How to Choose the Right Metal for Your Engagement Ring

The centre stone may be the focal point of an engagement ring but you shouldn’t overlook the setting that holds it in place either. Quite often, the type of metal you choose for the ring setting will make a difference in the price you pay, how durable your wedding ring is, how it will look on you, and also the overall look and style of the ring.

When deciding on the metal for your partner’s engagement ring, you can begin by asking these questions: Would she want classic metals like white gold? Or how about more unconventional and unique choices like platinum, rose gold or yellow gold (yes, yellow gold is growingly becoming very popular!)? And if you are choosing gold, what is the difference between 9K and 18K?

No matter what you choose, each metal has its advantage in affordability, style, and durability, and it’s ultimately up to you to figure out which one fits your lifestyle best.

9K and 18K White Gold, how about Rhodium Plating?

As jewellers, we are asked quite often about the different types of gold, what is rhodium plating and why we do it. Gold’s natural colour is a bright, rich yellow, this is the colour most of us picture when we use the word gold. However, white gold or platinum is often selected as the metal of choice used for engagement rings and wedding bands.

To make white gold, yellow gold is alloyed (mixed) with different metals to lighten the colour to the silvery effect. The most common white metals that form the white gold alloy are palladium, platinum, nickel, and manganese. Sometimes copper, zinc or silver are added. This also helps to strengthen the gold.

In a 9 Karat gold ring, 37.5% of the ring is pure yellow gold, and the remaining 62.5% is alloyed metals. The ring will be hallmarked at 375 or 9K. In an 18 Karat gold ring, the proportions are 75% pure gold and 25% alloyed metals. In Australia, the benchmark for fine jewellery is 18-karat gold. The ring will be hallmarked at 750 or 18K.

Yellow Gold

Yellow gold is one of the most popular metal choices for wedding and engagement rings. It is considered a “classic” gold style, in part because yellow is the natural colour of this substance.

Only yellow gold is a naturally occurring gold colour. Gold jewellery is strengthened with other alloys, or metal mixtures because pure gold (24K) is too soft for daily wear. While 18 Karat is 75% pure gold, 14 Karat is about 58% pure gold. The more alloys in the metal, the stronger the setting will be. Similar to white gold settings, the benchmark for fine jewellery is 18 Karat gold.

Platinum

Platinum is one of the strongest and most enduring metals in the world. Platinum rings are often 90-95% pure platinum, perfect for everyday wear of an engagement ring.

It is very durable and is one of the rarest elements on earth and often costs more than gold settings. It’s also hypoallergenic and most of the time doesn’t cause skin reactions. It is becoming a popular metal for engagement rings because of these reasons. Minor scratches over time are very normal due to wear and tear and the maintenance required is relatively low.

Rose Gold

Rose Gold is becoming a trend. It adds a modern aesthetic to an otherwise traditional item of jewellery It has a beautiful, romantic look, making it a great choice for an engagement ring. It is a mixture of yellow gold, copper and silver.

Rose gold is usually mixed with copper to give it that iconic pink colour A typical modern-day formula for 18k rose gold might look something like 75% gold, 21% copper, and 4% silver. Once the silver content starts getting closer to 5% or more, the gold starts to look very pink in appearance.

White or yellow gold in 9K or 18K are classic choices that never date, while platinum delivers a luxurious, white-grey take on traditional sterling silver, on the other hand, rose gold is romantic and trendy. Ultimately it is dependent on your personal preference and how different metals match and suit your skin tone.

At Moi Moi, your engagement ring designs can be crafted in the metals and karats of your choice.

With the choice of different tones of gold and platinum, what is your preference?