Wedding ring including wood ideas

Diet Kirk

Silver Member
I'm having my wedding ring designed to include wood as a little nod to my love of all things drumming and wood related. One of the things that always drew me to drums was the beautiful grain in the wood of some kits.

These two links show the kind of thing I'm getting made, with the wood inlayed into white gold.

il_570xN.400941916_hw26.jpg


il_570xN.377894493_nrtr.jpg


Now I've always quite fancied zebrawood and am partial to a bit of spalted maple. But I thought I'd throw this out to DW.

Does anyone have any examples/ideas of beautiful woods I should consider?
 
hey man, those look pretty cool.

I guess my only thing about using wood in jewellery is that it is a pretty fragile substance compared to metal. I'm a jewellery artist in Australia and have used wood in my work for over 15 years. The wood we have here is so much harder than any in America. Thing is is that grain is the killer of wood structurally. No matter how much the wood is burled....interesting...the grain structure is the key to its longevity.

Now, these photos of rings you have put up are a pretty cool idea. However, you cannot actually see the wood whilst wearing the item. Yes, it is a personal thing, and YOU know it is there however I imagine the price is pretty heavy for such a piece. I have made things similar to what you are showing and the time needed to do something like that is pretty intensive.

If you are going to have just the metal showing then I suggest a solid metal ring. It will last much longer and you will never have to worry about moisture or submersing your hand in liquid. Just saying from 20 years jewellery making experience. I know how wedders work and you don't take them off. as a rule. Wood just doesn't work real well for that...sorry.

We live and learn, but take it from a professional...and fellow drummer...this idea is very cool for a dress piece, but not for an everyday item like a wedding ring, no man, don't do it. Great idea tho.
 
What is the life expectancy of the wood inlay under normal wear and tear?
 
Those are very nice looking but I have to admit that my first reaction was "Will this last?" I don't make jewelry so I'm no expert but I think once in the past 20 years I took my wedding ring off and that was for a medical scan. That's like 10,000 showers; 30,000 miles worth of running sweat, etc., all on wood. And that's only the beginning.

I think this wood/metal combo would be much more practical (and showing both parts) for something like earrings. Hey, so why not make your own tradition and get wedding earrings!?
 
I echo what the others said. Wood will not do well over long time periods. You might instead consider an inlay of wood on the top of your ring.
Against your skin there will be years of sweat and weathering (...but maybe some marriages are like that too, lol)
 
You might get some increased wear if the wood is impregnated with epoxy or some such.

Spalted wood, though beautiful, is already weakened by a fungus, so may not be the best choice unless it's treated.

Look way high up on the Janka scale for wood that is hard and wear resistant. Of course, heartwood and sapwood have different characteristics, so there aren't any guarantees, even among identical species.

I think it's a cool idea, but agree with most of the posters - it would probably be my "formal wear" ring.
 
Have you considered a super tiny wooden piccolo drum shell....with tiny little lugs and itsy bitsy rods....no heads.... so you can slip it over your finger?

Seriously, nice looking wood inside. With the finish, I don't see sweat being an issue, look at salt water boats made from wood. I'd think the finish would protect the wood.
 
With the finish, I don't see sweat being an issue, look at salt water boats made from wood. I'd think the finish would protect the wood.

Right, but that's with regular maintenance. No sane person who knows anything about wood would make a wood boat and expect it to perform for the next 50 years without maintenance. Heck, most people have a hard enough time remembering to change the oil in the cars so I don't think annual wedding ring maintenance is going to be high on their to-do list.
 
Wood isn't going to hold up. Then again, if you get a wedding ring that breaks before the marriage does in this day and age... Consider it a blessing!

This. :)

Yeah, it's a cool idea, but my first thought was also, "yeah, that's not going to last!" When I saw the thread title, I was picturing some sort of wood inlay on the OUTSIDE of the ring, and I had the same thought. I guess it all depends on how you wear the ring. I used to take mine off all the time when loading in, setting up, and playing (it's especially difficult to do Steven's grip with marimba mallets with a wedding ring on!). Now, I simply don't wear it at all. For the record, I got a "hammered" style ring, and it looks like a hammered metal snare shell.

Cool idea. I'd love to see it in Zebrawood! :D
 
I expect, nay, demand you to work in a joke about how your wife just gave you wood when you exchange rings.
 
I'm not sure I get the point of having the inside of the ring finished.

It's not like you're going to take it off and look at it.
 
I'm not sure I get the point of having the inside of the ring finished.

It's not like you're going to take it off and look at it.

Agreed. I am a practical guy. Bought my wife's ring from a pawnshop and mine is one of out few family heirlooms. It was my dad's but it sounds cooler to call it an heirloom.
 
hey man, those look pretty cool.

