Materials

A malleable metal that will scratch and dent over time, but if you like the look of a rustic, worn-in, tells-a-good-story ring this is a good choice. It holds its value well, however, it will tarnish, so there is upkeep if you want a high shine. Silver is excellent if you want black recesses but not good for an all over black, as the oxidation (black) will wear off of high spots over time and the ring will need to be re-oxidized. Silver can be cut off in case of emergency, can be resized, engraved and stones can be set in it, a popular choice for permanent jewelry.

Extremely malleable and easy to work with. Stones can be set in it, it can be resized, engraved, doesn't tarnish and is the standard for most wedding rings for those reasons. Gold is a longterm investment. The higher the karat the softer the metal, and therefore more prone to dents and scratching in 22k vs 14k. However, the higher the karat the brighter the color. If you want a yellow butter gold you would go to 22k, versus a more subdued gold would be 10k. Gold can be cut off in case of emergency and can be resized. Most wedding rings are 14k as it is a nice bright gold, but also has the durability of the other alloys. Karat gold makes an excellent choice for permanent jewelry.

14k is the best choice for rose gold as it has more copper content and makes the gold rosier. Stones can be set in it, it can be resized, engraved, doesn't tarnish and there is no issues cutting it off in case of emergencies. Same properties as yellow gold, also a great choice for permanent jewelry.

White gold is created by alloying yellow gold with either palladium or nickel. Palladium alloy gives the color a grayer tone and nickel gives the alloy a warmer color. The most common alloy is nickel which is unfortunately the most common skin allergy. Therefore people often plate the nickel white gold with Rhodium to get that icy silver color and avoid the skin allergy. The ring has to be re-plated over time after the rhodium wears off. Palladium white gold does not need to be plated due to allergies but it can be plated to achieve the icy white color. However, palladium it is more expensive and it is harder to find jewelers that use it for casting.

Platinum is a heavy metal; a 6” cube of Platinum weighs 165 lbs and is more expensive than gold. It is very dense and strong, which makes it a great choice for jewelry that is delicate. Although all metals scratch, Platinum is simply displaced, it does not chip off or break. It doesn't tarnish, stones can be set in it, it can be engraved, cut, and resized. A scratched ring can be re-polished and there is very little loss of metal. It has an icy white silver color when polished, and a frosted silver when matte. You can plate it in rhodium for an icy white look. Highly resistant to corrosion, it makes a great choice for wedding bands due to its durability, color and value over time.

A silvery-white metallic element that is highly reflective and resistant to tarnish and corrosion. Considered the rarest and most valuable precious metal in the world. Rhodium is very expensive as it is never found as a single mineral but is mined in small quantities within nickel and platinum ores. Binding ink to rhodium produces black Rhodium, which is a dark gunmetal grey.

Bronze is an alloy made of copper and tin. It is quite hard with a high melting point and is corrosion resistant. Because of the copper contents, people with more acidic skin ph are prone to having bronze turn their skin green, especially when worn as rings. This can be remedied by painting the inside of the ring with a few coats of clear nail polish. Keeping bronze rings out of water also helps prevent green fingers. Just like silver, bronze can tarnish, making it look dull. Using a polishing cloth will bring back its golden luster.