Typically nurses are allowed to wear their wedding rings while at work, although no other jewelry is permitted.
Wedding rings for nurses are often meant to be a simplistic or plain band to ensure minimal problems are encountered while working.
OUR TOP PICK
This wedding ring is from Brilliant Earth and will cost you $1,190.
The ring is made from 14-carat rose gold and is 5 mm in width. You can also purchase it as a 6 mm ring for an additional $200.
You can also opt to purchase the same ring design in 18-carat yellow gold as a 5 mm or 6 mm wide ring. These cost the same amount as the rose gold version.
The inside of the ring has a rounded edge to increase the wearer’s comfort. The exterior of the ring is made from 18-carat white gold with a matte finish.
The precious metals used are recycled and responsibly sourced. The ring will be shipped in a box made from FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council) wood.
EDITORS CHOICE
This ring is from De Beers Jewellers and will cost you $1,050. It is available in US ring sizes from 3.25 to 13.
The ring is made from platinum and measures 2.5 mm wide. The interior of the ring contains a small inset diamond and an engraving.
This is great for nurses as the ring appears plain, but you will know that there is a secret message of love contained in the center.
The engraving can be up to 20 characters long. You can choose from 3 different font options for the engraving.
The company offers complimentary shipping, refunds, and exchanges.
BEST VALUE
This ring is from Kay Jewelers and will set you back a whopping $3,199.99. It was designed by Jaymes Vaughan and Jonathan Bennett for their own engagement. There are diamonds inset into one side.
The idea is that when engaged you allow the diamonds to face outwards to the world, and once wedded you flip the ring so that the diamonds face you.
The symbolism behind this is that life becomes more beautiful when you are married, so the beauty is always facing you.
It is a nice ring for nurses as it is predominantly plain in design, limiting the bacterial hold.
It is better suited to male nurses due to the large width, although females with long fingers may find this the perfect size for them too.
RUNNER UP
This ring has a V-shaped dip on either side of the center. This is a beautiful ring to compliment others you may have, or as a stand-alone ring.
This ring is also designed to be stackable, making it easier to wear your wedding and engagement rings simultaneously.
The Tiffany & Co. ring is made of platinum and measures 3 mm in width. It will cost you $1,200 to purchase.
The ring can also be engraved with initials, symbols, or a custom message to show your love for your spouse.
This is a great idea for nurses as it allows personalization without ruining the plain band appearance.
RUNNER UP
This wedding ring is from Tiffany & Co. and will cost you $1,150. The ring is made from platinum and is 3 mm in width.
The center of the ring is tapered to mimic an infinity sign, suggesting the enduring nature of the wedded couple’s love.
The ring is available in US ring sizes 2 to 13. Engravings can be added if you wish.
Machine engraving of 3 initials will add $35 to the cost of the ring, whereas hand engraving will incur an additional cost of $50. There are 6 font options to choose from.
You can also get symbols or custom engraving added, although you will need to contact Tiffany & Co. directly for a quote.
RUNNER UP
This ring is from Qalo, a company designed to create jewelry for athletic, outdoorsy people with active lifestyles.
They noticed that traditional metal rings can be limiting in some respects, so established the company to counteract this.
This ring will cost you $24.95 and comes in the colors Riviera (above) and Rouge (a pink tone). They come in sizes 5 to 9. The ring is made from ultra-tough silicone for increased durability and comfort.
It has an incredibly smooth surface, designed to reduce friction and prevent the ring from catching on gloves or other materials.
RUNNER UP
This ring is from Enso Rings and will cost you $39.99.
It is part of their Elements collection, designed to give the wearer a deeper connection to the Earth and the natural world.
The Volcanic Ash rings are infused with real volcanic ashes.
The ring comes with a lifetime guarantee covering fading, stretching, or breakages.
They are designed with anti-ring avulsion technology, meaning that they will snap under pressure before injuring your finger.
