What you need to know about jewellery metals

There are several metals used in the creation of fine jewellery. By knowing information about the different metals, their benefits compared with each other and their unique qualities you will be able to make a better and more informed decision about purchasing your jewellery.

The metal types commonly used to make jewellery include gold, platinum, titanium, silver and stainless steel. Metals including rhodium and palladium are also used with jewellery.

Below you will find information about each of these metal types, together with information about which metals are best for particular types of jewellery.

• Gold
  • Gold carats
  • Yellow gold, white gold and rose gold
• Platinum
• Titanium
• Silver
• Tungsten carbide
• Stainless steel
• Rhodium

Gold

Gold is the most popular choice for men's and ladies wedding rings and engagement rings. Gold is also very popular in dress rings, earrings, pendants, necklaces and bracelets.

There are two things to consider when looking at gold. First, which gold carat to choose and second, the gold color or the combination of gold colors available.

Gold carat

There are several carats available for gold.

The carat is the gold content of the metal. The carat measures the proportion of pure gold mixed with other metal alloy to make up the final metal.

The carat of gold is represented in many countries by the abbreviation ct. Carat can also be called karat, represented by kt or K.

You may notice that carat or ct is also used to measure the weight of diamonds and gemstones. Although the same name is used, the two measurements are measuring different characteristics of jewellery.

The gold carats normally used in men's wedding rings are 9ct, 14ct and 18ct.

The higher the proportion of gold used in the final metal, the more valuable and expensive the metal will be. So all other things being the same, an 18ct ring will be more expensive than a 14ct ring and a 14ct ring will be more expensive than a 9ct ring.

Gold

9ct gold contains 37.5% pure gold (375 parts per thousand parts).

14ct gold contains 58.5% pre gold (585 parts per thousand parts).

18ct gold contains 75% pure gold (750 parts per thousand parts).

The remainder of the metals is made up of a combination of alloys, different metals which can help to give the metal its unique appearance, such as a different color.

Other gold carats are used in different parts of the world including 10ct, 22ct and 24ct. It is generally considered that 22ct and 24ct gold are too soft to be used to make men's wedding rings.

10ct gold (417 parts pure gold per thousand parts) is very similar to 9ct gold and the reason why some countries use 9ct and other countries use 10ct is due to historical reasons, rather than one being superior to the other.

Jewellery is normally stamped with a marking to show the type of gold.

For 9ct gold the stamp will normally be either the number 375, 9ct, 9kt or 9K.

For 14ct gold the stamp will normally be either the number 585, 14ct, 14kt or 14K.

For 18ct gold the stamp will normally be either the number 750, 18ct, 18kt or 18K.

The stamps only indicate the carat of metal. They do not indicate the color of the metal. So for example an 18ct yellow gold ring would have a stamp of 750 as would an 18ct white gold ring.

9ct, 14ct and 18ct gold are each relatively hard and durable metals and are suitable for use in all types of fine jewellery. Gold is also suitable to be used in jewellery that is worn on an every day basis.

When choosing jewellery, particularly rings, many people consider the hardness and durability of gold to be used in their ring.

Metal hardness is measured by what is called the Vickers scale where harder metals receive a higher Vickers score than less hard metals.

9ct has a Vickers hardness of 120 and 18ct has a Vickers hardness of 125. This shows 18ct as harder, but the difference is so slight that in practical terms 9ct and 18ct are much the same in terms of hardness.

There is another difference that should be considered when comparing 9ct and 18ct. 9ct is more difficult to bend and is a little more springy and therefore a fine 9ct ring may be less likely to bend out of shape than a fine 18ct ring. However, if the ring is of a good sturdy construction neither metal will be likely to bend out of shape.

Gold colors

Next you need to consider the color of gold.

Gold is available in several different colors. The most popular is yellow gold, followed by white gold and rose gold, though other gold colors are sometimes also available such as bronze, red and lime gold.

