Metropolitan yet Midwestern, urban yet inviting, the city of Chicago holds the best of many worlds. Chicago’s style offers a similar dichotomy: while the city is full of high end fashions that easily rival those of any New York department store or boutique, affordable blue collar style also prevails.
For Chicago grooms-to-be, the wealth of local and online shopping options as well as budgetary considerations can quickly become daunting. Here are eight of the best men’s wedding rings for Chicago guys, with four budgets find and four luxury options.
The Classic White Metal Ring
The Luxury Buy:
What is more luxurious than rare precious metal platinum? Platinum men’s wedding rings have a timeless white metal appearance with an attractive natural luster. Platinum is also surprisingly durable, while malleable enough to be rendered into a number of intricate designs. On the downside, platinum is prohibitively expensive for many shoppers.
The Budget Find:
For those who don’t have the budget for platinum but love its particular qualities, there is still hope. Made from a compound of cobalt and chromium, cobalt chrome is an up-and-coming contemporary jewelry material that was previously primarily used in medical implants. Cobalt chrome shares platinum’s lustrous white metal look, but with a considerably lower price tag: cobalt chrome men’s wedding rings can start under $50. Hardy and hypoallergenic, cobalt chrome is quickly becoming a favorite with shoppers in Chicago and across the country.
The Gold Standard
The Luxury Buy:
Treasured by mankind for thousands of years thanks to its unusual look, gold boasts the exclusivity of being the only naturally occurring yellow metal. While different karat grades can offer different price tags, the constantly rising price of gold over the last ten years still makes it very much a luxury item. Thanks to gold’s extreme ductility and malleability, gold men’s wedding rings feature some of the most innovative and varied designs on the jewelry market.
The Budget Find:
For those who love that classic golden hue but simply can’t afford gold men’s wedding rings, a few alternatives are easily found. Gold plated men’s wedding rings made from rugged and affordable contemporary materials like tungsten and stainless steel are popular modern substitutes for the real thing.
The Esoteric Choice
The Luxury Buy:
For shoppers looking for a band that is somewhat off-the-beaten track, palladium is an excellent option. A member of the platinum group metals (PGMs), palladium shares many of the same characteristics as platinum but is less expensive (palladium men’s wedding rings are often comparable in price to 18K white gold rings). Like platinum, palladium has a lustrous white metal appearance, though it is significantly harder yet lighter in weight than platinum.
The Budget Find:
Those seeking an alternative looking wedding band will likely gravitate towards ceramic men’s wedding rings. Most often found in a rich jet black hue, these rings are strikingly different from standard metallic men’s wedding rings yet neutral enough to easily wear on a daily basis. Don’t be fooled by the term ceramic: while pleasantly lightweight, ceramic men’s wedding rings are impressively durable and very scratch-resistant.
The Sparkler
The Luxury Buy:
It’s a fact: diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friends anymore. Men’s diamond wedding rings have never been hotter, and more and more guys are selecting diamond dotted bands for their wedding rings. While men’s wedding rings with diamonds can be surprisingly budget-friendly, especially when purchased set in contemporary materials like cobalt chrome or titanium, shoppers should expect these glittering stones to add a certain amount to any price tag.
The Budget Find:
If diamonds are not an option but a sparkling gemstone is a must, try men’s wedding rings accentuated with cubic zirconia (CZ). Higher quality designers will produce CZ rings that are just as eye-catching as diamonds; select the right band and few people will know the difference.
