Top Five Trends in Wedding Bands For 2011

2011 seems far away right now, and the spring wedding season seems even farther, but all around the country, brides and grooms of Spring 2011 are cracking open their bridal magazines and dusting off their wedding websites. One of the many items on the agenda: wedding bands. Here’s a sneak peek at the latest trends in wedding bands rolling off the runway, to help you narrow down the field. What’s big for 2011? Luxury is back, but this time its classy and understated, with little intricate detailing and affordable variations of the classics.

This season is all about judicious use of color, and sapphire and diamonds are like a match made in heaven. Adding a few sapphires to a diamond eternity wedding band is a great way to introduce some fun and color to your wedding band set. In this example, the bezel set sapphires alternate with diamonds, not only adding a beautiful color but also making the entire wedding band more affordable.

Filigree is another big look in wedding bands for this year, with fine craftsmanship finally returning to its rightful place in the spotlight. A delicate filigreed design like this one is a great way to incorporate only a few small melée stones but still have powerful visual impact. This wedding band also provides that handmade, vintage look that is so hot right now, and it coordinates well with a simple engagement ring. One caveat—filigree may not be the best option for those who work with their hands.

A narrower wedding band is the perfect way to get that diamond-encrusted look without overspending. This unique wedding band features channel and bead set pavé stones, whic has both the sleek silhouette of the channel setting and the great diamond security of a classic bead setting. The narrow sides of the wedding band means it will wear nicely with an engagement ring, even a wider, more intricate one.

The three-quarter eternity wedding band has many advantages over the classic full eternity band. For one, replacing the diamonds in the back of the ring with a smooth metal shank makes the entire ring more comfortable. Additionally, the three-quarter eternity wedding band can be had at a much more affordable price point due to those strategic missing stones. Lastly, the exposed metal shank makes it much easier to adjust the size of the wedding band if need be.

Sometimes, simple is best. A solid white gold or platinum wedding band with a sleek silhouette and a comfortable shank may be all you need to accent an intricate engagement band. In this his-and-hers set, the man’s ring is accented with nothing more than a band of frosted metal, and the woman’s is left simple and beautiful.