Everybody regards their wedding band as something special and meaningful. Military personnel are not exempt from this, but they often have a harder time finding a ring that works with all their regulations.
What is the solution for those who may not be able to go with a traditional wedding ring?
Military personnel are best off wearing silicone wedding rings because they will not get damaged during duty and will not attract enemies. They can use hard, unbreakable metals so their rings don’t get damaged, but these may catch on things or reflect sunlight, making them less desirable.
Don’t worry if you are a soldier in need of alternative options. There is a solution to your problem!
Popular Alternatives to Traditional Wedding Bands
Military personnel have high-action jobs that require them to be on the move constantly.
There are several options for rings, however. Here are some of the most popular:
Silicone Wedding Bands
Silicone is by far the most widely used alternative to traditional rings by military personnel.
For those who would prefer to have a traditional metal ring, silicone might not be your first choice, but don’t knock silicone until you’ve tried it.
It is a surprisingly comfortable, convenient, and safe option for those who are serving in the military.
Silicone is designed to be well-fitting and comfortable without being in the way.
Unlike metal rings, silicone rings are lightweight and fit to your finger perfectly.
They are ideal not only for working in the military but also for workouts, training, exercises, and field safety.
Basically, a silicone ring will allow you to stay perfectly active without having to worry about getting hurt or getting your ring caught on something.
One of the nicest things about silicone rings is that they have a very wide variety of designs and colors, probably more so than any other kind of ring out there.
If you so desired, you could easily make a silicone ring look just like a traditional wedding ring and few people would actually notice the difference.
You can choose just about any color of ring and fit it to perfectly suit your style preferences.
Silicone has no sharp or jutting edges and you do not have to worry about your ring falling off and getting lost because it is essentially skin tight.
Because it is not bulky like metal, silicone rings will not get caught on stuff, and you will not have to worry about injuring yourself while on active duty.
You can find a large, inexpensive variety of silicone rings on Amazon.com.
Silicone rings tend to cost anywhere from $8 to $50—the higher-quality ones being the more expensive.
Wooden Wedding Bands
Wood is another notable option for military personnel. Like silicone, it lacks sharp and bulky edges, making it easier for most military personnel to wear.
Wooden rings will not usually cause any kind of physical discomfort or injury, plus wood is very inconspicuous.
Unlike metal, wood will not catch attention or give away your position. It will fit comfortably on your finger without posing any safety risks.
One of the only downsides to using a wooden ring is that it cannot be soaked in water.
Getting it wet occasionally while washing your hands is no big deal.
However, if you are working in an area that demands you be constantly wet (for example, in a particularly rainy area), you may want to reconsider getting a wooden wedding band.
You can find wedding rings with wood on
These rings have a pretty big variance in price. It usually depends on the method with which the ring was made and who you purchase it from.
Wooden rings can cost as little as $300 or as much as $1,000.
Black Zirconium Wedding Bands
Zirconium is what is called a transition metal, usually in a silver-gray or black hue.
Zirconium is incredibly durable and corrosion-resistant, making it an ideal choice for a military wedding ring.
Zirconium makes sturdy and very durable wedding rings, but it is surprisingly lightweight as well.
This makes it comfortable to wear while still being strong against any kind of duress or wear and tear.
Of the three (zirconium, wood, and silicone) zirconium is probably the most metal-like substance, but it should not be ignored; it could very well be the exact type of ring you are looking for.
Zirconium has a fairly large price range and can cost anywhere from $300 to $1,600.
For this reason, other types of rings (other metals, wood, silicone, etc.) are much more preferable.
However, if you are willing to put up the cash, zirconium makes sleek, shiny, one-of-a-kind rings that you will not be disappointed to have.
What are Good Metals for Military Wedding Bands?
As mentioned before, metal rings can be worn by military personnel, though it is not generally advised.
This is primarily because metal catches on things much easier, which could prove to be especially dangerous for a soldier on active duty.
However, if metal is your number one choice, there are a few virtually indestructible options for you to choose from.
Tungsten
One of the most popular hard metals is tungsten. Tungsten is extremely dense and heavy and is rated at a 9 on the hardness scale.
Not only is tungsten scratch-resistant, but it is also resistant to dents, dings, bending, and warping.
This makes it an ideal choice for a military wedding ring because it is not susceptible to damage. It will survive an extreme amount of wear and tear.
Tungsten has a very unique look. This makes it a popular option among those who wish to have a modern or unconventional look.
While it does not have a lot of style options due to its hardness, it does come in plenty of different colors.
Tungsten is extremely sleek and pleasing to the eye.
The only thing you will need to keep in mind if you pick tungsten is its inability to be resized.
Because it is hard, it can also be brittle. Any attempt to resize your tungsten ring will most likely result in breakage.
