Which metal is right for your stone-less engagement ring?

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One of my partners and I have recently reached the stage of playfully sending each other rings we like.

The trouble is that neither of us like inset gemstones and I'm so hard on jewelry that gold or silver might be too soft. Maybe you could post something comparing different materials?

We're both nonbinary (so this wedding wouldn't have a bride or a groom) but we both lean toward more streamlined men's styles for jewelry.

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Stone-less engagement rings are a vibe and we're here for it! We've written about them before, but let's go deeper…

If you're into no-stone engagement rings like this reader (but still want a pretty bling thing you can flaunt) then keep scrolling for our round-up of the best metals for stone-free engagement rings.

Oh, and if you're someone who tends to be rough with your hands, we'll also go over important info you'll need to know, like the durability (resistance to breaking) and hardness (resistance to scratching) of the metal.

Ready to find the best metal for your stone-less engagement ring?

Gold

A common misconception with gold is that the higher the karat, the more durable the ring is. If you're eyeing a gold ring just know that 10k is the most durable, but you shouldn't opt for anything higher than 14k-18k if you care about the longevity.

Tungsten

Tungsten takes the cake for the most scratch-resistant wedding band metal. However, keep it mind it's the most prone to chipping and cracking, so probably not the best option if you're a video game character who tends to swings their hands into walls or punches a lot of concrete.

Ceramic

Ceramic wedding bands are second to tungsten in terms of hardness (and they're available in multiple colors!). They're crafted with titanium carbide which means they're light and scratch resistant. But similarly to tungsten they're easy to chip. That means you'll want to be extra cautious if you tend to be rough with your hands.

Titanium

Titanium is notorious for being one of the strongest wedding band metals in the game while also being lightweight. Although it doesn't scratch or chip easily, over time you might notice some wear on the metal. That's totally normal and can be easily polished for that fresh-out-the-jewelry-store sheen.

Platinum

Platinum rings are the ultimate luxe vibe, plus they're hella strong! Although it's a durable wedding band metal, it's not exactly 100% scratch-resistant. You'll want to make sure you schedule the occasional re-polishing with your jeweler to help maintain the brightness of the metal and remove the inevitable scratches you'll get from living your best life.

Stainless Steel

Want the durability and sheen of metal without breaking the bank? Stainless steel is where it's at. You can get it plated in different colors, it's scratch resistant, plus you can wear it in water without worrying about in tarnishing! Perfect for the low-maintenance jewelry lover.

Cobalt

Cobalt's got the bright color of platinum and the scratch resistance of tungsten, plus it's extremely durable and requires little polishing or maintenance to keep it looking gucci!

Offbeat Wed Vendor

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Vinny&Charles

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C9TUNGSTEN custom engraved nerdy wedding rings

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Grace Alchemy

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About the Author: Suki

@2buckchuckbride

By day, Suki teaches screenwriting and sketch comedy. By night, she's the Assistant Editor and Social Media Manager of Offbeat Wed. She loves exploring the intersections of diversity, culture, and money in the wedding industry on her IG account @2buckchuckbride. In between crying over strangers' wedding photos and making herself laugh, she likes to pretends she's a sommelier.