There is a greater choice of wedding rings than ever before. Not just a more designs to choose from, but more materials too.
The traditional materials of gold and platinum are still the most popular. Gold comes in various purities, from 9ct, the lowest quality at just 9 parts out of 24 pure gold, up to 22ct which is 22 parts pure gold out of 24. Quality jewellers normally use mainly 18ct yellow gold, because it combines a warm colour with good durability. Gold also comes in red or rose gold, which is alloyed with copper to give a colour that particularly suits paler skin tones. White gold is also an option, but you need to be aware that this is an alloy made by mixing pure yellow gold with white metals to give a metal that is white-ish, but is normally electro-plated with rhodium to give a very white appearance similar to that of platinum. Unfortunately this plating wears off quite quickly, revealing the less attractive off-white colour of the white gold underneath.
If you prefer a white-metal ring Platinum is the best material to choose, but it is also by far the most expensive. It is naturally white, so requires no plating, and it is much tougher and more hard-wearing than white gold. Combine this with the luxurious weighty feel of platinum, and it is no wonder that many couples are prepared to pay the extra price for the best.
If your budget really won’t stretch that far the “new kid on the block” is Palladium. Actually it’s not really new, but it has not really been used much in the last several decades for making jewellery, so most people have never heard of it. That is going to change now that Palladium is being used for wedding rings again. The reason is it is a precious metal closely related to platinum. It is naturally white, and almost as tough as platinum, but it is less dense, so it weighs less, but the big plus is that it costs a lot less than platinum, which has recently soared in price. Palladium is more difficult to work with (which is probably the main reason that it fell out of favour for complicated pieces of jewellery), but for a simple wedding ring it provides a cost-effective alternative to platinum.
These days it is not just precious metals that are used for wedding rings. You will find increasing numbers in Stainless-Steel and Titanium. These are base metals, not precious metals. The prices are, as you might expect, much lower than equivalent precious metal rings. Both metals are very tough and durable, but very difficult, if not impossible to alter if your finger gets bigger.
If you can’t find a wedding ring you really like, why not consider having one made to your requirements? These days many people shun the “off the shelf” option in favour of something more original. A jewellery designer will be more than happy to discuss your ideas and offer advice,
Aurum designer jewellers
www.aurumjewellers.com
