Men's diamond wedding bands: how to choose one

How are diamonds set in a men's wedding band?

Usually flush, also called gypsy setting. A small hole is cut into the band and the diamond is sunk into it so its top sits level with the metal, held by a fine rim of the band itself. Nothing rises above the surface, so the stone cannot snag on a pocket or a glove and does not take the first knock when the hand meets something hard.

That is why it suits a ring worn every day by someone who would never wear a claw setting. Every diamond in our bands is set into the metal rather than raised above it. Where the stones sit level with the surface, the ring's page says so.

Ring settings explained: Claw, bezel, gypsy, channel and pavé: what each is best for.

One diamond, three or a row?

One small diamond is the quietest choice: a single point of light in a plain band, seen when the hand moves and not before. On our titanium band it is a 3 point stone. The black zirconium band carries a larger one.

Three in a row reads as a deliberate design rather than a detail. A scattered set places several stones at irregular intervals so the band looks hand made. Eight or twelve diamonds set across the band make it unmistakably a diamond ring. Several of those are sold as engagement rings as well.

Each ring's page gives its stones. Where a grade is stated it is SI clarity and G to H colour.

Diamond set, titanium: One flush set diamond in a titanium band.

Three diamonds, black: Three diamonds in a row in black zirconium.

Scattered set: Diamonds set at irregular intervals in black zirconium.

Diamond wedding rings: Every diamond band we make, in titanium and black zirconium.

Black zirconium or titanium around the diamonds?

The metal decides how the diamonds read. Against black zirconium a flush set diamond looks far brighter than it would in a white metal, because the dark surface around it gives it nothing to compete with. In grey titanium the stones sit more quietly, part of the band rather than lit up by it.

The two also wear differently. Titanium is the lighter metal, at about 4.5 grams per cubic centimetre. Fine marks on it blend into a satin finish. Black zirconium has the harder surface, around Mohs 8, a grown oxide rather than a coating, so the black does not peel. Neither is resized in the usual way, so the size is settled when you order.

Black zirconium or titanium: Weight, wear and price side by side.

Is black zirconium good for a wedding ring?: How the black surface wears and what can damage it.

What about black, blue or yellow diamonds?

Coloured diamonds suit a man's band well because they read as colour rather than sparkle. Our black, blue and yellow diamonds are treated to reach their colour. Every ring that carries one says so on its page. Treated coloured diamonds are common. Treatment does not make the stone any less a diamond: it is still Mohs 10.

If you want a ring with colour but no treated stones, put the colour in the metal instead: an anodised groove or a line of gold.

Black diamond, titanium: One treated black diamond in a titanium band.

Inlay wedding rings explained: A line of real gold set into titanium or black zirconium.

Can a men's diamond band be an engagement ring?

Yes. A band with its diamonds set into it works as an engagement ring for anyone who would not wear a raised stone and as the wedding ring afterwards. One ring does both jobs. Several of our diamond bands are sold for exactly that.

If you want two rings, a slim diamond band as the engagement ring and a plain band beside it on the day is the other way round it.

Do men wear engagement rings?: What men choose and how one ring can do both jobs.

Titanium and black engagement rings: Diamond bands to wear as an engagement ring, a wedding ring or both.

When is a diamond band the wrong choice?

When work rules ask for a plain band. NHS trusts and food businesses usually allow one plain ring and nothing with a stone during patient care or food preparation. A plain band for work with a diamond band for the rest of the week is one answer; a plain band with engraving inside is another.

Flush setting protects a stone well, but no setting makes a diamond immune to a hard blow. If your hands take knocks all day, a plain band or a texture will look better for longer.

Can nurses wear wedding rings?: What NHS and kitchen rules allow.

Wedding rings for hands-on jobs: The right ring for manual work, nursing and the gym.