Jewellery can also be made using a combination of different gold colors. These jewellery items are sometimes called two-tone, three-tone or multi-colored gold.

 

The gold content of yellow gold is measured in the same way it is measured in for example white gold. So an 18ct white gold ring contains 75% pure gold, just as 18ct yellow gold contains 75% pure gold.

The difference in color between yellow, white and rose is determined by the metals used in the alloy mix.

As the color difference is due to the metal components in the alloy mix, the color of yellow gold and rose gold will not chip, fade or wear off with age.

Yellow gold is made by mixing pure gold with alloy metals such as copper and zinc.

Rose gold is made using a mix of pure gold with alloys including copper. The copper provides the rose-reddish color.

White gold is an alloy of gold and some white metals such as silver and palladium.

Traditionally nickel was used in white gold, however, nickel is no longer used in most white gold made today as nickel can cause reactions with some people. We do not use nickel in our white gold

When white gold rings are new they can be coated with another white metal called Rhodium. Rhodium is a metal very similar to platinum and rhodium shares many of the properties of platinum including its white color.

The rhodium plating is used to make the white gold look more white. The natural color of white gold is actually a light grey color. The rhodium is very white and very hard, but it does wear away eventually. To keep a white gold ring looking its best it should be re-rhodium plated approximately each 12 to 18 months. Most local jewellers are able to rhodium plate jewellery for a cost effective price.

As each gold color contains the same proportion of pure gold all gold colors with the same carat weight when measured on the Vickers scale have the same Vickers score.

There can be a difference in color between the different carats of gold.

18ct yellow gold is more yellow than 9ct yellow gold with 18ct yellow gold having a richer golden color making 18ct yellow gold a more popular choice of yellow gold than 9ct for ladies engagement rings.

9ct rose gold has a darker rose-copper color than 18ct rose gold which has a more subtle rose color.

9ct white gold and 18ct white gold have a similar white color (as normally both have a rhodium plating finish.

When comparing the price of the gold colors in the same carat, white gold is normally a little more expensive than yellow gold and rose gold. Yellow gold and rose gold normally have approximately the same price.

When trying to decide between the gold carat types there are three things to consider.

1. The metals performance with every day wear
2. The difference in color between the 9ct, 14ct and 18ct gold
3. The difference in price between the gold carats.

In practical terms, 18ct generally holds up to everyday wear better than 9ct and tends to look better than 9ct as it ages over the years. This is one of the reasons why 18ct is normally preferred for ladies engagement rings rather than 9ct.

18ct is the superior metal for lady's and men's wedding rings provided that the ring is not a lightweight construction (Gillett's Jewellers rings are a good construction). However, 18ct is more expensive than 14ct and 9ct, which is usually fine for ladies engagement rings, though in a large men's ring the 18ct price can be a noticeable difference.

9ct, 14ct and 18ct are each suitable equally suitable for use in dress rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and necklaces. Many people choose 9ct and 14ct for their earrings and pendants due to its lower price.

Quick Reference - What types of jewellery are suitable for gold?
Ladies engagement rings		preferred gold type is 18ct
Men's engagement rings		preferred gold type is 18ct, though 14ct and 9ct are also suitable
Ladies wedding rings		preferred gold type is 18ct. Ladies wedding rings are normally made in the same metal as the engagement ring
Men's wedding rings		preferred gold type is 18ct if it falls in your budget. Otherwise 14ct and 9ct are both suitable
Ladies and men's dress rings		18ct, 14ct and 9ct are each suitable
Earrings, pendants, bracelets and necklaces		18ct, 14ct and 9ct are each suitable

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Titanium

Titanium is a natural element which has a silver-greyish-white color. Titanium is the hardest natural metal in the world. It is very strong, three times the strength of steel and much stronger than gold, silver and platinum and yet is very light weight. Pure titanium is also 100% hypo-allergenic which means that it if safe for anyone to wear as it will not react to your skin.

