So, you’ve settled on gold jewelry for your wedding bands, and the budget notwithstanding, you just can’t seem to be able to settle on which karat gold would be a great fit – sounds familiar?
Well, the truth is that anyone looking for a wedding ring or any other kind of high-value jewelry needs to take time to first read up on the kind of jewelry they are interested in and also the varieties that the market has to offer.
Because whether you like it or not, there is a huge, confusing variety of great wedding bands on the market, which is why self-education is key. When it comes to wedding rings made of gold, your options are often limited to 10k, 14k, 18k, and 22k gold. The higher the number, the higher the price tag of the wedding band.
There are just some of the basic considerations to keep in mind, but there are others. In this article, we’ll help you make the right choice of gold wedding rings.
Karat Purity
The gold Karat levels for jewelry is a measure of gold’s purity, and the 10K, 14K, or 18K gold options are a result of alloying. The alloying is important because 24k gold is too soft and malleable, and it dents easily.
To ensure that the gold is strong enough for use in jewelry, the pure gold is alloyed or mixed with more durable metals like copper and zinc to make the jewelry a lot more durable.
Higher karat gold pieces, for example, the 22K or 24K gold, is easily scratched compared to the 10k gold, which makes the higher-karat gold pieces not just expensive but less durable.
Is 10k gold good for wedding rings? Why?
The purity level of gold is measured in karats, and 10k gold is regarded as the lowest grade of gold used in jewelry, especially in the US. Because of the low karat levels, 10K gold is a cheaper version of gold, which is also the reason why the 10K gold is the most common variety of gold used in making wedding bands.
10K gold is an alloy that’s made of 10 parts pure gold and 14 parts other metals like silver and copper. Essentially, pure gold is 24k gold or 99.999% pure gold, which means that 10K gold contains a considerably low amount of pure gold.
But should you get a wedding band made of 10K gold? Well, although it might not seem like the ‘best version of gold jewelry, we consider it one of the smarter choices for wedding bands. This gold alloy is not only affordable but also quite durable. So, if you are worried about the cost of the ring but also interested in finding the most durable ring you could find, the 10K wedding ring might be a great option for you.
Note that some gold jewelry would be made of 9k gold, but in the US, the lowest purity level of gold used in jewelry is 10K gold.
The issue with 10K gold wedding bands is that despite their affordability and durability, the ring contains more metal alloys, which means a bigger risk of metal allergies. The metal alloys in gold might include nickel, and this might result in itching, among other issues.
Is 14k gold good for wedding rings? Why?
14k gold also makes excellent wedding rings. This kind of jewelry is made of a little more gold, specifically 14 parts in pure gold, but only 10 parts of the gold alloy. This alloy is harder and more durable.
Though not as much as hard as the 10k gold because it has a smaller percentage of metal alloys, 14k gold still makes an excellent option for metals used in jewelry making. 14K wedding rings are also popular among newlyweds because of the beautiful gold color.
14K wedding bands are made of 58.5% gold, and it’s also quite durable as it doesn’t scratch easily. The 14K gold is also a great choice for most people because it allows for complex and more intricate designs, and it also makes for excellent settings for the use of inlaid diamonds and other gemstones.
Is 18K gold good for wedding rings? Why?
The other common option for wedding bands is the 18k gold wedding band, a common durable, highly-priced, and great value wedding band option.
18K gold is made of 75% pure gold, and though it costs more than 14k and 10k gold, 18k gold could be the best option for you. The 18K gold is richer, the color is a lot more intense, and it looks great for grooms and brides.
For some people, it might be hard to tell the difference between 18K and 14K, but 18k gold wedding bands allow for more simplistic designs and styles than 144 or 10k gold pieces of jewelry. 18K gold offers brighter color tones, and you will be happy to know that it’s a great option for you if you have sensitive skin.
With only a 25% composition of metal alloys, there is a lower risk or chance of reactive metals like nickel causing skin irritation and allergies.
Therefore, if you are looking for a great wedding band that will not cause any irritation to the skin, you might want to get the 18K gold wedding band.
That said, 18K gold wedding bands scratch easily because of the high gold content, and they would also bend, which means that if you will be wearing the wedding ring throughout, it would only be safe for you to do that if you won’t be engaging in harsh conditions or carrying heavy equipment.
Is 24K gold good for wedding rings?
There also are 24K gold wedding bands. These bands are the purest and the most expensive of the gold wedding rings, the reason being, these gold pieces are made using the maximum amount of gold.
But, as mentioned above, pure gold is too soft for use, and it wears out fast – bends and scratches easily.
This means that the 24K gold doesn’t make the best option of gold for wedding bands. To strengthen it, other metals would have to be added to it; hence the gold alloys added to the pure gold.
The other thing you should know about 24K gold is that this precious metal is generally quite bright and even looks more orange than yellow. It’s not, therefore, ideal for weddings.
What karat of gold is best for wedding rings?
Well, based on the information we’ve shared above, it’s clear that the best gold to use for wedding rings is either 14k or 18k yellow gold.
These also make great options for anyone looking for the best metal for engagement rings.
14k and 18k gold are among the best, and they are also the most reliable metal option for wedding rings. If you are interested in gold that can have diamonds set on them, the 14k and the 18k gold wedding bands are the best options for you.
Conclusion
As you look for the best wedding ring made of gold, you’d want to find the gold jewelry option that is durable, with a lower risk of allergies, great-looking, and ideal for setting with diamonds and other gemstones. From the options reviewed above, your best options would be 14K and 18K gold (preferably yellow gold).
Read more jewelry metal posts here or visit our home page!
Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.