Wide Band Engagement Rings: An Ultimate Guide

There are so many options out there when it comes to engagement rings. Plenty of variety in sizes, widths, designs and settings to choose from. If you like a bit more heft in your wedding ring or want the opportunity to play with bolder styles, then adding some width to that band may be the best way to do so! Here’s everything you need to know before committing to that affordable engagement ring you’ve had your eye on. 

What Is a Wide Band Ring? 

Saying something is a wide band begs the question “Wider than what?” Now, we could answer with “wider than a regular band” and be done with it, but that really feels like a cop out. Luckily, there’s a pretty objective standard for what we mean when we say wide band engagement rings.

Generally, any women’s band over three millimeters in width or any men’s band over six millimeters in width is considered wide. Note that that’s a general rule. You’ll hear some cases made that any women’s band over two and a half millimeters and any men’s band over eight should be considered wide. 

While wide could technically be considered a relative term depending on your finger size, we’ll stick with the first set of measurements for simplicity.

Is There Such a Thing as Too Wide? 

Not as a universal rule, no. Obviously, unless you go custom, you’ve got an upper limit for width available to you. However, the only “too wide” you have to worry about is too wide for you. Unless you’re Shaquille O’Neal, you probably have to be aware of going overboard on width. Even if you have larger hands, you might still be able to go too wide on your engagement band, so keep that in mind when you’re shopping, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

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Reasons to Buy a Wide Band Engagement Ring

Style

The wider the band, the easier it can be to go bold with your design. While certain cuts and larger stones can overwhelm a thin band, a wide band is visually strong enough to complement larger and more ornate choices of designs and stones. 

If you want a more ornate band, you’ve got that option as well. Sure, you could have intricate settings or shiny stones, but why not get creative with the bands? For wider bands, you simply have more surface area to be creative with, which lends itself to some really unique band styles for some added intrigue.

Wide bands are really trendy right now as well, which can be a double-edged sword. It’s very possible this trend could stick around, but trends can also be fickle. If you like the current trend, though, don’t worry so much about playing the game of “will it, won’t it.” Just go for it!

Your Hand Size

If you have larger hands, you’ll want a wider band to balance with your fingers. A thin band on wider fingers will be too small and make your fingers look larger than they actually are. A band width relative to your hand size always makes your ring look purposefully chosen.

Discover 5 Beautiful Engagement Rings for Small Hands

If you’ve got larger hands but more average-sized fingers, you really have your pick of the litter stylistically. While you could opt for a thinner band, a wide one will look just as good. Lucky you!

Durability

The less material your band has, the more delicate it is. Yes, it will take time for even the thinnest of bands to bend (and there’s no guarantee it will). However, if you lead an active lifestyle or are hard on your rings in general, a wider band will hold up better to your demands.

Yes, if you do a lot of work with your hands, you should take your ring off. However, if you live in a taxing and fast-paced world, sometimes there just isn’t time (or you just forget — no shame in it). The wider the band, the better it’s prepared for what life has in store.

If you want an ornate setting like that of a halo engagement ring, you have the added bonus here of durability. On thinner bands, you occasionally have to worry about losing a small piece of your setting after years of use. Sure it’s unlikely, but wider bands provide a bit of extra peace of mind there.

Care

This may be splitting hairs, but it could be the deciding factor if you’re on the fence. A wide band can be slightly easier to care for than a thinner one, especially if you have an ornate design. While that difference may be pretty slight, if all else is equal, this small convenience may cause the scales to tip toward a wide band. If you’re cleaning your ring often, that small convenience will add up over the years.

Reasons Not to Buy a Wide Band Engagement Ring

Also Style

Maybe you just don’t like the look. It may seem like an obvious factor, but it’s worth noting. Unless your hands are well above average size, there’s really no reason you have to get a wide band engagement ring. Even if they are, you don’t technically have to, but it will look better. The point is, there’s no reason to commit to a style you don’t love just because you think you should.

Also Hand Size

Smaller hands or thinner fingers (especially if you have both) won’t look as good with wider bands. You want your band width to be commensurate with your hand size. Yes, wide bands do look really cool, but they won’t complement every hand.

Additional Weight

With great width comes great heft, or something like that. While it won’t be an enormous weight difference, you may notice that a wider band weighs a bit more. Is it enough to bother you? Likely not, but you never know. For some people, though, this could be a plus.