Titanium provides several unique factors that make it a good metal for jewellery. It is very strong, more dent, bend and scratch resistant than gold, silver and platinum, is lightweight and importantly offers an exotic array of colours which other metals simply do not.

One factor to consider with titanium is that titanium cannot be soldered, which means that titanium rings cannot normally be resized.

Titanium rings made using pure titanium can normally be cut-off the finger in the event of an emergency, though they are more difficult to cut-off than gold, silver or platinum rings. Aircraft grade titanium rings normally cannot be cut-off in the event of an emergency.

Titanium is popular in earrings and bracelets for both ladies and men.

Quick Reference - What types of jewellery are suitable for titanium?
Ladies engagement rings		Titanium engagement rings are available, though because titanium cannot be soldered, the prong setting styles common in engagement rings cannot be made using titanium. The range of titanium engagement rings available is therefore significantly limited compared to gold and platinum engagement rings. Titanium engagement rings cannot be resized in the future, because the titanium cannot be re-soldered. .View titanium engagement rings.
Ladies and men's wedding rings		Titanium is an increasingly popular choice for wedding rings. Although the same metal is recommended for use in both a lady's engagement ring and wedding ring, some ladies are preferring to wear titanium rings with their 18ct engagement rings. Titanium wedding rings cannot be resized in the future, because the titanium cannot be re-soldered. View titanium ladies wedding rings and titanium men's wedding rings.
Earrings		Titanium is suitable to be used in earrings. Some titanium earrings are now available. The range available is normally smaller than for gold and silver. View titanium earrings.
Pendants and necklaces		Titanium is not commonly used in pendants and necklaces due to the inability to solder titanium, limiting the shapes and designs that can be created.
Bracelets		Titanium offers a lightweight alternative to gold and is more affordable for use in bracelets, making it a popular choice for men's bracelets. The colour of titanium is also appealing to men and often matches the colour of men's watches. View titanium bracelets.

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Platinum

Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in jewellery in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be rhodium plated like white gold does.

Platinum is very dense and heavy metal, so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18ct gold ring.

Platinum is, however, significantly more expensive than gold. With all other things being the same, a platinum ring will be approximately twice the price of an 18ct white gold ring.

Platinum is a prestige choice and is often chosen for its sophisticated appeal and popularity amongst the rich and famous.

Platinum is normally not used in the full range of jewellery products due to its higher price.

Platinum is mainly used in ladies engagement rings, ladies wedding rings and men's wedding rings.

Platinum can also be used to make dress rings, though it is not commonly used to make earrings, pendants, bracelets or necklaces.

Quick Reference - What types of jewellery are suitable for platinum?
Ladies engagement rings		Platinum is suited to ladies engagement rings. It is an increasingly popular choice. Platinum engagement rings can be resized in the future. Gillett's Jewellers can custom make platinum engagement rings. View platinum engagement rings
Ladies wedding rings		Ladies who wear platinum engagement rings normally choose platinum wedding rings. Platinum wedding rings can be resized in the future. Gillett's Jewellers can custom make ladies platinum wedding rings. View platinum ladies wedding rings.
Men's wedding rings		Platinum is suitable for men's wedding rings, though it is significantly more expensive than other metal options, making it less popular for men's wedding rings. The choice of men's platinum wedding rings will normally be more limited than with gold wedding rings. Gillett's Jewellers can custom make men's platinum wedding rings. View platinum men's wedding rings.
Dress rings		Platinum is suitable for men's and ladies dress rings, though it is significantly more expensive than other metal options, making it less popular for this type of ring. The range of platinum dress rings will normally be limited..
Earrings, pendants, bracelets and necklaces		Platinum is not commonly available in these types of jewellery due to its increased expense.

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Silver

Sterling silver is a white-grey colored metal which is less expensive than gold, platinum and titanium.

Silver is a softer metal than gold, titanium and platinum and does not have hardness that the other metals do.

