31 Aug Tips for Selecting the Perfect Metal for Your Engagement Ring
When it comes to picking out your engagement ring, you have a lot to consider. There’s the style, the diamond’s setting, and the metal type. And you don’t want to choose just any metal for your band. These tips for selecting the perfect metal for your engagement ring will help you weigh the pros and cons of the common choices. So, narrow down your selection and find the ring that aligns with your definition of perfect!
Understanding Karats
When it comes to discussing how many karats (kt) a piece is, there’s a lot of confusion. We’ll make things simple—a karat measures gold purity, not weight. So, a ring that’s 18kts is 75 percent pure gold while a 14kt is only 53.5 percent pure. This is one reason the pricing of gold jewelry varies—the purer, the more expensive.
By understanding this, it becomes easier to know why some jewelry is pricier than others. Of course, it’s just as important to note that these prices fluctuate over the years.
Gold Engagement Bands
Gold engagement bands are quite popular amongst couples. This is for a few reasons, and the first is that gold offers a bit of variety in color. Another reason is cultures have valued gold for centuries. The ancients believed it fell from the sun. As a society, we value gold because of its durability and beauty—it doesn’t tarnish, rust, or lose its shine. Many love gold engagement bands because a circle is a line that never ends, and gold has a luster that never fades.
Yellow Gold
Two reasons yellow gold rings remain popular are that they look excellent on all skin tones and because they’re traditional. Yellow gold is easy to care for because you never need to flash it with rhodium, and polishing it is easy. But if you polish your yellow gold ring, remain cautious since doing so too often can cause your ring to wear thin more quickly.
White Gold
While anyone can wear a white gold ring, it best complements cooler skin tones. Many feel drawn to white gold because of the modern look and the way it emphasizes the true beauty of high-grade diamonds. Your white gold ring will easily last, so long as it’s periodically flashed with rhodium to keep a white appearance.
If you’re shopping for a gorgeous dainty white gold engagement ring and other great options, then buy from a Fire and Ice authorized retailer.
Before You Buy
Before buying a white gold ring, note that the gold is mixed with nickel and zinc or palladium to create the white appearance. Nickel allergies are quite common, so palladium is more desirable. Another bonus of palladium is it makes white gold more durable and appear even whiter.
Rose Gold
Over the years, rose gold has grown in popularity because it complements all skin tones. Interestingly, rose gold gets color from blending gold with copper. Because of this, it’s important to know whether you have a copper allergy, as this metal type may not be ideal for you.
Platinum Engagement Bands
Platinum is another metal option. It was more expensive than gold for years because it’s purer; most platinum rings are 95 percent pure, while an 18kt gold ring is only 75 percent pure. But currently, the pricing for a platinum ring is almost the same as that of an 18kt gold one. Before you decide to buy a platinum band, you should know that it’s dull unless flashed with rhodium which you’ll need to maintain over the years.
Ultimately, the most important tip for selecting the perfect metal for your engagement ring is to go with what you like best. Yes, weighing the pros and cons is important, but it’s worth noting if the metal isn’t to your taste. Buy what matches your style. For beautiful diamonds and engagement bands, search out an authorized Fire and Ice retailer—you’re sure to find the ring you fall in love with!