Wedding Band Metals
The choices may seem endless when selecting your wedding rings, but with a few thoughtful tips, you can have rings that are as enduring as your love. Below we cover some of the different metal choices for your wedding bands.
Gold
Gold is the most common and classic choice for wedding rings. You have your choice of white gold, yellow gold, and rose gold. It’s important to understand the karat of the gold ring you select. Twenty four-karat gold (pure gold) is very soft and can be scratched or bent easily. That’s why gold is often mixed with another metal, like copper or silver, to make it stronger. Ten-karat gold is the strongest, but also has the least amount of gold in it. If you work with your hand a lot consider 14 or 18 karat gold.
Platinum
Platinum is one of the rarest metals on earth. It is also one of the strongest metals. Platinum is a great choice for holding precious stones in place securely. The prongs on rings are often made out of platinum for that reason. Platinum wedding bands retain their color and their shine will not fade.
Sterling Silver
Silver has been used to make jewelry for an eternity. In today’s market, silver is very affordable. Silver is often mixed with copper or other metals to create sterling silver, which is more durable than pure silver. Sterling silver can still scratch easily, so your ring will need to be polished and cleaned on a regular basis.
Palladium
Palladium is similar to platinum, but not as expensive. It is lightweight, comfortable, and hypoallergenic. It can show scratches and can sometimes be tricky to resize. It’s the ideal ring for anyone who leads an active life and wants a mirror-like finish in their ring.
Titanium
Titanium is becoming very popular for men’s rings. It is very strong, but lightweight. It makes a great wedding band for someone who is not used to wearing jewelry. Titanium does not require any extra upkeep, had a modern look, and is scratch-resistant, but can not be resized.
Tungsten
Tungsten is the most scratch-resistant option with a relatively low price point. Like titanium, a tungsten wedding band is easy to care for, but can not be resized. Tungsten is very brittle and can fracture if dropped on a hard surface.
No matter what metal you choose, you should plan on giving your wedding band some basic maintenance. If there is a buildup on your ring, you can soak it in some dish soap and water, with a splash of white vinegar. Be extra cautious if you have a ring with precious stones.
Bring your ring into our store for an annual checkup to make sure there are no loose stones and we will polish it up for you.
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