The Best Engagement Ring Metal For You
Every year more than 2 million people in American get married and for most people, this means getting engaged first. And of course, this means getting an engagement ring!
Finding the perfect engagement ring for your partner means finding something that will suit their personal style to a tee. The engagement ring metal you choose can make a huge difference to a ring's appearance and its durability.
So what are your options? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the best metals for engagement rings!
Why is it Important to Think About Engagement Ring Metal?
As you can already imagine, the metal that you choose for your engagement ring will have a big impact on its aesthetic.
This will largely depend on your partner's personal style. For example, your partner might prefer silver jewelry over yellow gold tones. So you need to find a metal that will suit them.
However, the metal that you choose will also affect how much your ring costs. On average, millennials in America spend $3,000 on engagement rings but this won't suit everyone's budget. If you're working to a tight budget, you might want to opt for a cheaper alternative that doesn't compromise on style.
Finally, the metal that you choose will have a big impact on your ring's durability. Over time certain metals can fade or affect the skin on your fiancé's finger. So you want to find the best metal for rings that won't tarnish and will stand the test of time. Since engagement rings aren't permanent and are eventually replaced by wedding bands, durability isn't of the utmost importance, but it is still a big factor in choosing the right metal.
With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the best metals for engagement rings.
Platinum
Platinum is a popular choice of the engagement ring metal for people who are looking for a white metal. This is a great metal base for ring settings to accompany diamonds and magnify their luster. Platinum holds its bright white color exceptionally over time and doesn't need to utilize methods such as rhodium plating to achieve a beautiful shine.
Platinum is also extremely durable. In fact, it can strengthen over time even with wear and tear. However, this does come with a significant price tag. In fact, platinum engagement rings are a lot more expensive than wedding rings in gold or silver. This is because platinum is rarer than its precious metal counterparts while also being extremely resistant to tarnishing (hypoallergenic).
Platinum is a popular choice of the engagement ring metal for people who are looking for a white metal. This is a great metal base for ring settings to accompany diamonds and magnify their luster. Platinum holds its bright white color exceptionally over time and doesn't need to utilize methods such as rhodium plating to achieve a beautiful shine.
Platinum is also extremely durable. In fact, it can strengthen over time even with wear and tear. However, this does come with a significant price tag. In fact, platinum engagement rings are a lot more expensive than wedding rings in gold or silver. This is because platinum is rarer than its precious metal counterparts while also being extremely resistant to tarnishing (hypoallergenic).
Gold
Gold jewelry has stood the test of time and is perhaps one of the most versatile engagement ring metals when it comes to aesthetics. This is because it is available in various different hues.
White gold engagement rings are silver in appearance, while yellow gold is more traditional in design. For something a little different, rose gold combines a copper alloy and gold to form a rosy pink-red hue.
Whichever color gold you go for, your ring is sure to stand the test of time. For maximum durability, you want to go for gold that is mixed with other metal alloys. This is because pure gold is very soft and can wear down overtime.
The karat of a gold ring will tell you a lot about its durability. 14 to 18-karat gold rings will stand the test of time better than purer gold rings, which often sit around 20 to 24 carats.
Before you buy a gold ring (or any other metal ring for that matter) it is worth checking whether or not your fiancé-to-be has any allergies. 15% of Americans, for example, are allergic to gold or other metals. The last thing you want is to choose a metal that will bring them out in hives!
Gold jewelry has stood the test of time and is perhaps one of the most versatile engagement ring metals when it comes to aesthetics. This is because it is available in various different hues.
White gold engagement rings are silver in appearance, while yellow gold is more traditional in design. For something a little different, rose gold combines a copper alloy and gold to form a rosy pink-red hue.
Whichever color gold you go for, your ring is sure to stand the test of time. For maximum durability, you want to go for gold that is mixed with other metal alloys. This is because pure gold is very soft and can wear down overtime.
The karat of a gold ring will tell you a lot about its durability. 14 to 18-karat gold rings will stand the test of time better than purer gold rings, which often sit around 20 to 24 carats.
Before you buy a gold ring (or any other metal ring for that matter) it is worth checking whether or not your fiancé-to-be has any allergies. 15% of Americans, for example, are allergic to gold or other metals. The last thing you want is to choose a metal that will bring them out in hives!
