Why Smart Rings Are the Future of Wedding Bands

Now that you've said "I do," you've got a new accessory you'll be donning forever. But what if that accessory could do more? Tech has advanced in just about every other sector of the wedding planning journey, so it stands to reason that would extend to wedding bands as well. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and predict smart rings as the future of wedding bands.

"I love the idea of wedding bands that actually serve a bigger purpose," says fitness influencer and content creator Kira West, who recently wed in a stunning Italian ceremony. She started wearing an ŌURA ring in 2022 to track her marathon training but sees its uses expanding. "I wanted more information on sleep and deeper analytics on my body to help me better balance strain," she says. "Style and function combined make this my kind of piece."

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"[Smart rings] provide a more convenient, comfortable, and accurate way to track data that fits into an individual's life without disrupting it," adds Caroline Kryder, product manager and women's health lead at ŌURA, the most prominent smart ring brand. "And, they can double as a piece of jewelry like a wedding band." Scottsdale-based trainer and fit-fluencer Calyn Brooke agrees. She got married in 2016 and loves the idea of a fitness tracker ring in place of a wedding band. Plus, she notes, "Tech-based jewelry is significantly cheaper than most wedding bands and can look similar. They are especially [great] for men, who want something functional and multipurpose."

Whether you're looking for men's wedding bands, unique wedding rings for women, or unisex wedding bands, smart rings do fill a unique void. That said, the technology is still relatively new and the market isn't yet flooded with competitors. Here we dive into the top three smart rings on the market (and preview a couple more to come). We'll hear more from West, Brooke and Kryder on the benefits of smart rings and why tech-based jewelry could very well be the future. Notes West, "We [constantly] remind people that weddings and marriages in the modern day should be on their own terms—why should wedding bands be any exception?"

In this article:

• What Is a Smart Ring and What Does It Do?
• 5 Best Smart Rings To Wear As Wedding Bands
• How to Choose the Right Smart Ring for You
• Final Thoughts: Why You Should Consider a Smart Wedding Band

What Is a Smart Ring and What Does It Do?

"Wearables"—that is, smart devices you physically wear on your body, such as the Apple Watch or Oculus goggles—are a fairly new category in the technology space, and smart rings fall squarely into it. "A smart ring is a wearable tracker on your finger that monitors your sleep, temperature, heart rate, stress, recovery, and more," explains ŌURA's Caroline Kryder. "ŌURA chose the ring form when it first launched in 2016 because it provides a more convenient, comfortable, and accurate way to measure biometrics, straight from the arteries in your finger." Health tracker rings are already lauded by celebs: Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, and the newly married Sofia Richie Grainge have all been known to sport an ŌURA. The rings track a variety of metrics; here are a few of the top ones.

Sleep

Somewhat surprisingly, sleep is the most noted feature of smart rings, more so than step counting or activity tracking. That's because rings are the most comfortable tech to sleep in and, according to experts, your sleep patterns affect almost every other area of your health.

Heart Rate

It's common to check heart rate during periods of activity—and most fitness devices do offer that feature—but resting heart rate is also a key factor in health management, and smart rings monitor it. "I have a heart condition where it's important for me to keep track of my heart rate—especially at rest," Brooke says. "The ŌURA ring has made that much easier for me."

Stress Levels

Brooke also uses her ŌURA to track stress levels, a newer feature for the product. Kryder explains: "[ŌURA] identifies stress triggers by continuously measuring small changes in biometrics like heart rate, HRV, and temperature. By capturing readings every 15 minutes, members can see which experiences add stress to their day and which ones help them recover." She notes that this could be particularly helpful during wedding planning. "We all know wedding planning can be stressful," she says. "This feature allows couples to identify stress triggers."

Cycles and Fertility

Another new feature for ŌURA—and one that rings by Femometer and Evie were especially designed for—is cycle tracking. "ŌURA's cycle insights [feature] is a holistic women's health experience that predicts your period based on fluctuations in your body temperature as it naturally changes with the hormonal changes throughout your menstrual cycle," Kryder explains. "It also highlights which phase of your cycle you're in—follicular or luteal—so members can learn about how their body changes throughout the cycle." ŌURA's compatibility with Natural Cycles, the first FDA-cleared birth control and fertility app, completes the picture.

Other

ŌURA has developed a proprietary metric it calls the "readiness" score and helps its members optimize their schedule based on the circadian body clock and chronotype; Femometer predicts ovulation. There are activity trackers, calorie tracking (or not: ŌURA offers a calorie opt-out option), blood oxygen sensors and so much more.

5 Best Smart Rings To Wear As Wedding Bands

ŌURA Ring

The undisputed leader in the smart rings space is ŌURA. The brand has been around the longest, launching as a sleep tracker ring in 2016. "While many wearables started with activity and fitness, ŌURA started with sleep because sleep is a daily habit and perhaps the most impactful daily practice on our overall health," Kryder says. Now the ŌURA smart ring tracks everything from your stress and activity levels to your "readiness" score at the start of each day (a combination of body temperature, heart rate, and more than a dozen other factors). It gets to know you over time, adapting and improving its data the longer you wear it. "You can wear your ŌURA ring on any finger, but we recommend the index finger for the most accurate data," Kryder says. Aesthetically, it offers the most diversity in the smart ring space. There are two different styles—the Heritage, which features a flat plateau on one side, and the classic rounded Horizon—and six metallic and matte hues (the "stealth" shade mimics the look of on-trend silicone wedding bands for men). A membership is required to unlock access to all the data ŌURA collects and reads, but at $5.99/month it's cheaper than your Netflix subscription (and comes with a whole lot more benefits).

