Show Me What You're Made Of: A Comparative Look at the Metals Used in Wedding Bands
The standard for wedding bands has always been to make them from gold. The gold is mined, refined, alloyed, cast, and polished to the perfect gleam. Gold has been a traditional choice for ladies’ wedding rings since the Roman Empire, when wealthy men gave their wives gold bands. Those who couldn’t quite afford the steep price for gold gave their beloved rings made of other metals, like iron.
The American wedding ring market doubled during the mid-20th century, as soldiers started wearing wedding rings to remember their wives while they were away. At that time, the rings were mostly made in gold. Platinum had been a popular choice for jewelry throughout the Art Deco period, prized for its futuristic and modern vibe. But when America’s entrance in World War II took precedence over jewelry, platinum use was diverted to the war effort. Gold once again surged as the de rigueur metal choice for both women’s and men’s wedding rings.
Although the traditional and romantic choice for wedding bands, gold is not the only metal option. In fact, today there is a wide variety from which to choose. From gold to platinum, silver, and most industrial metals like titanium and tungsten, the options can be overwhelming. There are things to consider when choosing a wedding ring; read on to compare metal choices and make the right selection for you or your spouse.
GOLD
In addition to holding first place in the wedding ring metal race for quite some time, gold’s versatility makes it an excellent choice. Primarily mined in South Africa (although there are mining operations in Canada, the United States, Australia, and Russia), gold in its pure form is referred to as 24 karat. However, Mother Nature played a cruel joke on gold, or rather, on people who love gold. Pure 24 karat gold is very soft (as far as metals go). That’s the trade-off if you want the brilliant and deep, rich yellow hue of 24 karat gold. Now, because of its softness, 24 karat gold is not often used in jewelry. In some cultures, notably in India, it is the traditional standard for bangles and wedding jewelry, but in most places around the world, gold is alloyed with other metals to increase its strength and alter its color. That is another fascinating feature of gold: the color can be altered depending on its alloys. For 14 karat yellow gold, the gold is mixed with silver and copper. This strengthens the gold and helps it retain its trademark yellow hue. However, next to 24 karat, 14 karat will be noticeably paler in its tone. Eighteen karat is my preference for yellow gold. It’s denser (because its gold content is higher), deeper yellow, and just more pleasing to my eye.
To get white gold, pure gold is mixed with palladium and silver. White gold still has a very pale yellow tint to it. That is why white gold is often plated in rhodium (which is an extremely expensive precious metal). The rhodium gives white gold its bright white, shiny look. Keep in mind, your white gold wedding ring is going to require periodic re-rhodiuming to maintain that bright and pristine white. I recommend having your ring dipped every 12 months. Rhodium dipping is an inexpensive way to keep your ring look top-notch. Plus, it puts your ring in the hands of a jeweler. While they have it, ask them to look at it and make sure it’s in good condition. Have your prongs tightened, your ring polished and any damage corrected. A good maintenance regimen is the best way to keep your jewelry in tip-top shape.
Rose gold (my absolute favorite gold color, because I love all things pink) is made by mixing pure gold with copper. Copper, being so reddish-orange, gives gold a lovely warm and subtle rose tone.
PLATINUM
Platinum is similar to white gold in terms of color, but a platinum wedding band does not need to be dipped. It is just soft white, all by itself. It will not have the same bright white look that rhodium-plated white gold does. So if you’re after the bright white, platinum may not be the right choice for you. Platinum is also much harder than gold, meaning it does not have to be alloyed to make it ideal for jewelry use. This is nice because engraving and exceptionally intricate details may look crisper in platinum. Additionally, platinum does not oxidize or tarnish. The upkeep on platinum is relatively minimal (still have your platinum jewelry checked out yearly by a skilled jeweler to make sure your pieces are in good condition). The downside with all these benefits though is cost, as you might imagine. Platinum is significantly more expensive than gold for several reasons. For one thing, it’s not alloyed the way gold is. Sure, it has some additives, but platinum rings are about 90-95% platinum (as opposed to 14k gold containing 58.3% pure gold). Secondly, platinum is 30 times more rare than gold. And platinum is denser, which means the same volume of platinum will weigh more than gold. In fact, a ring made in platinum will weigh 40% more than its exact counterpart in 14k gold. Depending on your personal taste and desire (do you want to feel the heady weight of a platinum ring on your finger? I don’t judge; that’s part of the reason I went with 18k gold for my wedding set. I like the heaviness of the 18k gold), platinum may be a better choice for you.
TITANIUM
Titanium is a relatively new player on the wedding ring scene. Titanium, as well as Tungsten, has until recently been reserved for industrial applications. Although neither of these metals are precious (read: expensive), they do have several benefits…and drawbacks. In terms of benefits, both titanium and tungsten are hypoallergenic, which is great for people whose skin is sensitive to certain metals. Available in black, grey, and silver, titanium and tungsten (tungsten is usually done is silver color) rings are extremely scratch resistant. They are very hard, which is why they were historically used in industry, not jewelry. These two metals are increasingly popular for men’s wedding bands, but not so much with the ladies’. Their hardness and lack of “precious metal” status make them less than ideal candidates to house the number of diamonds and gemstones that women’s engagement and wedding rings usually contain, since prong settings are not really an option with titanium.
Also, titanium is especially lightweight. For men who don’t care for wearing jewelry (and there are a fair number of them), titanium can be a good choice because it does not feel heavy on the finger. On the downside though, neither titanium nor tungsten rings can be sized. If your husband’s finger size goes up or down, you better pull out that wallet, friend, because you need to buy a whole new ring. Gold and platinum can be sized, but these non-precious metals cannot (well, this is not entirely accurate about titanium. Titanium can potentially be sized, depending on the grade of titanium used, but it may be more expensive to resize it than to just buy a whole new one).
All in all, no matter what metal you’re after, Timeless Wedding Bands has what you’re looking for. In white, yellow, or rose gold; 10k, 14k, or 18k; or platinum or titanium, our offerings are full of life, value, and variety. Armed with the knowledge you need to make the right decision about your wedding ring metal, go forth and shop Timeless!
Metal maven forever,
Rebecca
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