Cobalt chrome is not yet a “household name,” not even among some jewelry insiders, but it expected to quickly become one of the top-selling wedding ring metals this year.  Some designers have already released complete collections of cobalt wedding bands, which include everything from the simplest polished bands to grooved and carved dual-finish wedding rings.  If you are unfamiliar with this revolutionary new metal, the cobalt ring reviews below will give you a much better idea of what’s out there in the world of cobalt chrome.

Cobalt chrome is an alternative metal and an incredible choice in men’s wedding bands. Similar in color to platinum, this metal has a durability and strength that is similar to that of titanium and tungsten.  The scratch resistant surface of cobalt rings will never fade or tarnish, nor will it break, shatter or chip.  Also, the weight of a cobalt chrome ring is closer to gold, falling somewhere between stainless steel and tungsten.

2012 Cobalt Ring Reviews

Rounded and polished bands look great with a slightly domed profile, which shows off the brilliance and white color of this incredible metal.  With these rings, the wider styles usually look best, as this allows for a larger polished surface.

Grooved cobalt rings start out with a flat satin profile and then add the distinctive “edge” of highly polished raised bands.  The juxtaposition of brushed and polished finishes on this textural ring makes an elegant fashion statement.

Beveled edge rings begin with a flat brushed profile that would look terrific on its own, but then add the brilliant surprise of beveled edges on each side.  A unique and alluring designer look!

Carbon fiber rings are available in other metals too, but the brilliance of cobalt provides better contrast against a black carbon fiber inlay.  Step-down polished edges complete the look of these exquisite cobalt rings.

Hammered cobalt rings bring back the age-old tradition of handcrafted men’s rings, but unlike their silver counterparts, these fashionable cobalt rings are dressier and brighter in color.

An excellent alternative to traditional wedding bands, cobalt chrome rings are quickly becoming the preferred choice in men’s rings. These cobalt ring reviews are just one way to learn about the latest designs available, but it is also a good idea to compare prices online.   If you’re looking for the best selection of men’s cobalt rings, including the ones reviewed in this article, the best place to find them is at an online men’s wedding ring retailer.

It used to be that the bride was the only one who worried about every little detail of her wedding, but men are getting more and more involved in the preparations.  As a result, it’s not uncommon for guys to walk into a jewelry store seeking trendy men’s wedding bands.  Fortunately, wedding ring designers are usually a few steps ahead of their potential customers and offer plenty of trendy rings for men to choose from.

Choosing trendy men’s wedding bands doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning precious metals in favor of contemporary ones, but the coolest new styles are definitely found in the “unique and alternative” category.  If you choose to look for cutting edge designs, they may be hard to find in a traditional jewelry store.  The best selection of trendy men’s wedding bands is usually found online.

What is considered “trendy” in men’s wedding rings?

Black wedding bands – The most noticeable change in men’s wedding bands is the introduction of black metals such as black stainless steel, black tungsten and black titanium.  Guys are starting to look for black ceramic and black seranite materials as well, many of which are available in designer collections.  What’s nice about these rings is the fact that they’re black all the way through, not just on the surface, so they can easily be polished or buffed to a brilliant shine.

Two-tone wedding bands – When most people think of two-tone rings, the first image that comes to mind is a gold and silver combination, but today’s two-tone rings are more likely to be black and silver  Black titanium, tungsten or stainless steel is paired with the natural color of these metals in a variety of contemporary patterns.  Some are accented with a single cubic zirconia stone and others are brushed, polished or beveled.

Carbon fiber wedding bands – These trendy men’s wedding rings are truly unique because they incorporate the space-age texture of carbon fiber inlays.  Surprisingly, the most popular version of these rings is a polished titanium band with a black carbon fiber inlay.  Other favorites include gold or black carbon fiber for an unusual two-tone effect.

Christian rings – Men have been wearing rings that express their faith for years, but the Christian rings for sale today are very unusual.  Some feature cubic zirconia crosses and others are made from black titanium with embossed cathedral crosses.  Even one of the top wedding ring designers has introduced 14K and 18K gold religious rings with carved crosses all the way around.

Hammered wedding bands – The “hammered look” may not be anything new, but it’s definitely making a comeback.  Today’s hammered rings are a little bit dressier in the latest designer titanium styles, which are available in black and silver titanium as well as gold and silver.

This abundance of trendy men’s wedding rings proves that men have no excuse for a boring wedding band.  They now have a vast selection of metals and styles to choose from that will reflect their lifestyle and personality!

So, you’ve finally found a ring that you don’t mind wearing; one that doesn’t pinch or become “stuck” on your finger.  Maybe someone talked you into buying one after you claimed you would never wear a wedding band.  Once you find out how much these rings truly live up their name, you may wonder why you waited so long to buy one; but before you get too excited about it, there is something you still need to do.  Consult a comfort-fit ring size guide. 

As a ring retailer who sells a lot of wedding bands for men, I quickly learned how important it was to direct my customers to a comfort-fit ring size guide before they ordered a ring.  For some reason, I found a lot of people were ordering comfort-fit rings in a larger size because they expected the curved interior to take up more space than a traditional flat-fit ring.  However, it seems that ring designers already took this into consideration when they were designing comfort fit rings; in fact they may have overcompensated for it.  As a result, our comfort fit ring size guide recommends ordering these ring a half-size smaller.

A comfort fit ring size guide can help you avoid delays.

