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About Metals
This resource provides a basic introduction to the different metals we use in our wedding rings. If you have any questions on the metals used or on any particular ring, please do not hesitate to contact us.
About Metals
Choose what suits you
Gold
Pure gold is too soft to be used for jewellery, so it is mixed with an alloy to make it stronger. 18K gold is 75% pure gold, 14k is 58.3% pure gold and 10k is 41.7% pure gold. Copper is used as the alloy to create rose gold. White gold is created when the alloy is a white metal, usually palladium or nickle. White gold is usually still has a tint of yellow, so white gold rings are plated with rhodium to give the ring a shiny white luster. Although very hardwearing, the rhodium can wear off over time and the colour of the ring can become dull. Jewelry can simply be re-plated to restore the whiteness, if needed.
Platinum
Platinum is the hardest and most durable of the white metals. Because of its relative scarcity, rings cast in platinum tend to be more expensive than other metals. Platinum is so rare that in the 18th century, King Louis of France declared it ‘a metal fit only for kings’.
Palladium
A first cousin of platinum, palladium shares many of the characteristics of its more well known relative. It is tarnish-resistant, nickle-free, more durable than white gold and, because it retains its luster, does not require rhodium coating. Most of our wedding rings are available in palladium, so if you don’t see it advertised be sure to ask. We highly recommend palladium wedding rings for our clients, particularly as an affordable option for men’s rings.
If you are unsure if you want to choose a platinum or palladium wedding ring, have a look at this blog post – Platinum vs Palladium – where we discuss the pros and cons of both metals in more detail.
Titanium
A tarnish-resistant and very durable metal, titanium is an ideal metal for wedding rings. Discovered in 1791, the metal was first commercially produced in 1946. With the rise in the price of other precious metals in recent years, titanium has become a popular choice for wedding rings. It is a lustrous white metal with a low density, great strength and resistance to erosion.
Silver
Silver is a precious metal, and much like gold, must be mixed with an alloy to make it strong enough to be used for jewellery. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent silver mixed with 7.5 percent copper. A sterling silver hallmark will often just be stated with the numbering, ‘.925.’