Additionally, it is an extremely dense metal. Some people don’t like the feeling of having such a heavy ring on their finger because it is uncomfortable.
This might be a problem for you if you are in the military because a heavy ring will be much more susceptible to catching on machinery or anything else.
If you are on active duty, it’s probably best that you do not wear a tungsten ring to minimize the risk of injury or accidents.
Titanium
Titanium is also a hard metal. The nicest thing about titanium is that it is extremely durable, but unlike tungsten, it is lightweight and very comfortable to wear.
This is also a good choice for military personnel because titanium will not weigh down the hand or feel huge and clunky.
Titanium does, however, pose the same problem as tungsten. It is extremely hard to resize it because of how hard it is.
So, if you want to resize your ring without having to buy another one, you may want to rethink buying a titanium ring.
Ceramic
Ceramic rings are also growing in popularity.
Unlike what many people may believe, ceramic rings are not easily broken or scratched, as they are made out of titanium carbide.
Additionally, ceramic’s color is not just plated, but it actually runs all the way through the ring.
This means you don’t have to worry about discoloration or chipped plating. This makes ceramic rings an ideal choice for someone with a hands-on job.
An interesting perk to having a ceramic ring is the fact that ceramic is heat-resistant as well as scratch-resistant.
This means you can wear the ring in hot water without getting burned. Ceramic is also non-conductive, so it won’t electrocute you if you’re dealing with electrical work or anything else.
Ceramic’s non-destructive nature makes it an ideal choice for a military person. It is not too heavy, and it will not put your hands and fingers in too much danger.
The only downsides to having a ceramic ring are mostly opinion and preference-based.
Because ceramic is a newer metal on the market right now, style options are severely limited.
Plus, it’s hard, so engraving is often difficult.
Resizing is possible with ceramic, but like titanium and tungsten, it is well near impossible because it is such a hard metal.
Ceramic can also be brittle sometimes. If you are not careful, the right kind of direct pressure could break or at the very least chip your ceramic ring.
Cobalt
Finally, we have cobalt. which is also growing in popularity on the wedding ring market.
It is similar in color to white gold and is very sleek and shiny.
Unlike tungsten and titanium, cobalt will not usually crack under any kind of pressure.
This makes it a good choice for military personnel too because it is virtually indestructible.
It is an attractive, comfortable, and durable metal that will hold up pretty well under most kinds of wear, tear, and duress.
Any of these metals can be an optimal choice for military personnel.
However, as mentioned before, metal rings are often larger and bulkier than other kinds of rings.
This means they could potentially cause problems for military personnel, such as catching on weapons, machinery, or anything else.
If you are on active duty, you should rethink getting a metal ring.
Most of these rings (while the metals do vary) can be bought for anywhere from $50-$500.
Tungsten, titanium, and ceramic are all extremely affordable options, which is great for such high-quality choices.
Cobalt is probably the most expensive one on the list, with prices usually sticking around the hundreds zone.
However, in comparison to gold and platinum, these are all quite affordable.
Good Alternatives to Rings
Now that we have discussed some alternative ring options, let’s discuss the alternatives to rings altogether.
While having a wedding ring is often preferred by most people, there are a few alternative options that you may want to consider.
Ring Tattoos
This is one of the most common ring alternatives out there.
The largest and most obvious perk to getting a ring tattoo is the fact that you will never lose it.
This is especially nice if you are in the military.
Having a ring tattoo means you will always have that mark of devotion with you, and you will not ever have to worry about losing it or damaging it.
If you are not a ring person, consider getting a wedding ring tattoo.
It will serve your needs just as well, plus, it is a whole lot cheaper than buying and maintaining a ring!
If you choose to go the tattoo route, you should expect to pay anywhere from $50-$2,000 (though paying as much as $2,000 is extremely unlikely).
The price will vary, and that variable is usually dependent on where you get your tattoo and how intricate the design is.
Whatever the price, it is still much cheaper than buying an engagement ring and a wedding band, which can cost thousands of dollars.
Necklaces
Some couples choose to purchase wedding rings, but rather than wear them on their fingers, they will put the rings on a chain and wear them around their necks.
For military personnel, this plan could work great.
While wearing a ring on the finger poses all sorts of potential problems, wearing it around your neck lessens the risk.
This alternative is a great way to still show your devotion to your spouse while keeping the ring and your fingers both safe from injury.
The cost varies depending on the price of the ring and the type of necklace you choose.
Framed Marriage Certificate
While this is not a popular practice, you can simply choose to forgo the wedding ring idea and stick with a framed marriage certificate.
This is the easiest and cheapest way to go because you won’t have to spend money on a ring, but you will still have a symbol and a reminder of that special day.
You won’t ever have to worry about losing your ring or damaging your hands, but you’ll still have something significant at home.
