Way many times more durable.

My wedding ring is 30 times as valuable as Sweetie's. I like to think that's because I'm 30 times as valuable to the marriage as Sweetie is, although Sweetie would probably say that the real math is that I am 30 times as much trouble to her as the average person.

The 30-times-more-valuable comes from this: My wedding ring is mostly platinum. Sweetie's wedding ring is mostly gold. Platinum is 30 times more rare than gold -- so fewer people have it, so it's more valuable, and more unique. And better looking, too.

The platinum wedding ring I have is even better for me because it's more durable and more resistant than gold; it can go through the kind of demanding, tough wear-and-tear that it faces being worn on the ring of a lawyer/writer. And that, my friend, is a lot of wear and tear.

When you say "durable and resistant," you ordinarily think "ugly like work boots or Mick Jagger," but that's not the case with my ring, either -- it's shiny and bright and polished, as new-looking as the day we bought it. That's because (as the jeweler explained) platinum, being naturally white, keeps its brilliance and luster over time and doesn't wear.

Plus, platinum has two bonus qualities for me: it's a denser, tougher metal, so it looks more appropriate in a man's wedding ring. And, it doesn't set off my metal allergy -- so I don't have to keep taking my wedding
ring off.

Don't take my word for it, though. Take a look at a platinum engagement ring, one of many that are out there and waiting for you to buy them, put them on the finger of some lucky girl, and live happily ever after in style:




So when you're going to get an engagement ring, for a man or woman, think platinum. 30 times more rare, way many times more durable, and jillions of times better looking than other metals.