Things to Consider

Wedding Ring Size

The larger your ring size, the wider you want your band to be. Say you’re above the average ring size — you may want to go above the average width as well. If you’re a woman with a size 10 ring, for example, you’ll likely want a wider band. 

Now, if you have smaller hands but wider fingers, you may have a more complex choice on your hands or hand. In that case, you may want to at least go with a wider stone, if not also a wider band, to complement your finger width.

Don’t know your ring size? Lucky for you, we created a handy ring size chart so you can easily measure at home in order to better determine if a wide band style is right for you.

What’s On the Band? 

Are you getting an ornate engagement ring? Will you have a bold center stone? Something understated? Just a simple band? All these considerations will help you decide if a wide band engagement ring is right for you.

The biggest factor here isn’t the overall style of your ring; it’s the cut you choose. A wide band will help you showcase a solitaire setting as long as the rock you choose is large enough. When in doubt, an oval engagement ring style always works.

If you go with a small, dainty stone, it’s not going to pair as well with a wide band as it would a narrow one. Err on the side of larger stones and more ornate settings that glint in the light when going with a wide band.

Featured: The Starlight and The Mia in silver

Do You Want to Create a Ring Stack?

Ring stacks are awesome, but there’s also only so much room on your finger. This isn’t to say you can’t create a stack with a wide band engagement ring. If you want stackable wedding bands, you do have to choose them carefully, though. 

A wide band with a really thin stackable band on top of it may not look proportional. If you’re only going ever so slightly above the average width, it’ll definitely be easier to pull this look off. 

Showcase a Bridal Set

Want to create the look of a wide band without having a wide band? It might sound weird at first, but it looks phenomenal when done right. Choosing bridal ring sets instead of one wide band engagement ring allows you to attain the look of a wider band with the option to wear a single band when you choose.

Bridal ring sets work best for simulating the wide engagement ring look when you pick one with a larger stone. Princess cuts or larger round cuts, especially with halo settings, work exceptionally well for this look. If you really want to up the visual width, add a third band to the set for maximum customizability.

Our Favorite Wide Band Engagement Rings

Enough talking, right? You want to see the options! Here are a few hand-picked choices to get you started on your search for the perfect wide band engagement ring.

The Evermore

Speaking of bridal sets, here’s an example of exactly what we were just talking about. The Evermore comes in silver, gold or rose gold as a two-band bridal set. This ring features a round cut center stone with a halo setting, which adds to the visual width. 

The beauty of The Evermore is that if you decide a wider band is no longer your style, you can simply take the secondary band off and have a slim and simple ring. Should you decide it’s not wide enough for your liking, adding a third band will enhance the width of your ring.

The Meadow

The Meadow sees your ornate ring and raises you. In fact, it goes all in. With beautiful and intricate leaf designs, The Meadow favors the bold. This delicate pattern is striking but still simplistic. The width is naturally complemented by the design, and the two only serve to enhance each other. 

Featured: The Meadow 

If you’re looking for something unique, you’ve found it. If you march to the beat of your own drum, you won’t have to worry about having the same ring as everyone else in the room. You don’t have to worry about it being overly flashy, though; the allure of The Meadow is that you have to intentionally notice its intricacy. Once you do, though, you won’t be able to take your eyes off of it.

The Princess

She might be at the top of the tower, but she doesn’t need rescuing. She’s been hatching a plan from the moment she was locked in and, frankly, you’d only get in the way. 

If you’re self-assured and looking for a ring that invites those around you to keep up, The Princess is either the perfect name or the perfect misnomer. Either way, this wide and subtly designed band will find its way to your finger like the perfect glass slipper.

Just because you can stand on your own two feet doesn’t mean you don’t appreciate the finer things. This ring is designed to be as visually strong as it is striking. Sure, the fairytale is cliché, but there’s just something enchanting about it still.

The Queen

If you need a simple, visual explanation for why the queen is the most powerful piece on a chess board, here it is. With triple channel rows of stones flowing perfectly into one unified band as you move down the ring, there are few things as visually striking as the aptly named Queen.

This is the luxury of English royalty blended with the fashion sense of the streets of Milan. You not only look the part, but you live it. If you demand the best of both worlds and can’t fathom settling for second best in any endeavor worth doing, there’s only one ring for you, and it’s fit for a Queen.

Wide bands make the bold statements for you. Want a style that can handle anything you throw at it and which can hold up to your high standards? The strength displayed both literally and metaphorically in these wide engagement bands is what you’re looking for. 

Is Less More for You? Read Our Thin Band Engagement Ring Guide Here

 

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