Once upon a time, mens wedding rings didn't exist. Until a hundred or so years ago, men did not wear wedding bands. Oh, they gave their wives rings, fancy gold bands that might have jewels encrusted, but as for themselves, there was no visible notation of marriage.

These days, almost all men sport wedding rings. Older men, such as those individuals who were born in the 1920's and 1930's, may not necessarily see a reason for wearing a ring, but any man born after the 1940's or so definitely allowed for a gold wedding band to be slipped on his finger.

Mens wedding rings are typically simple bands fashioned out of pure gold. This is the traditional type of wedding ring, for both a man and a woman. But in the last few decades, some subtle and not so subtle changes have taken place, and on any given day you might spot some gold mens wedding rings, and some wedding rings made up of other materials, as well.

Did you know that gold is a relatively soft metal? Over time, it will give way to scratches, minuscule nicks and tarnishing. While it's certainly acceptable for a man's wedding ring to have a bit of ruggedness or wear to it, many men -- and their wives -- wish for a more durable ring that will look pristine. For this type of ring, other materials will certainly be called into play.

Let's take a look at mens wedding rings that are made out of palladium and platinum. Both of these materials are of very high quality, and both are very resistant to wear and tear. Platinum is another material that is perfect for wedding rings for a man. Like palladium and platinum, this material is quite "masculine", but is also very resistant to scratches, nicks and tarnishing. Rings made out of these materials will easily last through several generations and even centuries, which make them ideal for family heirlooms.

If you are looking for mens wedding rings that come in alternative materials to gold, then you'll want to start doing some jewelry shopping. Jewelry shops in the malls may have a bit to offer in terms of rings made up of other materials, but your best shopping source will be online. Online, you will be able to find many stores that specialize in mens wedding rings that are made out of platinum, titanium and other non-gold materials.

K. Green is an avid jewelry shopper and has already had the pleasure of shopping for mens wedding rings