Men’s jewelry is more fashionable today than ever, which means that if you’re looking for a gift, men’s rings are a great idea this holiday season! When you’re shopping for the perfect ring for the man in your life, the most important considerations are which type of material to choose, which design will best suit your guy’s taste and which bands fall within your holiday budget.

Precious Metals

Rings made of precious metals – gold, silver, platinum and palladium – can be inscribed easily and resized later if your man’s ring size changes. However, these metals may cause a reaction if he has a metal allergy, and they can be more expensive than contemporary materials.

Gold: Of all the precious metals, gold is arguably the most popular classic choice for rings, but gold can scratch fairly easily and white gold may need to be recoated periodically.

Platinum: The rarest and most prized of all precious metals, platinum is unmatched in its rich, silvery luster. However, you’ll pay a premium for this coveted metal.

Silver: This lustrous white metal is a more affordable option, but it can tarnish and requires regular polishing.

Palladium: Unlike the other precious metals, palladium is hypoallergenic and can offer an alternative to platinum and white gold. While palladium rings are less expensive than platinum and don’t need to be recoated like white gold, they are also more difficult to resize should you need to do so later on.

Contemporary Materials

When it comes to the perfect holiday gift, men’s rings made of contemporary materials are quite affordable and offer some advantages over the traditional precious metals.

Titanium: This material is durable, hypoallergenic and lightweight. The disadvantage with titanium rings is that they do scratch more easily than those made of some of the other contemporary materials and can’t be resized.

Tungsten carbide: Strong, scratch-resistant and the heaviest of the contemporary materials, tungsten is more likely to crack under extreme conditions and can’t be resized.

Ceramic: This material is durable and scratch-resistant, but ceramic rings also can’t be resized.

Cobalt chrome: This material is strong, crack-resistant and hypoallergenic. Unlike some of the other contemporary materials, cobalt chrome can be resized.

Stainless steel: An alloy of steel and chromium, stainless steel is durable, tarnish-resistant and affordable. However, stainless rings are not resizable.

Ring Styles

Once you’ve determined which material is best suited for your guy’s ring, the rest is relatively easy – just choose a style you think he’d like the most. While there are countless designs to choose from, a few stand out as the most popular current styles.

• Spinning rings: The spinning design incorporates two bands – an inner one and an outer one that spins around the inner band. Find one that best fits your man’s taste, such as one in a silver braided rope design.
• Cross rings: Although crosses have traditionally been considered as symbols of Christianity, the contemporary collection of men’s rings on the market is full of cross design rings – from Gothic to Maltese to iron to those that symbolize Christianity. Find one you think your man would like most, such as a titanium cross ring with a satin finish.
• Black rings: There’s probably nothing more masculine in appearance than a sleek, black ring. Whether it’s made from stainless steel, tungsten carbide, or ceramic, your guy is sure to appreciate the contemporary look of a black ring. One fine example is a black stainless steel ring with a silver tribal design.

Whichever style you decide to buy as a gift, men’s rings are certain to be popular choices this holiday season. Just be sure to select a material that is appropriate for the level of wear your man will put the ring through and the design that best expresses his individual taste and style.

Cindy White writes about how to gift men’s rings and other jewelry topics for JustMensRings.com.