The ring has a width of 6.6 mm and a thickness of 1.75 mm. You can also purchase a Halo version (2.54 mm wide and 1.5 mm thick) or a Thin version (4.3 mm wide and 1.75 mm thick).
For an additional $9.99 you can add an engraving to your ring. The rings are available in sizes 3 to 10.
RUNNER UP
This ring is also from Enso Rings and will cost you $29.99.
It is one of 15 rings in their Legends collection, designed to inspire the wearer with the mystery of mythical creatures from legends and lore.
The ring comes with a lifetime guarantee covering fading, stretching, or breakages.
They are designed with anti-ring avulsion technology, meaning that they will snap under pressure before injuring your finger.
The ring has a width of 4.3 mm and a thickness of 1.75 mm.
You can also purchase a Halo version (2.54 mm wide and 1.5 mm thick) or a non-conductive(4.3 mm wide and 1.75 mm thick).
For an additional $9.99 you can add an engraving to your ring. The rings are available in sizes 3 to 10.
RUNNER UP
This ring is from Safe Ringz and will cost you $29.99. The ring measures 9 mm wide and is available in sizes 10 through 18.
These rings are made without metallic and conductive ingredients to make the ring incredibly safe for use in all environments. This color is dark and elegant, perfect to give you a subtle and understated look.
The rings are all made in the United States from domestically sourced biocompatible medical-grade silicone.
They are non-conducive, heat-resistant, and durable rings, designed to snap before causing injuries to your fingers.
RUNNER UP
This ring is from a company called Kno Theory that has been featured in GQ UK, AskMen, and many other publications.
This ring is available in sizes ranging from 6 to 14 (4 to 8 mm). This ring is fairly cheap and will only set you back $19.99.
The ring has a curved interior to increase airflow and wearer comfort.
This is thanks to the sleek beveled design which mimics the appearance of a metal ring. The ring is very lightweight and has no grooves for moisture and bacteria to get trapped in.
The ring is formed in micro-blasted molds, making the surfaces of the ring incredibly smooth and comfortable to wear.
Best Wedding Rings For Nurses Buying Guide
Why Do Some Nurses Choose To Not Wear A Wedding Ring?
This is primarily due to infection control reasons, as bacteria can easily become trapped underneath the ring. This can spread infections and diseases.
When working in a healthcare setting with clinically vulnerable or immuno-compromised people, this bacteria can cause real health problems.
This can also cause health issues for yourself and your family. You are not aware of the bacteria trapped underneath your ring, meaning that it can easily be transported and spread home to your family.
Due to this trapped bacteria, you are unable to efficiently clean and sterilize your hands.
In many workplaces, this is unlikely to cause many problems, but if you are scrubbing down for surgery, it is vital that you are completely sterile.
Any bacteria that enter open wounds can lead to serious and life-threatening consequences.
The role of a nurse involves a lot of glove changing as well as hand washing.
This constant on-off motion with the gloves can lead to your ring falling off and becoming misplaced. This can cause a great deal of upset for the ring owner.
Another less thought of issue is with allergies. It is not uncommon for patients to suffer from nickel or copper allergies, common materials used to create wedding bands.
If you are unaware of these allergies and accidentally make contact with the patient, this can cause them to have an allergic reaction which could be very severe.
If your wedding ring has raised gems or etchings then these come with a new set of issues. These could catch on the skin of your patient and may scratch them or cause other superficial injuries.
While in most cases this will not cause too much of an issue (aside from a minor injury), for immunocompromised patients this could be the start of a rapid downward spiral.
Common Wedding Ring Materials
White Metals
This category encompasses materials such as silver, palladium, and platinum.
Silver rings are typically made from an alloy known as sterling silver, which contains a minimum of 92.5% silver, topped up with copper.
This is incorporated to increase the strength of the silver, preventing it from becoming overly malleable and losing its shape.
Palladium and platinum are much more expensive materials to use in rings. They are also alloys and these rings typically have a purity of around 95%.
