
Here is a guide if you are wondering how you can select the perfect metal for your diamond engagement ring.
What are the metals that I can choose from?
Apart from the purity of the metal, the colour of the metal is another aspect that you can consider while deciding what metal for my diamond engagement ring. Here are the various options that people usually select from:
- Yellow gold: Yellow gold is the traditional colour and varies slightly, depending on the karat of gold that you select. The higher the purity of the gold, the higher is the yellowish sheen. For instance, 10k gold has the lowest gold brilliance while 24k has the highest.
- Rose gold: An option that is becoming significantly popular lately is rose gold. It goes well with a variety of skin tones and is more gentle than yellow gold, but is less traditional and more fun than the usual alternative of white gold.
- White gold: Another option that people have when it comes to choosing the metal for their diamond engagement ring is white gold or platinum. Sterling silver looks similar, but is not recommended because it can tarnish very easily.
Gold is measured in terms of karats, or the number of parts of gold to the number of parts of the alloy. The most common choices are 10k, 14k, 18k, and 24k – with 24k gold being the purest with all 24 parts being pure gold.
- 10k: 10k gold has about 40% purity of gold and a combination of other alloys. It is not the best choice for an engagement ring because it may not have the shine or the brilliance of rest of the types of gold. It can also tarnish over time, and is not recommended to people with metal allergies. While it is extremely hardy due to the amount of other alloys, it is usually not recommended to set a stone as expensive as a diamond in a 10k gold piece.
- 14k: 14k gold is an extremely popular choice that is purer than 10k gold with about 60% purity of gold with a combination of other alloys making up the rest. It is an economical choice and is tremendously ideal for those on a budget. If you want to purchase a larger stone and cut down on costs a little, 14k gold is one of the most ideal options you can go in for your diamond ring.
- 18k: 18k gold is usually the most popular choice when it comes to diamond rings because it is the perfect combination of purity, hardiness, and cost effectiveness. It is strong enough for daily wear, does not tarnish easily, but is still not unaffordable. People tend to get expensive stones such as diamonds usually set in 18k gold because it is value for money, gorgeous, and hardy.
- 22k and 24k: 22k gold and 24k gold are extremely soft and pliant due to the amount of gold content in them. They are also tremendously expensive compared to the other options available in the market. South East Asian countries such as India prefer to use 22k and 24k gold for wedding jewellery but in western markets, 14k and 18k is preferred due to its durability.