Silver is a popular metal for use in jewellery such as earrings, pendants, bracelets, necklaces and dress rings. It is best used for jewellery that will not be worn every day for an extended period. For that reason it is usually not recommend to be chosen for ladies and men's wedding rings, and is not suitable for ladies engagement rings.

Silver is also more prone to oxidisation, sometimes causing the silver to turn black. The silver jewellery can easily be made to look like new again if you use a silver jewellery cleaner (available from most department stores) or if you have your jewellery cleaned by a local jeweller.

Quick Reference - What types of jewellery are suitable for silver?
Ladies engagement rings		Silver is not recommended for engagement rings.
Ladies and men's wedding rings		Silver is not recommended for wedding rings
Dress rings		Silver is suitable for use in rings that will be worn as dress rings. These rings are generally not worn every day for an extended number of years. The range of silver dress rings for ladies and men is often quite wide and they include simple silver rings, diamond silver rings and gemstone silver rings. View ladies silver dress rings and men's silver dress rings.
Earrings, pendants, bracelets and necklaces		Silver is a very popular choice for earrings as it is very cost effective and has an appealing color. View silver earrings, silver pendants, silver bracelets and silver necklaces.

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Tungsten Carbide

Tungsten carbide, also referred to simply as tungsten, is a very hard, strong and durable metal. It's also quite heavy.

Tungsten has a characteristic unique to this special metal - tungsten is highly scratch resistant.

Unlike gold, platinum and even titanium, tungsten rings do not scratch with everyday wear like the other metals do.

It is technically possible to scratch tungsten, though only with objects that are harder than tungsten. So that leaves diamonds, sapphires, rubies and ceramic. Though unless you dragged the tip of a loose diamond along the tungsten, the metal will stay scratch resistant.

Having a wedding band that’s scratch resistant offers a lot of advantages.

Tungsten always looks new and bright and shiny. It doesn’t need the polishing maintenance that gold, platinum and titanium rings do.

Tungsten stands up to the wear that even the roughest husbands can dish-out, making it a popular choice for men's wedding rings.

Tungsten has an appealing color which almost all men like. The tungsten color is a grey-white color, similar to that of white gold or silver.

Tungsten is particularly popular in men's wedding rings.

The range of tungsten jewellery is generally more restricted than for other metals.

View men's tungsten carbide wedding rings

Ladies engagement rings		Tungsten carbide is not recommended for engagement rings. Tungsten carbide is a hard metal to work with making it not suitable for use in most engagement ring designs.
Ladies wedding rings		Tungsten carbide is not normally used for ladies rings, as most ladies choose the matching metal from their engagement ring
Men's wedding rings		Tungsten carbide is becoming popular for use in men's wedding rings. The range of tungsten carbide wedding rings is normally more limited than for gold and titanium.
Earrings		Tungsten carbide is not readily available in earrings.
Pendants		Tungsten carbide is not readily available in pendants.
Bracelets and necklaces		Tungsten carbide is not readily available in pendants.

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Stainless steel

Stainless steel is a metal not traditionally used in fine jewellery, though its popularity in dress jewellery is increasing.

Stainless steel is a relatively hard and durable metal. It is particularly popular in men's bracelets, necklaces and men's dress rings.

The range of stainless steel jewellery is generally more restricted than for other metals.

View stainless steel bracelets.

Ladies engagement rings		Stainless steel is not recommended for engagement rings
Ladies wedding rings		Stainless steel is not normally used for ladies rings, as most ladies choose the matching metal from their engagement ring
Men's wedding rings		Stainless steel is starting to become popular for use in men's wedding rings. The range of stainless steel wedding rings is normally more limited than for gold and titanium.
Earrings		Stainless steel is not readily available in earrings.
Pendants		Stainless steel is not often used in men's pendants and some ladies pendants due to its appealing colour and lower cost.
Bracelets and necklaces		Stainless steel is becoming increasingly popular in men's bracelets and necklaces due to its appealing colour and its lower cost.