Although yellow gold wedding bands are the traditional choice and remain popular with many couples, white gold and platinum wedding rings are a great alternative and are enjoying ever greater popularity.
There are a number of reasons why, despite the recession, many people today are shunning classic yellow gold rings in favour of white gold and platinum bands. White gold and platinum wedding rings can be more versatile than yellow gold rings; the colour goes well with workwear, formal wear and casual wear, helping outfits look more pulled-together. For women who wear a lot of silver jewellery on a day to day basis, a platinum or white gold wedding ring is ideal.
Exchanged during the marriage ceremony, a wedding ring symbolises eternal love and is almost invariably made of a precious metal, suggesting that this love is priceless. The movement away from gold and the vogue for platinum may show a growing faith in the value of romance.
From dainty slimline bands to 4mm platinum wedding rings which are suitable for both sexes, a platinum ring is a real investment piece which will last a lifetime. In addition to the increasing emphasis placed on the value of love and romance, the decision to opt for platinum over traditional gold rings is perhaps a sign that people are marrying later, when they have saved more money to put towards the costs of marriage.
Women and men are dividing the funding for weddings more equally than in the past, making financing a wedding more manageable. The fact that, today, wedding rings are worn by men as well as women highlights the fact that, in the twenty-first century, marriage is very much an equal match. The trend for matching 4mm platinum wedding rings, worn by both husband and wife, also emphasises the egalitarian nature of contemporary marriage.
The popularity of platinum isn't just confined to wedding rings. A platinum ring is fast becoming the favourite choice for proposals. As people are living longer, the tradition of passing engagement rings down the family line is declining. For many, engagement rings are no longer family heirlooms, but are chosen by the couple, making them a most personal gift which will be treasured forever.
Like platinum wedding bands, engagement rings made of white gold or platinum arguably work with a larger variety of colours and styles of clothing than their yellow and rose gold counterparts. Platinum complements most types of precious stones including sapphires and amethysts, both of which are favourites with fiancées. In these financially uncertain times, some might think it hard to justify blowing the budget on lavish weddings and expensive rings, but for many the cost associated with marriage represents the triumph of love over money.
At the height of the swinging sixties, the Beatles sang "all you need is love." Current trends in wedding and engagement rings stand as a symbol that, even in the twenty-first century, this is still very much the case. Visit us at the Platinum Ring Company for a vast range of platinum wedding rings and platinum engagement rings.