I guess my only thing about using wood in jewellery is that it is a pretty fragile substance compared to metal. I'm a jewellery artist in Australia and have used wood in my work for over 15 years. The wood we have here is so much harder than any in America. Thing is is that grain is the killer of wood structurally. No matter how much the wood is burled....interesting...the grain structure is the key to its longevity.

Now, these photos of rings you have put up are a pretty cool idea. However, you cannot actually see the wood whilst wearing the item. Yes, it is a personal thing, and YOU know it is there however I imagine the price is pretty heavy for such a piece. I have made things similar to what you are showing and the time needed to do something like that is pretty intensive.

If you are going to have just the metal showing then I suggest a solid metal ring. It will last much longer and you will never have to worry about moisture or submersing your hand in liquid. Just saying from 20 years jewellery making experience. I know how wedders work and you don't take them off. as a rule. Wood just doesn't work real well for that...sorry.

We live and learn, but take it from a professional...and fellow drummer...this idea is very cool for a dress piece, but not for an everyday item like a wedding ring, no man, don't do it. Great idea tho.

My thinking was,

1. the wood part will be treated in some way, extending its life
2. I would perhaps have to care for it a little more than a normal wedding ring, but thats ok, I don't mind that
3. Should the wood part fail, I still have a lump of white gold there and couldn't I just have the wood inlay part re-done? Even if thats say every ten years, again thats fine by me.

Good to get your opinion though mate, especially on whether the wood inlay could be replaced every few years? Is there no form of treatment that could be applied to wood that would waterproof it?

Those are very nice looking but I have to admit that my first reaction was "Will this last?" I don't make jewelry so I'm no expert but I think once in the past 20 years I took my wedding ring off and that was for a medical scan. That's like 10,000 showers; 30,000 miles worth of running sweat, etc., all on wood. And that's only the beginning.

I think this wood/metal combo would be much more practical (and showing both parts) for something like earrings. Hey, so why not make your own tradition and get wedding earrings!?

haha I'm going to order the earrings tomorrow!!!

I echo what the others said. Wood will not do well over long time periods. You might instead consider an inlay of wood on the top of your ring.
Against your skin there will be years of sweat and weathering (...but maybe some marriages are like that too, lol)

I'm already fairly weathered haha.

Yeah the top of the ring just doesn't quite look nice enough to me. I like the idea of it being barely visible/knowing it is there rather than seeing it.

Have you considered a super tiny wooden piccolo drum shell....with tiny little lugs and itsy bitsy rods....no heads.... so you can slip it over your finger?

Seriously, nice looking wood inside. With the finish, I don't see sweat being an issue, look at salt water boats made from wood. I'd think the finish would protect the wood.

I'd have to carry some little heads in my pocket so I could take it off and play it. Maybe I should get Keep it Simple to make it!

Wood isn't going to hold up. Then again, if you get a wedding ring that breaks before the marriage does in this day and age... Consider it a blessing!

Ouch! its ok both my parents have been married three times. I hope I've learnt some lessons from that!

Right, but that's with regular maintenance. No sane person who knows anything about wood would make a wood boat and expect it to perform for the next 50 years without maintenance. Heck, most people have a hard enough time remembering to change the oil in the cars so I don't think annual wedding ring maintenance is going to be high on their to-do list.

I'm hoping that I will apply something of a more careful regime to it than a normal ring and also as above, maybe if the wooden bit can be replaced from time to time, then its not so bad an idea?

This. :)

Yeah, it's a cool idea, but my first thought was also, "yeah, that's not going to last!" When I saw the thread title, I was picturing some sort of wood inlay on the OUTSIDE of the ring, and I had the same thought. I guess it all depends on how you wear the ring. I used to take mine off all the time when loading in, setting up, and playing (it's especially difficult to do Steven's grip with marimba mallets with a wedding ring on!). Now, I simply don't wear it at all. For the record, I got a "hammered" style ring, and it looks like a hammered metal snare shell.

Cool idea. I'd love to see it in Zebrawood! :D

nice, I looked at a variety of metal treated looks, but aside from the hammered look they all looked like something I would get bored of eventually.

Excellent a vote for zebrawood.

I expect, nay, demand you to work in a joke about how your wife just gave you wood when you exchange rings.

Done. ;)

I'm not sure I get the point of having the inside of the ring finished.

It's not like you're going to take it off and look at it.

I might :)


Ok, so maybe the general consensus is that I'm an idiot. But humour me. What are your favourite looking woods that would look good in this context?

My snare is made from Walnut and Purpleheart, I quite like the idea of the purpleheart perhaps.
 
