Choosing the Perfect Metal for a Long-lasting Ring
When picking a ring or any other piece of jewelry, many people spend too much time choosing the perfect stone for it. The choice of the metal is often left to the jeweler, or they will pick one that looks like it will compliment the stone.
However, that’s not the way you should go about it. When you are picking a piece of jewelry, the metal it is made from can play a large role in how long that piece will last for you. The stone you choose for the jewelry is only as good as the base it is set on, and if you get a weak one, you may find your pretty new ring requiring more maintenance than you had initially suspected.
Jewelers and others craftsmen are more than willing to help you, but they cannot properly know what your daily routine is. Therefore, you will need to do some research on your own to pick the perfect precious metal base for your ring or any other jewelry item.
Gold or Silver
When it comes to jewelry, gold and silver happen to be the most commonly used precious metals. Gold also happens to be very easy for jewelers to work with, so they tend to use it more commonly. The same can be said about silver. Unfortunately, while these two are the most popular precious metals, they can be high maintenance.
Silver can easily get tarnished and both metals can get scratched and damaged easily. Moreover, gold has a tendency to soften overtime, which can mean that your ring loses its perfect shape. As such, you may have to get it regularly shined, reshaped and buffed to get any scratches out.
Platinum and Titanium
Introduced to the jewelry industry to provide more durable metals, platinum and titanium are a huge success. More durable than gold and giving the same sparkly luster of silver, platinum and titanium are extremely hardy precious metals, which require some maintenance, but not as much as gold and silver. These sturdy metals are also scratch resistant.
However, platinum and titanium rings tend to have a higher price tag. Moreover, they are also heavier in weight than jewelry made from gold or silver. While some people may not mind such issues, these metals can provide quite a dilemma for anyone who wants to save money.
Which One to Pick?
The natural response would be one which suits your budget but if you cannot find a titanium or platinum ring within your budget, there’s no harm in buying gold or silver rings.
Yes, they do require more care but then again, they are the classic metals that everyone has been using for ages and for anyone who wants to keep things old fashioned, gold and silver are your best friends.
Moreover, there is a lot more variety in gold, with variations of tones such as rose gold and white gold offering you more choice as compared to titanium and platinum metal jewelry.