Importance of choosing the right metal for a solitaire ring.

Once you have finalized the diamond of your choice after considering the 4Cs, and gone through the steps to buy a perfect diamond engagement ring, it’s time to pick the right metal to acquire the ring your heart had been excitedly waiting for a long time.

It is a question of diamond in the ring that makes us tell you about the significance of selecting a suitable type of metal. Three things are to be considered:

A. How to protect the precious diamond in the ring

If your fiancée is an eager beaver, then Setting Style of a ring is something you should definitely read about, apart from choosing the metal.

Protecting a gemstone from slipping off the ring is basically about how the ring is designed and how a gemstone is affixed in the setting style. It is equally important that the metal content (alloy) makes a sturdy piece of ornament that houses one of the strongest materials known to man – diamond.

B. Create an attractive blend of diamond and metal

If you have thought to buy a very expensive Fancy Vivid Emerald-cut yellow diamond and then order a Rose Gold ring that is your sweetheart’s favorite color, I want you to picture this:

A pinkish metallic ring with a yellow stone in it.

Not the best contrast right?

You could have done a lot better by asking the jeweler to mingle a few shades of traditional Yellow Gold so that the yellow gemstone would fuse flawlessly with hints of yellow metal in your Rose Gold ring. Your invaluable diamond deserves to shine through a perfectly crafted metal ring.

C. The Style Statement

Elegance, Antique, or Contemporary?

Find out her style. What’s her lifestyle is about, her daily activities, personality traits, etc.

If she is a rockstar or the life and soul of the party, she may like a silver-whitish ring than a golden one. If she’s a gentle character, her persona would radiate everywhere, hence any metal color would do. Many times, two or more types of metals are used by jewelry designers to achieve splendid patterns.

Whether she is stylish, outgoing or a traditional woman, it’s for you to discover!

Now, when you are at a jewelry store to order a ring, you should also know about the difference between the metal rings placed in front of you, apart from their price tags.

This is why I have made a comparison of different metals’ characteristics that are most commonly being used to make diamond engagement rings:

Platinum

If you do a price check online, you might find that Gold is a little more expensive than Platinum. However, when we talk about making jewelry, Platinum turns out to be the most expensive in this list!

It is because Gold is always mixed with other cheaper metals to make resilient jewelry, which can vary from 14k to 22k, i.e., 58.3 to 91.6% pure Gold.

But when we use Platinum, the jewelry is almost 95-98% Platinum. Unlike Gold, not much mixing of inexpensive metals is required to render the Platinum jewelry ‘strong’. Platinum is already denser and more metal is required to construct the jewelry with it. The result is almost pure Platinum jewelry.

  • Price: ₹15000-20000 for a 3 gram 95% pure Platinum ring.
  • Permanence: With daily wear and tear, Platinum does not chip off but gets stronger over time. If scratched, the metal moves within the ring instead of falling off the surface.
  • Visual appeal: Silvery-white.
  • Skin tone & type: Platinum is hypoallergenic and works for all skin tones.
  • Maintenance: Many retailers offer a lifetime warranty with Platinum jewelry because it needs no maintenance. It does dull out quite often, but only to give a matt ‘Patina’ finish that most of us adore! It does not require re-polishing.

Palladium

Never heard of it right? These days, Palladium is a hot favorite option to make wedding rings. It’s very rare, stays white like Platinum but lighter in weight, relatively lower in price, and lasts forever. It is known as Platinum’s sister metal due to very similar properties.

  • Price: ₹8000-12000 for a 3 gram 95% pure Palladium ring. Approximately half the price of Platinum.
  • Permanence: Extremely durable, does not tarnish with time.
  • Visual appeal: Silvery white sheen like Platinum.
  • Skin tone & type: Hypoallergenic, matches with all skin tones.
  • Maintenance: Scratches can be smoothened without much difficulty at an outlet.

White Gold

A charming selection to make ravishing diamond engagement rings, White Gold is an alloy of pure gold mixed with harder & silvery-white metals like Palladium, Nickel, Platinum, Manganese, Silver, and other metals. The strength, texture, durability, and price of White Gold are decided by the composition of other metals used. 

The bright white sheen, however, is only achieved by Rhodium plating that is applied to every piece of jewelry made with White Gold.

Note: Karat (K) is the measure of all types of gold jewelry, irrespective of the gold color. ‘K’ represents the percentage of pure gold used. I hope you already know that 24k means 100% Gold (which is not strong enough to make jewelry) and 18k is 75% Gold with 25% other metals for desired color and strength. Similarly, 14k Gold is 58.3% pure Gold with 41.7% other metals, and so on.

  • Price: Typically ₹10000-12000 for a 3 gram 75% White Gold (18k) ring. Price can go up, depending on the type of metal used for reinforcement and luster.
  • Permanence: Less durable than Platinum, scratches may be visible on a ring after years of use.
  • Visual appeal: Silvery-white according to the metal mixed, but considered more comfortable due to its lighter weight than Platinum.
  • Skin tone & type: Although much whiter, Nickel-containing White Gold is found to be allergic for some users, especially with older pieces of jewelry. Therefore, Palladium and Silver alloys are preferred by most jewelers to make White Gold ornaments these days.
  • Maintenance: With daily activities, it is common to see the wearing of Rhodium plating from the white surface – revealing Yellow Gold. Whenever this happens, you can always get a re-coat of Rhodium done.

Rose Gold

A ring made by this metal is synonymous with the color of love. Close to red, Rose Gold’s pinkish-red appearance is mysterious, and marvelous at the same time. It is made by combining Yellow Gold, Silver and Copper to achieve the shades of pink and rose. More the Copper used, darker the pink/rose we get.

  • Price: ₹10000-11000 for a 3 gram 75% Rose Gold (18k) ring, somewhat similar to White Gold, or a little cheaper due to the use of inexpensive Copper.
  • Permanence: Very durable, Copper gives strength to a ring.
  • Visual appeal: Extremely beautiful shades of pink. 
  • Skin tone & type: It is not a hypoallergenic metal. Hence, a small number of consumers may experience mild allergic reactions after prolonged use. 
  • Maintenance: No visible tarnish and the rose color stays forever. It may get redder/darker after years of usage but stays beautiful. In fact, the vintage look (antique Rose Gold patina) is something people wish very much and it even increases the value of your Rose Gold ring. Thus, never get a Rose Gold ring professionally cleaned or polished.

Yellow Gold

At last, the old and legendary metal. Yellow Gold, or simply Gold, is being used by mankind for thousands of years with authentic evidence. It is the most preferred precious metal worldwide to make jewelry, including most of the diamond engagement rings. Its stellar popularity has been acknowledged by various dynasties spanning over millennia for one reason – its enchanting shininess that cannot be explained in words.

  • Price: ₹10000-14000 for a 3 gram 75% Gold (18k) ring, depending on the jewelry outlet you buy from.
  • Permanence: Pure gold is soft and ductile. When alloyed, it gets good strength and durability.
  • Visual appeal: Shiny yellow metal. After all, there is a color named after it – gold.
  • Skin tone & type: With its hypoallergenic properties, Gold works well for most of us and looks amazing on any finger.
  • Maintenance: Over time, a film of soap/grease can build up which can be cleaned at home. Also, re-polishing gold jewelry at an outlet is a quick, affordable, and an easy process.

For how long a ring should last?

Well, Tutankhamen’s treasure is well over 3000 years old and that still looks fresh. That’s not made of iron. Those are all precious metals.