Make way for manly metals

More men nowadays wear jewellery than ever before, and there are some great trends on the horizon for 2014. Why stick to just gold or silver when there are a whole host of manly metals just waiting to be discovered?

Titanium

Whilst titanium has been used in watch-making for over 50 years, today it's fashionable to wear titanium rings or necklaces. Titanium is a lustrous white metal which is incredibly strong and tarnishes resistant – it won't scratch as easily as gold or silver. In fact, titanium is as strong as steel and twice as strong as aluminium, yet it's also very light to wear, making it a popular choice for rings.

Tungsten

Tungsten is becoming a popular material for wedding rings and other contemporary jewellery for men. It is steel grey in colour and offers a no-scratch finish that is durable. Weightier than titanium, some people prefer the heaviness of tungsten, making it a popular choice for wedding bands. The metal takes its name from the Swedish 'tungsten', meaning 'heavy stone.'

Palladium

If you're looking for an alternative to white gold, perhaps for a wedding ring, palladium is a great choice. It is tarnish-resistant and has a similar appearance to platinum but at a much lower cost. Palladium is named after Pallas, who was killed by Athena in Greek legend.