How to Pick a Metal For Your Engagement Ring

Besides the center stone, metal makes up a major part of the perfect engagement ring. Simply put, what precious metal you get holds everything together. 

Choosing a metal shouldn’t be a headache. Which is where this blog hopes to smooth things over and give you the insight into karats, gold, and platinum. 

What is a Karat? 

Let’s brush up on some terminology. There are several words related to precious metals that may be new or unfamiliar to the average person. One of these being the word ‘karat.’ It sounds incredibly like the word ‘carat’ used to talk about how much a diamond weighs, and yet ‘karat’ has nothing to do with weight. 

The word ‘karat’ is a measurement that refers to what percent of the precious metal gold is gold. Since some precious metals like gold are rather soft when they are in their pure form, jewelers will combine these metals with alloy metals to create more durable jewelry. As a result, there are different karat types: 10 karat, 14 karat, and 18 karat. In jewelry, the word ‘karat’ is abbreviated to ‘KT.’ The higher the karat in a piece of jewelry, the more gold the piece has; 18kT gold has a higher amount of gold in it than 14KT gold.  

Platinum and Different Gold Colors 

Platinum is another type of precious metal that deserves definition. This metal is very dense and is a great option for people with allergies. It’s important to note that platinum is expensive.  

When considering your engagement ring metal, it’s also key to recognize that color plays a role. Gold can come in a variety of colors that are created when the precious metal is mixed with different alloys. Three common colors of gold are yellow, white, and rose.  

Which One Should I Pick? 

Now that we’ve gone over the terms, let’s talk about choosing the metal for your engagement ring. Style and lifestyle are important factors to consider when making this decision. Depending on if your significant other is into trekking through the woods of Minnesota or expressing popular style trends can narrow the field easily.  

Platinum is always a great choice for anyone with a highly active lifestyle. Because this metal can endure quite a bit, it works well when your significant other lives the fast-paced lifestyle, and the white color that platinum comes in can be easily matched with almost any style. However, if you’re concerned about the cost, there are always the lower karat options in gold such as 14KT. By choosing gold, you also have the option to pick a color such as rose gold or yellow gold, which offers that classic feel to a ring. If you’re looking for a rich color and you’re not concerned about wear, 18KT gold is a good route.  

When it comes to making the final decision, it’s good to consider these three questions: 

1. What is my significant other’s lifestyle? 

2. What is my significant other’s style? 

3. What is my budget? 

Once you have the answers to these, you’re all set to start exploring with the help of a sales professional!