Gold has a long history and has been used for thousands of years for ornamental decorations and jewelry. Most engagement rings are made of either 18K or 14K gold. The capital letter K stands for karat and is how the amount of pure gold is measured in a ring. 18K gold consists of 75% gold and 25% other metals, such as copper and silver. 14K gold consists of 58% gold and 42% of other metals including copper and silver.
The reason gold is mixed with other alloys is because it is too soft for jewelry otherwise. Both 18K and 14K gold make beautiful rings. Rings that are 14K gold are usually less expensive; however, the 18K gold will have a brighter yellow color and will be more durable and valuable. If you are looking for the gold with a silver look you can choose 18K or 14K white gold.
If your loved one prefers white jewelry you can choose between white gold, palladium, or platinum. Platinum is very expensive metal, but one of the most durable metals. Platinum is one of the rarest and most sought after of all the precious metals.
To give you an example of how rare it is; all of the platinum ever mined would fit in the average living room. The process for making platinum for jewelry takes 10 tons of ore and a five-month process to make just 1 ounce of platinum. Platinum is very strong and heavier than gold and will not wear away or wear down.
Palladium is an excellent choice when it comes to choosing a metal for a ring, because it has many of the same qualities as platinum but it is much cheaper. Palladium is a member of the platinum metals group and for a long time it was not separated from platinum.
Palladium jewelry is continuing to become a popular choice for making fine jewelry. It is lightweight and has a brilliant white luster which is even whiter than platinum. Palladium is starting to be the new trend in jewelry and is quickly catching up to platinum. With the skyrocketing prices of Platinum choosing Palladium is a smart choice. It is lighter and is also a natural white metal at a much more affordable price.
If you are environmentally aware you should look for fine and reputable jewelry stores that use recycled metals in their jewelry. Jewelry made out of recycled metals are just as beautiful and have high quality, but not harmful to the environment. The mining of precious metals uses a lot of our natural resources and depletes our supplies. Using recyclable metal is a way to spare our environment and allows you to purchase a fine piece of jewelry at the same time.
