When it comes to wedding bands, many men are seeking new options that stand out from the usual simple gold or platinum rings. Today’s grooms want something that reflects and allows them to express their personal style and interests. We want to introduce you to a "new" old art form called Mokume Gane. A niche that is gaining popularity, offering both an earthy aesthetic and environmental significance.

The Rise of Mokume Wedding Bands

The trend towards alternative men's wedding bands is growing, as more individuals desire a ring that tells their unique story and reflects their ideas and interests. Traditional metals such as gold and platinum possess a timeless charm, and using these precious materials to blend their classic qualities with vibrant colors and intriguing patterns offers an enhanced appeal. Mixing metals to create visually striking color palettes, and bringing old world skills and techniques to the modern age.

Artisan Craftsmanship: Mokume Gane

One of the most fascinating alternatives in the realm of unique wedding bands is Mokume Gane, a Japanese metalworking technique that produces a wood grain pattern. The term "Mokume Gane" translates to "wood grain metal," and its' intricate designs are achieved by layering and bonding different colored metals. This process creates a one-of-a-kind pattern that can be customized and offers an entire world of possibilities for design.

The Process of Mokume Gane

Crafting a Mokume Gane ring is a detailed, time-intensive process that demands both precision and skill. The metals— in our studio we use combinations of high karat golds, palladium and silver - are fused under high pressure and temperature. The bonded metals are then painstakingly manipulated to reveal the layers, resulting in a mesmerizing pattern. Each piece is as unique as a fingerprint, making it a true testament to craftsmanship.

Customization: Crafting a Personal Narrative

Custom wedding rings offer the opportunity to incorporate elements that hold personal significance. This ring, for example, was a custom ordered ring, where the pattern has been specifically designed to resemble a map of a hiking trail, a location of great sentimental importance to the couple. When so many elements - the metal combinations, the patterns, the shape of the band itself - are able to be personalized, it's possible to create truly one of a kind pieces that represent both the individual and the bond shared with a partner.

Incorporating Gemstones

While gemstones are traditionally associated with women’s rings, they are becoming increasingly popular in men's wedding bands as well. Unconventional choices like black diamonds, multicolor sapphires, diamond crystals, and more, can add a touch of color and intrigue. These stones can be set into the band or used as an accent to create a striking contrast with the metal.

Shown here are two different rings made in Arn's Guri Bori pattern, one with small diamonds that have been set flush into the ring and placed organically around the band for just a hint of sparkle. The other has a smoky gray raw diamond crystal set in his Mesa style, designed to look like the stone is in the process of emerging from the earth.

Ethical and Sustainable Choices

In today’s conscientious world, many couples are opting for wedding bands that align with their ethical and environmental values. Choosing rings made from recycled metals and other sustainably sourced materials is a way to honor those commitments.

Recycled Metals

Using recycled metals lowers the demand for newly mined materials and are an excellent option for eco-conscious consumers. These metals are refined to the same purity as newly mined metals, ensuring that the quality of the ring is uncompromised.

Fair Trade and Conflict-Free Diamonds

For those incorporating diamonds into their wedding bands, selecting fair trade and conflict-free stones is paramount. This ensures that the gemstones are sourced responsibly without exploitation or environmental harm. We also encourage the use of stones from heirloom pieces, in addition to being a great sustainable choice, using heirloom stones can add and extra sentimental touch.

Embracing Individuality in Wedding Bands

The world of men's wedding bands is evolving, offering a wealth of unique alternatives to traditional rings. With the elements of innovative materials, artisan craftsmanship like Mokume Gane, and personalized customization, there is a perfect option for every groom. As you begin this journey, consider what resonates with your personal style and values, and choose a ring that not only signifies your commitment but also tells your story.

Remember that the best choice is one that aligns with your personality, lifestyle, and values, creating a lasting symbol of your partnership.

We love to find out how our customers came across Arn’s work, and how they were introduced to mokume gane, and often the answer is that they found mokume through an interest in damascus steel pieces!

The clients who find us through damascus ask what the difference between it and mokume gane are, and the main difference is the materials. Damascus is made with steel, while mokume gane is typically either combinations of base metals (copper, brass, nickel) or precious metals (golds, palladium, platinum, silver). The techniques used to make the billets are similar, and there’s also some cross over in patterning methods.

Another big difference in the visuals of the craft is the color palette. Damascus is primarily what we think of as black and white, while Mokume allows for a range of colors because it can employ gold and other precious metals in all its colors. This also accounts for some of the difference in cost between Damascus and mokume.

Arn particularly likes playing with pattern welding, a technique often seen in damascus pieces. While popular traditional mokume patterns (what we call Twist and Woodgrain) have a more organic, flowing look to them, pattern welding has a repeating style. These patterns still have a beautiful handmade touch, but are visibly more regulated, some even resembling decorative tile! They’re also typically forged style patterns, in which pattern is created in the assembly and stacking of the metals while they’re being forged together, while a lot of mokume gane patterns are made with twisting and carving of the stock.

Some of Arn’s pattern welded work:

And then Arn loves to take this pattern welding concept and push it towards more free flowing forms, finding ways to push and pull the patterned pieces and create something more naturalistic, but still with a satisfying repetition of shapes. This can be seen in Arn’s recent Feather pattern ring, which was created with these damascus style techniques, applied in precious metals using our Firestorm palette (red gold, yellow gold, palladium and silver).

Arn’s work is unique in that he is pushing the boundaries between these art forms and exploring new ground with pattern in mokume gane. Pioneering within this craft is both incredibly time consuming and technically challenging but the results are worth the effort.

Woodgrain (left) and Twist (right)