Although it was always tradition to buy wedding rings in white gold and gold, many people are now taking advantage of the platinum wedding ring. More valuable than gold, platinum is a lot more durable. Since marriage is a lifelong commitment, it makes sense to purchase a ring that has the strength to last through the marriage. The platinum wedding ring is quickly becoming the most popular wedding ring.

Since platinum is more valuable than gold, you can expect to pay a little more for it. And although platinum wedding rings are not as shiny as the gold rings, they will not bend and dent like the gold rings so often do. This means that fifty years from now, your wedding ring will look exactly the same way as it did the day you got married.

A wonderful benefit to getting a platinum wedding ring is that both the rings of the men and women are fully customized. Many people like to have the rings engraved with either a special message, the name of the spouse, or the date of the wedding. Men love to have the date of the wedding engraved not only because it is romantic, but because it also works as a great cheat sheet for remembering the anniversary. Another way in which you can fully customize the platinum wedding ring is by choosing the style of the wedding band, the type of diamonds or other stones, and any other special details. This allows your ring to be truly unique and personal. What many people like to do is look around at the many options you have for the platinum wedding ring and then decide what characteristics of each ring are their favorites. If you want to do this too, be sure to report these characteristics to the jeweler and the jeweler will let you know how the ring would turn out and whether that combination is possible.

Whether you are shopping for rings for men or for women, you will definitely want to consider getting a platinum wedding ring. A ring that will remain in tact for all the years to come is a perfect symbol for a lifelong marriage.

Blackcarat.co.uk is a husband and wife team working alongside a few select jewellery designers and makers to bring you a wide range of contemporary, quality and affordable wedding rings. They aim to offer you the best quality platinum, palladium and 18k gold wedding bands at a price lower than the high street. They have more of a choice of widths, weights, finishes and designs – anything to suit your budget and lifestyle. They pride themselves in offering a personal service, with email updates on your order and they endeavour to meet any deadlines, answer questions and will go out of their way to help you.

The use of the wedding ring as a symbol of the bond between husband and wife is familiar to us as the concept of marriage itself, but from where did this interesting tradition emerge? The history of wedding rings as they are known today is actually unclear. In an article dating from the July 1869 issue of Appleton’s Journal of popular Literature, Science, and Art, Edward J. Wood hypothesizes that the modern (modern as of 1869) use of wedding rings stems from the practices of ancient Hebrews. It was customary for the family of a prospective groom to give gifts to the potential bride and her family. The general assumption is that it is from this tradition that the use of wedding rings as we know them seems to have evolved.

Wedding rings are not specifically mentioned in the Bible, but references do exist that suggest the aforementioned Hebrew practices. Genesis 24:53 in the King James Version reads, “And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things,” speaking of the servant of Abraham, the father of Isaac, who was to wed Rebekah. The wedding ring first came into use in Christian wedding ceremonies around 870 A.D.

Although the concept of the wedding ring is obviously very old, the ring was almost always worn by the bride. Double-ring wedding ceremonies are rather new. Wedding rings for men were almost unheard of before 1940 and increased in use about the time of the Second World War. According to an October 1953 story in Hobbies, only about 15% of wedding ceremonies included a ring for the groom. After the start of World War II, the percentage jumped to 60%, and then to 70% after the start of the Korean war. Today it is more common than not for grooms and brides alike to wear a wedding ring.