By Gary A.
Edited by Brian M.
Published Aug 8, 2024
Edited on Dec 6, 2024
Chevron wedding rings are a modern twist on tradition, offering a unique V-shaped design that adds both elegance and versatility to your bridal set—discover why chevron wedding rings are more than just a trend in our complete guide.
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Chevron wedding bands combine the very tradition with something a little more modern…
A straight, solid band of gold or platinum is the obvious choice for a wedding band, whether you are a bride or a groom, traditional or out there. It’s one of those things that tends to defy the trend cycles. While big, puffy wedding dresses have been relegated to the 1980s and ‘burlap ‘n’ gingham’ weddings to the 2010s, the traditional wedding band stands the test of time.
But does that mean it’s your only option? Absolutely not. True, it’s the obvious choice, but there are plenty of reasons why you might want to go for a different shape. Some of them have to do with aesthetics and style, others have to do with comfort and wearability.
This is really where the Chevron ring comes into things. As far as wedding bands go, it’s got a lot going for it…
As you might have guessed from the name, chevron wedding bands feature a v-shape. While the traditional wedding gowns we mentioned above enwrap the finger in a straight line, chevrons feature… well, a chevron.
Typically, you’ll see this feature on women’s wedding bands, although some men do choose to adopt the feature into their own wedding band design as well. It has an edgy, modern look that some grooms love.
Most people choose to wear the ring so that the chevron is pointing towards the base of their finger – in other words, point down – but, inverted, the design almost mimics the shape of a crown or tiara.
However, whatever way you wear it, the resemblance to a wishbone is hard to deny. Whether you find that romantic, or whether it evokes memories of Thanksgiving dinners when all you wished for was an antacid, is down to you…
The sharpened point can also be seen as a representation of two parts meeting. The usual wedding band design is meant to evoke a continuous, unbroken loop – AKA, your love for one another – but the idea of two ends coming together it’s just as romantic when you think about it.
From that sharpened point, the two sides of the band reach out in a very elegant sweeping shape – like the spread of a bird’s wings.
A beautiful shape with a lot of symbolism behind it.
Before we dive deeper into the specifics, here are some practical tips to help guide your decision-making process:
Now that you’ve got these practical tips, use Jeweler AI below to find the perfect engagement ring that suits your style and budget:
Although the beauty and elegance of the Chevron wedding band speaks for itself, arguably the most compelling reason to choose one for your wedding band is its versatility when it comes to fitting around an engagement ring.
A lot of engagement rings, particularly those that are set lower, take up more space than the band itself. For instance, if you’ve got a simple halo engagement ring, the halo will overhang the edges of the band by a few millimetres on each side. This is one of the more extreme examples, but even a simple solitaire can have the same effect if it’s set low enough to the band.
Then, if you’ve got any decorative elements on the ring shoulders, you’ve also got those to contend with.
What this can mean is that wearing a traditional, straight wedding band winds up being a little uncomfortable. The silhouette of the engagement ring isn’t necessarily a straight line, so there will be gapping and pinching between the two bands after the wedding. This isn’t obvious straight away, when the bride is only wearing the engagement ring, but it can become a source of annoyance pretty fast.
It is possible to have a bridal set designed whereby the wedding band is contoured carefully around the silhouette of the engagement ring but, in a lot of cases, a chevron band is enough. It can make wearing the two rings at the same time a lot more comfortable.
While the shape looks simple enough, it takes a lot of skill to make a Chevron ring look balanced, proportioned, and symmetrical. Any slight mistake from the jeweler, and everything will be thrown off balance.
There are so many ways to decorate a chevron, and many of them will be familiar to you if you’ve already done your research on…
A plain wedding band is beautiful in its own way, so don’t be afraid to leave your chevron ring unadorned.
The other popular choices to go for a pavé setting, which will add extra sparkle to the bridal set. Alternatively, integrate a split shank into the design and set one ‘strand’ of the ring with pavé while leaving the other plain.
Jewelers can also integrate design elements like accent stones, milgrain, and filigree into the ring, and that can really enhance the sweeping silhouette of the chevron, too.
If you really want to buck the trends, consider completely leaving the tip of the chevron open. The result can feel very organic and beautiful…
As always, focus on matching your choice of medical to the engagement ring, if you can. Obviously, this rule doesn’t need to apply if your bride likes to mix metals, but most of us have a preference one way or the other. If the engagement ring it features one metal, and the wedding band features another, things can look a little uncoordinated.
Chevron wedding bands are strong, so don’t worry too much about going for higher karat just because the design is different. Anything up to 18K will be perfectly fine for a wedding band, although a lower karat type like 14K will be less vulnerable to surface scratches.
Chevron rings are great. They’re beautiful and elegant in their own right, but they also serve a practical purpose that can really streamline and enhance the wearability of a bridal set. They’re an excellent choice, even if they do ‘break the mold’ a little when it comes to the symbolism of the solid, straight wedding band.
It’s probably a good idea to talk things through with your partner when it comes to the chevron. They’re becoming increasingly commonplace and gaining a lot of popularity these days but, since old habits die hard, it’s always worth that conversation.
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