Precious Metals Guide
From gold to platinum, learn all about the metals that go into engagement rings and wedding bands.
When looking at engagement rings, we are sure you have a lot of questions. What’s the best metal for an engagement ring? Should I choose white gold vs. yellow gold or platinum vs. white gold? What’s the best jewelry for sensitive skin?
You deserve to have your questions answered so that you have the ring of your dreams. Let us help with our Precious Metals Guide.
Yellow, White, and Rose Gold: What's the Difference?
As one of the most desired metals for engagement rings and wedding bands, gold has options to fit your style. Metals like nickel, copper, silver, and zinc are added to gold to alter the color and strength. The most common metal alloys made from gold are yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold — all three metal colors offered through ever&ever®. Let’s dive into what traits set each metal alloy apart.
Did You Know?
Gold purity is measured using the karat system on the ratio of pure gold (24K) to other metals. The most common quality levels of gold used in jewelry are 18K (75% pure gold), 14K (58.3% pure gold), and 10K (41.7% pure gold). Purity and price are directly related with the higher priced pieces having a higher karatage of gold.
Yellow Gold
Always a classic option, yellow gold is often the color that comes to mind when thinking of this popular metal. One of the major benefits of choosing yellow gold is the fact that whether you choose 10K yellow gold or 18K yellow gold, the hardness level stays similar. The biggest difference you experience across metal qualities is color. The higher the quality of yellow gold, the deeper the color of yellow. If you enjoy a deep, rich yellow, then choose 18K yellow gold. If you prefer a more subtle yellow, then choose 10K or 14K yellow gold.
White Gold
White gold is appreciated for being a modern and bright metal option. One of the major benefits of choosing white gold is that the color is consistent for the most part, whether you choose 10K, 14K, or 18K. The real difference comes from the hardness. As the gold purity decreases, so does the hardness. For the hardest option, choose 18K white gold. While 10K and 14K white gold will not have the same hardness levels, they will be the more affordable options.
Rose Gold
A bold color choice, rose gold is on-trend and quickly becoming a favorite for the modern bride. Rose gold gets its red hue from the copper content in the metal alloy. 10K and 14K rose gold will have higher copper content and will show deeper shades of red. 18K rose gold’s color is the most subtle. Higher copper content will result in metal alloys that are not as hard. The higher the gold purity in rose gold, the greater the hardness.
White Metals Comparison: White Gold vs Platinum
You have a couple of options when it comes to white metals, and it’s important to consider the pros and cons of each metal when deciding. As we break down each of our white metals, think about color, maintenance, hardness, and cost.
White Gold
Gold is naturally yellow in color, so other metals — such as nickel — are combined with the gold as well as a plating of rhodium to give white gold its shining yet warm white tone. The rhodium used on white gold also gives it a harder surface, making it more resilient in daily wear. Rhodium plating does wear over time, revealing the yellow hue underneath, but it can be replated easily every couple of years. If you experience a sensitivity to nickel, 18K white gold contains the smallest amount of nickel and is less likely to trigger a reaction.
Platinum
Platinum is 30 times more rare than gold, making it the more expensive but vastly more durable metal option. Because of its strength, stones are held more securely than any other metal type. Platinum is naturally white and will not lose its color over time. It is the purest metal alloy used in ever&ever®, so it is hypoallergenic, which has made it increasingly popular over the years.
