Shank

When   you hear the word shank in relation to  a ring, it is usually referring to the piece of metal that runs around the ring from one shoulder to  the other. It is important that the shank is well  finished and slightly rounded at the edges, so that it is comfortable to wear.

If 18k gold or higher is used, it is important that the  shank  is  sufficiently  deep;  otherwise  the  gold’s relative softness could result in the ring  bending  and  losing  its  shape.  Unfortunately,  with gold being such an expensive metal, this is not always the case. With stronger metals such as  titanium, it is less critical to have a deep shank.