Hey man,

I guess that the idea of a finishing requirement of the ring has its pluses and minuses. Sure your could use a heavy duty lacquer, but that would deteriorate over time just like anything else. I also wonder what having those serious chemicals against your skin would do day in and day out.

In thinking about this endeavour a bit more I would opt for a ply construction not unlike a ply drumkit. What happens is that you take a piece of wood, ring shaped, (preferably really hard wood), and sandwich it twixt two metal rings, so the wood band shows thru the exterior and internal diameters. You attach pins by soldering them to the metal, in this case white gold, and drill the corresponding holes in the wood. You then epoxy the pieces together in a type of ply construction. I have made rings in this fashion and they work for many many years. You just need to oil the ring about once every week with olive oil or some other readily available oil.

The problem that I have encountered is that we change during our lifetimes. We grow fatter and thinner and when you add wood to the equation you are basically screwed. You cannot heat the ring in any significant way so sizing is pretty much impossible.

What I really don't like about the design you have proposed is that the wood is what is determining the size, or interior diameter, of the piece. Wood, just like us, changes throughout its life, and death. With the idea I have proposed the wood can change but the metal is going to be the integral part of the construction.

My thoughts anyway...and I would expect that trouble could and possibly would arise with my proposal. Perhaps two rings? One for dress and one for show? Good luck bro, and if you would like to explore various options further I am willing to chat.
 
Hey man,

I guess that the idea of a finishing requirement of the ring has its pluses and minuses. Sure your could use a heavy duty lacquer, but that would deteriorate over time just like anything else. I also wonder what having those serious chemicals against your skin would do day in and day out.

In thinking about this endeavour a bit more I would opt for a ply construction not unlike a ply drumkit. What happens is that you take a piece of wood, ring shaped, (preferably really hard wood), and sandwich it twixt two metal rings, so the wood band shows thru the exterior and internal diameters. You attach pins by soldering them to the metal, in this case white gold, and drill the corresponding holes in the wood. You then epoxy the pieces together in a type of ply construction. I have made rings in this fashion and they work for many many years. You just need to oil the ring about once every week with olive oil or some other readily available oil.

The problem that I have encountered is that we change during our lifetimes. We grow fatter and thinner and when you add wood to the equation you are basically screwed. You cannot heat the ring in any significant way so sizing is pretty much impossible.

What I really don't like about the design you have proposed is that the wood is what is determining the size, or interior diameter, of the piece. Wood, just like us, changes throughout its life, and death. With the idea I have proposed the wood can change but the metal is going to be the integral part of the construction.

My thoughts anyway...and I would expect that trouble could and possibly would arise with my proposal. Perhaps two rings? One for dress and one for show? Good luck bro, and if you would like to explore various options further I am willing to chat.

I hear you dude and thanks for chipping in.

If/when my fingers get fatter etc, could I not just have the inner piece of wood removed, the gold re-sized and then a new piece of wood put in?
 
I'm having my wedding ring designed to include wood as a little nod to my love of all things drumming and wood related. One of the things that always drew me to drums was the beautiful grain in the wood of some kits.

These two links show the kind of thing I'm getting made, with the wood inlayed into white gold.

il_570xN.400941916_hw26.jpg


il_570xN.377894493_nrtr.jpg


Now I've always quite fancied zebrawood and am partial to a bit of spalted maple. But I thought I'd throw this out to DW.

Does anyone have any examples/ideas of beautiful woods I should consider?

Hey, congrats!

Both of these are real nice.

Have you considered choosing by the sound of the wood you like most?
 
Hey, congrats!

Both of these are real nice.

Have you considered choosing by the sound of the wood you like most?

Thats a neat idea, although some of the best sounding woods are the least pretty to look at! :)

I have a walnut and purpleheart stave snare, that I love, the purpleheart could be interesting!
 
Many structural issues for sure, even though I think the idea is very cool :)

Wood will move, it just will, & it will move differently to the metal, so there's a constant risk of "de-lamination", splitting, etc. No treatment will prevent that, only reduce likelihood, & any treatment will deteriorate over time. Unless you wear the ring for dress occasions only, wedding rings take a beating over the long term. Even engraving on male worn rings tends to wear off pretty quickly.

Perhaps I can offer a suggestion. How about opting for a wooden eternity ring that partners with the metal wedding ring? Maybe even interfacing the two so they become as one (split) ring when worn? This would not only feature the wood much more prominently, but would offer the opportunity for removal when necessary (bathing, tough environment, etc). Also much easier to replace the wooden (half) over time if required.

As for wood choice, burls & spalted forms always have the most interesting figuring, but they're typically structurally poor/unstable. If it was my project, I'd be choosing snakewood. Stunning species with inherent spectacular figuring yet structurally sound.
 

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