Why Do People Wear Silicone Rings?
It wasn’t too long ago that consumers had a limited set of traditional wedding ring options to choose from, and that was that. However, with the growing popularity of non-traditional styles of rings, options like silicone rings are becoming a more popular choice.
What’s the Point of a Silicone Ring?
There are two main reasons someone might want a silicone wedding ring: It costs significantly less than a more traditional option, and it’s incredibly durable for the price.
Think of silicone rings vs. more expensive ones like a daily driver vs. an enthusiast car. You’ve got your nice, economical sedan that takes you to work and the grocery store. If you scratch the paint a little bit, no big deal. You don’t need to park in a different zip code when you’re getting groceries. You don’t fear the spot by the cart corral. The little dings it picks up over the years give it character and stories to tell.
However, you can’t say the same for that cherry red coupe that you fawn over. You hand wash and wax it because you refuse to let anyone else near it. You make your friends put on those little booties over their shoes before they get in. It’s so clean you could eat off of it (but there’s absolutely no food allowed inside). Admittedly, most of us aren’t in this exact situation, but the metaphor stands.
If you’re active (or just bad about remembering to take your ring off when washing your hands), silicone is a great choice. You can leave it on at the gym, on the hiking trail or wherever your activities take you.
Learn When to Take Off an Engagement Ring
Cost
Maybe you just want to save some money. Maybe you’re pinching pennies, but you just want to be married already, and you’re tired of waiting. Silicone is perfect for someone just looking for affordable engagement rings. Maybe later on down the line, you replace that ring with something else. Ultimately, you may find that a silicone wedding ring is perfectly fine for you. It’ll hold up forever, and you’re looking for the symbol more than the stone and setting, so why get anything other than what you already have?
For well under $100 (and usually under $50), you can get a symbol of your love that can stand up to the realities of life. If you aren’t set on a wedding ring you absolutely love just yet, a silicone ring is a great stand-in.
Durability
Sure, there’s nothing wrong with having one nice ring and wearing that every day. However, life happens. You hit your ring on the counter, or you forget to take it off when you’re washing your hands. Likely you won’t do any serious damage to your ring, but why risk it? Beyond that, silicone is easy to maintain. You don’t have to be nearly as careful, and some basic maintenance will be all you need to get your ring to last a long time.
Silicone is nearly impossible to damage, much less break. Here’s the thing, though: It can break if necessary, and sometimes you actually want that. In extreme situations, ring materials that are higher on the Mohs Scale of Hardness may be more difficult to break. For example, a platinum ring will be much more difficult to break than a silicone one.
If you work with your hands in any demanding profession, silicone rings are a better, safer alternative to traditional wedding bands. They’ll break if you ever need them to, and they’re much cheaper and easier to replace when they do.
Ultimately, you may decide that you appreciate the classic wedding ring, and that’s the direction you want to go instead. That’s perfectly fine! It is, however, always worth considering a silicone ring, even just as a backup!