If you have a metal allergy, you still have plenty of awesome options for hypoallergenic wedding bands that are far from boring. There are a handful of metals that are non-irritants AND other unique, alternative materials used to make rings that won’t cause a skin irritation:

  • Titanium
  • Platinum
  • Tungsten
  • Black Zirconium
  • Ceramic
  • Elysium
  • Silicone

Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of each of these options AND to see some ring design inspiration.

*PLEASE NOTE: If you are highly sensitive to nickel, meteorite has a very low percentage of nickel in its composition and may cause skin irritation.

What Ring Metals Are Hypoallergenic?

Titanium and platinum are 100% hypoallergenic ring metals. Both metals are similar in appearance, but very different in composition and cost. Titanium is a low-cost, lightweight, alternative metal. Platinum comes at a premium price and is considered a precious metal.

Titanium vs. Platinum Wedding Bands

Titanium vs Platinum
Titanium vs Platinum

Deciding between a titanium wedding band or platinum wedding band is totally personal preference. If you’re looking for rarer, heirloom quality jewelry, opt for platinum. If staying budget-friendly is top priority, titanium is the way to go. Best of all, many ring designs can be crafted in either titanium and platinum, so if you find a unique titanium ring, it’s likely it can be made in platinum (and vice versa).

Is Tungsten a Hypoallergenic Ring Metal?

Not all of it! It depends on its composition as tungsten used for jewelry is usually an alloy (mixed with other metals). If tungsten is mixed with cobalt, it’s not hypoallergenic; cobalt causes skin irritation for some individuals.

Nickel-bound tungsten carbide is 100% hypoallergenic. That seems unlikely because nickel is the usual suspect metal allergen, but because the tungsten is bound to the nickel, it prevents it from being an irritant. Because science.

Jewelry by Johan’s handcrafted tungsten men’s wedding bands are hypoallergenic. Here are some of our favorite tungsten ring designs.

Tungsten Wedding Band with Mokume Gane and Meteorite (Custom Design)

Black Hypoallergenic Wedding Bands

Black wedding bands are popular and most “black metals” are not natural; they are created with a plating or coating over a metal or alloy that isn't black and could be non-hypoallergenic. So, if the plating wears or chips, the true color shows through and your skin could become exposed and irritated. That said, use caution with those and do your research on ring composition.

If you want a black finish ring and full peace of mind, hypoallergenic black ring options include black ceramic, black zirconium and Elysium rings.

Black Ceramic Rings

The jewelry grade ceramic used in our black ceramic wedding bands is not the same as the stuff that was used to create grandma’s bric-a-brac. It’s not only 100% hypoallergenic, but is also non-conductive, lightweight and very scratch-resistant.

Black Zirconium Rings

Zirconium is naturally white in color, but is oxidized to create its black surface layer that is showcased in our Black Zirconium Wedding Bands. Outside of its use in jewelry, it's primarily used in nuclear reactors because of its high resistance to heat and corrosion.

Elysium by Lashbrook - Crushed Diamond Rings

Not only are they black in color, but Elysium rings are THE hardest and most unique rings available...they’re really made from crushed diamonds! We wish we could take credit for creating them, but we can’t. We just consider ourselves lucky to be a partner of the inventor and to have the opportunity to offer some of these awesome rings in our store!

Find Your Perfect Hypoallergenic Ring

Don’t let a metal allergy prevent you from finding a hypoallergenic ring that fits your lifestyle and personality. Browse our huge selection of hypoallergenic wedding bands that includes both traditional and alternative styles. If you’re still struggling to find an existing design that you love, have us create a custom wedding band just for you.

Visit Jewelry by Johan on Pinterest. Our Hypoallergenic Rings Board has even more ring design inspiration!