These materials are made up to 100% using rhodium, iridium, or ruthenium. Platinum rings tend to feel the heaviest as they are the most dense in this category of metals.
Gold Metals
Gold metals are materials such as yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold.
As with silver rings, these materials must be used in alloy form as gold is too soft and malleable to be used alone.
Yellow gold incorporates silver and copper to make the metal stronger.
Rose gold contains both as well but has a higher concentration of copper which is what gives the rosy hue.
White gold typically includes gold with platinum or palladium, meaning it is more silver in hue. These rings are typically plated in rhodium too, adding more silver tones and hardness.
The use of carats when classifying gold metals refers to the purity level.
24-carat gold is 100% gold and is not typically seen in rings. 18-carat gold is 75% pure and 14-carat gold has a purity level of 58.5%.
Alternative Metals
Some alternative metal choices for wedding rings include titanium, tungsten, steel, and zirconium. These are often chosen due to the increased durability and lower cost.
As with the metals mentioned above, these too are typically alloys.
Titanium rings use aircraft-grade metals with aluminum and vanadium added. Titanium is a low-density material, meaning these rings are often quite light.
Tungsten rings are created using tungsten carbide - a combination of tungsten and carbon. This is an incredibly hard and durable material, meaning your ring will not get scratched.
It is much more likely that you will scratch other items, such as your phone screen, with the ring. The slight downside to this ring is that it is more prone to shattering than other materials.
Zirconium rings are typically made from oxidized zirconium. This creates a black coating on the surface of the ring, thanks to the creation of a substance called zirconium oxide.
This surface is highly polished to make it smooth. This is a low-density metal but it is very hard and unlikely to scratch.
Stainless steel rings are the least glamorous choice, but they tend to be reasonably priced and very resistant to damage.
Steel is an alloy made from iron and carbon. Stainless steel will always contain a minimum of 10.5% chromium.
Benefits Of A Silicone Ring
Silicone tends to be the most safe choice of material for wedding rings for nurses. This is because the material is very flexible.
This allows water, soap, and other liquids to drain away from underneath your ring, meaning they do not stay sat on the surface of your skin.
Silicone, unlike metals, will not cause latex gloves to tear when being put on. Gloves tearing can be incredibly annoying for nurses, not to mention wasteful.
Silicone rings are super simple to clean. All you need is a little antibacterial soap and water to do the job efficiently.
Silicone rings also do not have etchings or gemstones meaning there are no areas for dirt and bacteria to accumulate.
Nursing is a career where you constantly need to be using harsh chemicals such as hand sanitizer to clean your hands.
These chemicals can be known to cause damage to metals and stones, causing them to wear down and break over time.
Silicone will not be impacted by these chemicals in the same way, meaning that your ring will last for longer and remain in a better condition.
Silicone is a very durable material, meaning that your ring is very unlikely to break through use. They are also scratch-resistant and unlikely to show signs of wear and tear.
In the rare case that they do break, silicone rings are relatively cheap to replace. Compare this to a typical silver or gold wedding band and you will see the benefits.
Silicone is a very flexible material, making it incredibly comfortable to wear for extended periods. As your hands swell and contract throughout the day, you will not feel constricted by the silicone, unlike with metals.
Metal rings also leave you open to experiencing degloving. This is where your ring catches on something and pulls across your skin.
In extreme cases, this can lead to skin, muscle tissue, ligaments, and tendons becoming damaged or even stripped off of your hand.
The elasticity of silicone means that this is not possible to happen when wearing a silicone ring. They will snap when placed under over 20 pounds of pressure, meaning that your fingers and hands will be safe from injury.
Silicone rings have a variety of other benefits too. They are heat-resistant and non-conductive. This means that if your ring gets hot or comes into contact with electricity, there is no chance of this being transferred to your body and causing you harm.
Silicone allergies are also incredibly rare, meaning that it is unlikely to cause an allergic reaction in wearers or in patients. For a truly hypoallergenic ring, look for one made from medical-grade silicone.