What it tracks: 20 biometric signals including sleep, blood oxygen, activity, heart rate, readiness, stress, illness and menstrual cycle

Features & Specs:

• Materials: titanium

• Colors: Heritage silver, black, stealth, gold; Horizon silver, black, stealth, brushed titanium, gold, rose gold

• Sizes: 6-13

• Battery life: 7 days

• Compatibility: iOS and Android; Bluetooth compatible and integrates with apps like Apple Health, Google Fit and Strava

• Is it Waterproof? Water resistant up to 50 meters

Price at time of publication: $299-$549

RingConn Smart Ring

Released more recently in 2021, RingConn tracks a lot of the same elements as ŌURA—sleep, stress levels, activity and more—and uses patterns and insights to help manage your health. The biggest difference here is that RingConn charges no monthly subscription fee, and everything is controlled fully through the app. The ring has an ever-so-slightly squared shape and is available in three hues, with pale gold most closely mimicking the traditional men's wedding band. We recommend opting for the free ring sizer ahead of purchase; RingConn makes a point to note that its sizing differs from standard ring sizing.

What it tracks: sleep stage and quality, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, steps, calories, stress index and more

Features & Specs:

• Materials: titanium

• Colors: Moonlit Silver, Midnight Black, Pale Gold

• Sizes: 6-14

• Battery life: 7 days

• Compatibility: iOS and Android

• Is it Waterproof? Water resistant up to 50 meters

Price at time of publication: $279

Femometer Smart Ring

A smart ring with a much more laser-focused purpose, Femometer's contribution to the smart ring space was created specifically to track menstrual cycles and ovulation (using key factors, such as sleep patterns, that play a role). No subscription is necessary, but there is a $9.99/month plan that offers deeper insight. It's specifically designed for women, and has a feminine aesthetic in all-white porcelain. It only requires the user to wear the ring at night (during four hours of continuous sleep); but if you opt for this smart ring as a wedding band, you can wear it all day.

What it tracks: ovulation, sleep, menstrual cycle

Features & Specs:

• Materials: porcelain

• Colors: white

• Sizes: 6-8

• Battery life: 5 days

• Compatibility: iOS and Android

• Is it Waterproof? Yes

Price at time of publication: $149

Apple & Evie

Two more smart rings are rumored (Apple) or confirmed (Evie) to be launching in the coming year. Patents have been filed for an Apple smart ring; Internet sleuths predict it will hit the market in late 2024 or early 2025 and offer a lot of the same features and technology as an Apple Watch (and, of course, serve as a unisex wedding band option). Evie, meanwhile, is a Movano Health-backed product available for pre-order now and, like Femometer, is specifically designed for women's health. We love its unique aesthetic design.

How to Choose the Right Smart Ring for You

While the market isn't completely flooded, brides and grooms looking for a tech-based wedding band certainly have options. Consider the following when deciding which smart ring is best for you, your partner, and your new combined lifestyle.

Durability

"I had been wearing my wedding band daily for years, but since I became a personal trainer in 2020, I have stopped wearing it as much," Brooke says. "I lived in New York City when I got married and I didn't like wearing my band on the subway or wearing it during weight training sessions with my clients. Now, I wear my ŌURA ring more than I wear my wedding band!" With its fitness benefits in mind, ŌURA and many other rings that track health (save Femometer, which is made of porcelain) are designed to be wearable during workouts.

Health goals

Health tracker rings aren't just about tracking activities; these are not the Fitbits of old. "ŌURA was created to be a holistic wellness tool that helps you go beyond optimizing workouts to achieving broader goals like increased energy or better stress management," Kryder says. "While it can help you track your workouts, it can also help you answer broader questions about your health. Many members are able to spot meaningful changes in their metrics, like an elevated heart rate or temperature, that can be shared with medical providers to help diagnose or treat health conditions like heart trouble or thyroids. It's useful for those who are interested in looking at long-term patterns in data to help make impactful decisions to support longevity."

Family Planning

Femometer was designed specifically to track ovulation and fertility windows; ŌURA recently launched cycle tracking with a similar goal. Evie isn't out yet, but is particularly geared toward women. "The period tracking [in ŌURA] has been a game changer and will continue to be important as my husband and I plan to grow our family," West says. Brooke is currently seven months postpartum but plans to use the new feature in the future as well.

Joint Tracking

If you and your partner are both considering smart rings as wedding bands, there's an added bonus. "With ŌURA you can now track together," West says (the newly launched feature is known as Circles). "It's a great investment in your joint wellness and also a fun way to inspire a little healthy competition." West and her husband challenge each other to move daily, and the joint tracking has even inspired him to get into running with her. "Circles allows ŌURA members to easily share their daily scores with their community, send reactions, and check in with each other," Kryder explains. "Couples can see high-level data from the past two weeks from their partner, and react with a pre-set group of custom emojis."

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Consider a Smart Wedding Band

As you undoubtedly discovered while wedding planning, technology is the way of the future. But, there are practical reasons to consider a smart ring as well, notes West. "You don't have to worry about losing these or [getting them insured]," she says. "This option is a lot more affordable than most typical precious metal options." During her time with ŌURA, Kryder has seen many members use their smart rings as engagement or wedding bands and commit to tracking their health as a couple. That's certainly the case for West, who sees a larger purpose—wearing a smart ring can actually contribute to a healthy marriage. "Health and wellness are super important to so many people, so making it a part of your marriage from day one makes so much sense," West says. "Sharing and discussing your wellness goals is a beautiful form of intimacy."