Buying rings online is the method of choice for most men, especially those who seem to have an “allergic reaction” to retail jewelry stores.  Not only does it make a lot of sense to check out a larger inventory of rings before deciding on one; but the rings found here are usually much less expensive than at brick-and-mortar stores.  There is only one perceived downside to purchasing rings online, and it is the size issue.  Most guys have no idea what their ring size is, and they have very little interest in finding out, but sizing is important when ordering a ring online – especially if you’ve waited until the last minute to order a wedding band.

Fortunately, online jewelers now make it much easier for people to discover their exact ring size without ever leaving the house.  Size charts can be found online, so there’s no need to visit a jewelry store to determine your ring size, but as any good comfort fit ring size guide will tell you; these rings fit best when they are ordered a half-size smaller.

How do you determine your own ring size?

Use either a thin strip of paper or a piece of string, and wrap it around the base of the finger where you would wear your ring.  Then use a pen to mark the point on the paper or string where it overlaps, forming a circle around the finger. Measure in millimeters the length of the paper or string from the starting point to the pen mark and see where that falls on the sizing chart.  For a comfort fit ring size, simply go one half-size down, and order that size for a perfect fit of your men’s wedding band.

When you start searching for wedding bands online, it may seem like the Internet is getting oversaturated with ecommerce sites, but it won’t be long before you realize that there only a few worth looking at.  That’s because very few online jewelers sell men’s Benchmark diamond rings.  Sure, they may have an affordable selection of contemporary metals, or serve a particular niche, but Benchmark rings cannot be found just anywhere.  This well-known designer can afford to be selective about where their jewelry is sold, so if you find a site that sells Benchmark you are in good hands.

If you’re like me, diamond wedding bands weren’t at the top of your list when you started shopping.  Most men have a picture in their minds of oversized “blingy” diamonds in a chunky gold band that would look best on a rapper.  But today’s diamond wedding rings are something else entirely. 

The latest selection of men’s Benchmark diamond rings includes rings that are so classy; even the most conservative ring shopper would buy one.  What makes them so much nicer than other designer rings?  Well, first of all they combine the matte look of a flat gold band with sparkling bezel-cut diamonds.  They also incorporate some understated design elements that show off the brilliance of the materials without appearing too “glitzy.”  In short, the latest collection of men’s Benchmark diamond rings is a breath of fresh air for the wedding ring shopper.

One of my favorite online men’s ring stores, which is already well known for its terrific selection of wedding bands, has been heavily promoting the addition of men’s Benchmark diamond rings to their inventory.  They are so excited about this irresistible new collection because it is exactly what their customers have been telling them they want.  By offering this sophisticated array of diamond wedding bands, they are finally able to respond to customer demand.  When I asked the owner why it took so long to start selling diamonds, he said he was waiting for just the right collection to be released.  “Being extremely competitive in today’s jewelry marketplace often means holding out for just the right inventory,” he says.

When you look for a wedding band, don’t buy anything until you’ve seen the collections of men’s Benchmark diamond rings.  This selection includes yellow and white gold bands with bezel-set round diamonds, elegant eternity bands, and rings with black and white diamonds.  The Benchmark name symbolizes the “point by which all others are measured,” and for the past forty years the company has more than lived up to this promise.

It may seem like men’s designer titanium rings have been around for a while, but the trend towards titanium wedding rings for men is a relatively recent phenomenon.  In fact, the use of titanium in any type of jewelry is a thoroughly modern concept.  Not long ago, men had to choose from a few very basic styles in white gold, yellow gold or platinum.  With all of these modern “industrial metals” now available in men’s wedding rings, it’s no surprise to see major designers jumping on board. 

One of these designers is Benchmark, a company that has made enormous strides in elevating the “alternative metals” into their designer wedding bands by placing them right alongside their collections of precious metal jewelry.   Benchmark is also known for their extraordinary designs in gold, platinum, Argentium silver, diamond and seranite.  Not surprisingly, their latest collection of men’s designer titanium rings is generating a terrific response already among ring buyers.

Despite the fact that men’s designer titanium can be difficult to find in your local jewelry store, there are hundreds of rings to choose from online.  Because of this, more and more couples are using the internet as their preferred way to shop for contemporary men’s wedding rings.  Not only is the selection far better, but online stores often sell these rings at much more affordable prices.

Why Titanium?

In order to understand why titanium wedding rings for men are so popular, one must first understand how it became a jewelry metal.  When it was initially discovered back in 1795, Titanium was named after the god Titan.  A naturally occurring element with the atomic number of 22, titanium is so prevalent in our universe it has even been found in space.  This may explain why so many jewelers call it a “space-age metal.”  When the Apollo 17 mission returned to earth, the space rocks they found were made from more than 10% titanium.  Because it is so lightweight, rust-resistant and extremely strong, titanium was used primarily in the aerospace industry for making airplane propellers and other aircraft parts.  It wasn’t until recently that it started showing up in the form of men’s designer titanium rings.

Many men prefer titanium wedding bands because they are so strong and durable, without being heavy on the hand.  For men who work with their hands or in situations where rings can become dented and scratched, titanium is far superior to gold and softer metals.  Other men simply prefer the look of titanium over other metals.  It can be just as shiny as platinum, or brushed for a more modern look.  Men who are allergic to gold or silver choose titanium because it is hypoallergenic and doesn’t react with the skin.

As a jewelry metal, titanium is ideal.  Even watchmakers who have traditionally used stainless steel for their luxury watch bands are switching to titanium.  Not only is it extremely resilient and hypoallergenic, it retains its shine and looks terrific for years to come.  Now that men are seeking out a more diverse selection of jewelry, men’s designer titanium wedding rings are available in an exciting assortment of designs.