it can be an important consideration!
Interested in platinum, but worried about the price? DORA’s unique Platinum 600 range allows you to enjoy the strength and durability of a platinum ring without the premium expense.
Titanium & carbon fibre
What do you think of when you hear the words titanium and carbon fibre?
Chances are you think of high-performance machinery – if you’re an athlete however, there’s a good chance that your thoughts go towards gym equipment and sports gear!
Both of these materials are popular choices for sports and gym equipment thanks to their durability, high strength and low weight.
If you’ve ever used sport and gym equipment made of either of these substances, you’ll know what we’re talking about.
You’ll also know what makes both of them popular alternatives to precious metals among athletes and men who lead active lifestyles.
The problem is that rings made of titanium and carbon fibre don’t have the same pictures of wealth and exclusivity that a precious metal does. Not to mention, they tend to scratch up pretty easily.
And finally, what happens if you stop playing your sport?
Neither of these materials shine, or develop that patina that symbolises a long and happy marriage. Instead, you might feel that your ring appears a bit dull.
DORA gives the best of both worlds. Our titanium & carbon fibre rings combine both of these materials with precious metals like gold, platinum and palladium, giving you a ring that’s tough, resilient and good-looking.
What ring design is best for athletes?
Okay, so now we’ve covered what type of metal is best suited for an athlete’s wedding band.
Now the next step: determining what sort of design is best suited for physical activity.
As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea for athletes and active men to avoid more elaborate and intricate designs (unless you’re comfortable with constantly removing your ring).
For example, some more elaborate designs (such as our collection of three-tone rings) can show scratches more clearly.
Not to mention, elaborate rings are attention-grabbers – people are naturally going to be paying more attention!
If you’re worried about designs, we suggest going with a classic men’s wedding ring.
Classic rings are a plain band, made of a precious metal (usually gold, though platinum is gaining ground).
Thanks to their simple and clean design, they:
- Won’t snag or get caught on sport equipment
- Won’t show wear-and-tear as obviously
- Don’t accumulate dirt or mud
More than aesthetics – the importance of shape
Of course, it isn’t just aesthetics that matter – as an athlete, you’ll also need to choose a ring that’s as comfortable as possible.
In particular, that means choosing a men’s wedding ring that’s rounded for more comfort.
Rings with sharp edges can be uncomfortable to wear for athletes – not to mention, they’re also more likely to scratch or suffer damage.
Finally, it’s important that your wedding ring is properly sized.
This is important for all men’s wedding rings – however, it’s especially important if you’re an athlete or physically active guy!
Imagine having to constantly adjust your ring while you’re on the field, or having a ring that’s irritating your finger with its tightness.
Your DORA stockist can help you select a ring that’s the perfect fit, with sizing kits designed with DORA rings in mind. Your performance and PBs will thank you!
golden rings store. Wedding gold rings on the showcase. Wedding ring set.
Men’s wedding rings that are tailored for you
When it comes to your sport, you can’t compromise – and you can’t compromise with your wedding band, either.
DORA men’s rings aren’t just Made to Mean More – they’re also made with an eye towards practicality. You’re going to be wearing it everyday for the rest of your life, after all!
Each DORA ring is made by hand in our factory in Europe, and can be personalised to suit your unique preferences and lifestyle.
For athletes and fitness freaks, that means a ring that…
- Is comfortable
- Is durable and tough
- Won’t negatively affect your performance
With DORA’s custom rings, you’ll have the final say over size, width, metal, design and finish, just to name a few things.
Browse our online catalogue, or click here to locate your nearest DORA stockist.