Gold jewelry has stood the test of time and is perhaps one of the most versatile engagement ring metals when it comes to aesthetics. This is because it is available in various different hues.
White gold engagement rings are silver in appearance, while yellow gold is more traditional in design. For something a little different, rose gold combines a copper alloy and gold to form a rosy pink-red hue.
Whichever color gold you go for, your ring is sure to stand the test of time. For maximum durability, you want to go for gold that is mixed with other metal alloys. This is because pure gold is very soft and can wear down overtime.
The karat of a gold ring will tell you a lot about its durability. 14 to 18-karat gold rings will stand the test of time better than purer gold rings, which often sit around 20 to 24 carats.
Before you buy a gold ring (or any other metal ring for that matter) it is worth checking whether or not your fiancé-to-be has any allergies. 15% of Americans, for example, are allergic to gold or other metals. The last thing you want is to choose a metal that will bring them out in hives.
Silver
Silver is a slightly less common choice for engagement rings now. This is because silver is too soft to cut into a ring on its own. Instead, it needs to be cut with another metal alloy, such as copper, to create sterling silver.
This will stand the test of time, although it can be prone to tarnishing. Because of this, silver engagement rings will require more cleaning than other rings.
The price of silver rings reflects this. Although if you want to save some money on your engagement ring you might want to consider some alternative metals first.
Silver is a slightly less common choice for engagement rings now. This is because silver is too soft to cut into a ring on its own. Instead, it needs to be cut with another metal alloy, such as copper, to create sterling silver.
This will stand the test of time, although it can be prone to tarnishing. Because of this, silver engagement rings will require more cleaning than other rings.
The price of silver rings reflects this. Although if you want to save some money on your engagement ring you might want to consider some alternative metals first.
Alternative Wedding Ring Metals
If you are working with a tighter budget for your engagement and wedding rings, there are plenty of great alternatives to gold and platinum.
If you are looking for a silver color, then titanium engagement rings are a great metal choice. These are much cheaper than platinum rings but will complement gemstones of any color. You can also opt for a matte or shiny finish depending on your partner's style.
Tungsten is a great choice for a durable metal if you live in active lifestyle. This metal is very strong and scratch-resistant so it means you won't have to spend a lot of time cleaning and caring for it. Tungsten also offers a great variety of hues from silver to blues and dark grays.
Meteorite engagement rings are also seeing a surge in popularity. This textured metal is the perfect way to create something truly unique. They also complement a diamond's shine perfectly.
All of these different metals (besides meteorite) are extremely durable and won't tarnish. This means they'll stand the test of time and deliver great quality and value.
If you are working with a tighter budget for your engagement and wedding rings, there are plenty of great alternatives to gold and platinum.
If you are looking for a silver color, then titanium engagement rings are a great metal choice. These are much cheaper than platinum rings but will complement gemstones of any color. You can also opt for a matte or shiny finish depending on your partner's style.
Tungsten is a great choice for a durable metal if you live in active lifestyle. This metal is very strong and scratch-resistant so it means you won't have to spend a lot of time cleaning and caring for it. Tungsten also offers a great variety of hues from silver to blues and dark grays.
Meteorite engagement rings are also seeing a surge in popularity. This textured metal is the perfect way to create something truly unique. They also complement a diamond's shine perfectly.
All of these different metals (besides meteorite) are extremely durable and won't tarnish. This means they'll stand the test of time and deliver great quality and value.
If you are working with a tighter budget for your engagement and wedding rings, there are plenty of great alternatives to gold and platinum.
If you are looking for a silver color, then titanium engagement rings are a great metal choice. These are much cheaper than platinum rings but will complement gemstones of any color. You can also opt for a matte or shiny finish depending on your partner's style.
Tungsten is a great choice for a durable metal if you live in active lifestyle. This metal is very strong and scratch-resistant so it means you won't have to spend a lot of time cleaning and caring for it. Tungsten also offers a great variety of hues from silver to blues and dark grays.
Meteorite engagement rings are also seeing a surge in popularity. This textured metal is the perfect way to create something truly unique. They also complement a diamond's shine perfectly.
All of these different metals (besides meteorite) are extremely durable and won't tarnish. This means they'll stand the test of time and deliver great quality and value.