by Deciding that you want to spend the rest of your life with your fiancée is simple – choosing unique engagement rings is another! Yes, when it comes to high-quality engagement rings, they can be quite complicated beasts, especially if you’ve never even heard of three stone or princess-cut engagement rings before. Once you choose the cut of the diamond, you’ll then be asked to pick a type of metal that will set off your perfect stone. Think that choosing a metal for engagement rings and wedding bands will be simple? Guess again: one wrong choice, and you risk creating a ring that will tarnish and dull in just a few years’ time.
Luckily for you, 25karats.com is here to save the day with our handy guide to different metal types. Whether you’re eyeing that 14k gold or are thinking platinum, 25karats.com has got you covered!
Gold. The intro to this section is deceiving simple, because when it comes to engagement rings and wedding bands, there isn’t just one type of “gold”. A jeweler will ask you if you want yellow gold or white gold, and what karat you’d like the band to be (a karat represents the amount of pure gold in a piece of gold jewelry). With all of these decisions to make, it’s no wonder that most future fiancés get quite a headache trying to figure it all out!
Take a deep breath, because choosing the right gold band isn’t as difficult as it first sounds. First, you’ll need to decide between white gold and yellow gold. Yellow gold is the traditional color that most people think of when they hear the word “gold”, while white gold has a silver appearance. Does your sweetie wear gold or silver jewelry more often? Whatever she likes, it’s best to get a band that emulates her tastes. Next you’ll need to decide on karats. The higher the karats are, the pliable the gold will be (this is why you’ll hardly find 24karat gold rings). Additionally, gold is a soft substance and not suitable for durable jewelry; other metals like copper, nickel and silver are often used to strengthen the gold. This is important to know when shopping for perfect engagement rings and high-quality wedding bands.
Another important note is that a lower karat count means that the ring contains less pure gold (for example, 18K, 14K, 9K, etc). 14karat gold wedding rings contain at least 58% gold, while 18karat high-quality wedding bands contain 75% pure gold. If you’re looking for inexpensive engagement rings and affordable wedding bands, look for a lower karat count.
Platinum. It’s no secret that when it comes to engagement rings and wedding bands, platinum is the metal du jour. This popular and gorgeous metal is highly durable, so it will ensure that your ring or band lasts forever. Additionally, the smooth color can really set off a diamond, so it will help to make your sweetie’s engagement ring the focal point – and when she’s showing it off to friends and family members, she’ll really appreciate the extra touch!
Palladium. Thought that ring metals extended to just gold and platinum? Guess again, because palladium is the new black! Palladium is a precious metal that’s naturally white, and can really set off the appearance of a diamond. Palladium is a great option for ring shoppers who are looking for a less expensive option than platinum (but is still just as shiny as platinum) but don’t want to go down the gold route. As palladium is durable, you can guarantee that your ring will last forever – just like your love for your sweetie!
