What is the Best Metal for My Engagement Ring?

Choosing an engagement ring is a very exciting step in life!  The style of a ring is a personal choice for the soon-to-be bride, as is the metal color.  But, how do you narrow down the right metal for you with platinum, gold, and silver to consider?

Color First

The color of metal you like to wear is the most significant choice to make:

·       White Metal Options: platinum, white gold, silver

·       Yellow Metal Options: gold

·       Rose/Pink Options: gold

If you chose yellow or rose/pink, it is a no-brainer – gold!  Gold can be different colors depending the metal alloys it is mixed with, but it will always come out of the ground yellow.

Narrowing Down White Metal Options: White Gold

Each metal has different properties to consider when choosing it, and there are some important things to pay attention to.

Since gold is always yellow, other metals are added to the mix to make it white. It is never bright white, but will always have a warm tone. When you purchase it brand-new, a rhodium plating is added to make it bright white, but the plating does wear off and will need to be re-plated again.

For some people, that doesn’t bother them, but for others, that warm tone is unacceptable. And, for them, I suggest platinum.

With the mixture of other metals, some people may have an allergic reaction to white gold, but it is rare. 

White gold settings will also keep a shinier finish, so if your ring showcases a wide swath of metal, white gold is the better option. 

Narrowing Down White Metal Options: Platinum

Platinum is a naturally white metal and does not need rhodium plating, so there are no issues with the metal looking warm. 

Platinum is mixed with other platinum alloys, but usually at a small percentage, which makes it best for someone with metal allergies.  Most jewelry in the United States is 90% to 95% pure platinum with either ruthenium, palladium, or iridium.

If you ring has an engraved design, platinum is the best metal because the design won’t wear down like it would with white gold. I have a ring that is 100 years old, and the platinum engraving is still beautifully intact! A white gold ring would not have the engraving still intact.

Due to the nature of platinum, the metal gets a soft patina to it and does not stay shiny, but it can be buffed back.  It is a hard metal, in some respects, and requires an additional skill set to work with. Not every jeweler has the ability to do repair work on platinum jewelry or create platinum pieces. 

Platinum can also be more costly than gold because of its rarity and additional skill set needed.

Narrowing Down White Metal Options: Silver

Silver has been a prized metal for thousands of years! It is naturally white and a lower cost than either gold or platinum. 

It makes a great metal for a ring without diamonds and gemstones. Silver has a high thermal conductivity, which means that when doing routine jewelry repair, like ring sizing or soldering, the heat from the jeweler’s torch travels so quickly that it will burn the gemstones. Each diamond and gemstone needs to be pulled before any heat work is done to it, then, re-set when finished.  This can add to the cost of a repair significantly, depending on how many diamonds and gemstones there are.  

Silver isn’t as strong of a metal for the long term, which makes me shy away from silver for such an important piece, but in a uniquely designed ring without gemstones, it would be great!

How Do You Choose?

After reading through the different properties, choose the metal that aligns with the things that are important to you.  This is a ring that will be worn every single day, so it needs to be durable and a beautiful style that is loved!  If you need help going over the different options, I am here for you!

Angela Cisneros Jewelry Concierge brings back the joy and confidence of jewelry shopping, so that you can celebrate with ease! My by-appointment approach means:

• One-on-one appointments (personal attention and no crowds!)

• Discretion and privacy (surprises remain surprises!)

• Expert help from a Graduate Gemologist with 29 years of experience (yep, that’s me!)

Learn more about me and my process: www.AngelaCisneros.com 

Book your FREE appointment with me today! www.AngelaCisneros.com/book-appointment