When selecting an engagement ring, there are many decisions to make such as whether you prefer white or yellow gold. To make decisions such as this, it helps to have a basic understanding of the differences between the materials as this can help you make a more informed decision. But the type of gold is not the only choice you have to make. You have to consider your lifestyle as well as personal preferences.
This can make buying an engagement ring seem pretty daunting. White gold or yellow gold? Diamonds or other gemstones? What style should I choose? Since this is a ring we will wear each and every day for the rest of our lives, it makes sense to really think about these questions before choosing the right ring. The last thing you want is to choose a ring that isn’t suitable for your lifestyle, or that you grow tired of after only a few years. So while it may seem daunting and it is a big decision, you can make sure that you have all the facts and information you need to make the best choice for your needs.
Choosing An Engagement Ring
An engagement ring is likely to be the most expensive piece of jewelry you will ever buy. In a way, it is an investment in your relationship, so you don’t want to scrimp. You want to choose something that is a good value for the money you have to invest into it. But, this is a ring that is meant to be a visual representation of your relationship as well. This means that you may want to choose something that has a symbolic meaning. The choice between white gold and yellow gold is just one of the many choices you will have to make.
One of the biggest pieces of advice we can give to someone shopping for an engagement ring is to think about the future when making your choice. It can be tempting to choose something that is stylish and currently in vogue, but this can be a big mistake. There are good reasons that so many people choose a more classic and timeless style for their engagement ring. It is because these styles never go out of fashion. You have the peace of mind that, even in a decade’s time, the ring will still look great.
Considerations
When you are choosing an engagement ring, there are a few things to consider. Obviously, you are going to have to determine whether you want white or yellow gold, what gemstones you want, as well as the style of the ring you prefer. But you should also take your lifestyle into account as well. Do you work with your hands a lot? Are you someone who leads an active lifestyle? If so, you will want to keep this in mind when shopping for a ring. You will want something that is suitable for what you do on a daily basis.
So, for example, if you do work with your hands a lot, you will probably want to stick to something more simple that doesn’t have a lot of stones extending from the piece that will get in the way of your mobility. If this isn’t an issue for you, you have a lot more choices. You can choose something as ornate as you wish. But the last thing you want is a ring that isn’t really suitable for the way you live your life.
Styles
Though the choice between white gold and yellow gold can be a big one, that isn’t the only thing you will need to choose between. You will have to choose the style of ring you want as well. There are so many different ring styles that we couldn’t possibly talk about them all here, but we will briefly touch on a couple of the most popular and timeless styles: the solitaire, the halo ring, and the three-stone ring. The solitaire is a timeless ring. It consists of a single stone, held in place by gold prongs. It can be a large or small stone. Most often, the band of the ring is plain metal, but you can choose an eternity band if you want more diamonds.
The halo style is another popular style. Like the solitaire it consists of one main stone. However, this stone is encircled by smaller accent stones. These can be diamonds or any other gemstones. But what this does is allow the accents to form a halo around the main stone, giving it a bit more sparkle and character. The three-stone ring is another category that can be really varied. It generally consists of a large center stone that has two smaller accent stones, often in a different cut, that flank the main stone.
Gemstones
When we think about engagement rings, we naturally think about diamonds. And there are good reasons for this. Diamonds are the hardest stone known to man. This means it is a tough and durable stone. For something we will wear every day, being tough and durable is a great quality. Plus, we would be remiss if we ignored the main reasons people love diamonds: they are sparkly and beautiful. But it is a mistake to think that this is the only gemstone that is suitable for an engagement ring. People love diamonds because they look great with either white gold or yellow gold and they also pair well with other gemstones.
Some people want something different than the norm and will thus choose an engagement ring that doesn’t have diamonds at all, but rather a different gemstone such as rubies or sapphires. This will give the ring a rich color that diamonds just don’t offer and since these stones are also quite hard, they are tough and durable as well. Others will choose a blending of diamonds and other gemstones. This gives you the best of both worlds because you get the sparkle and shine of the diamond, but you also get the color of the other gemstone.
Types of Gold
Most people who think about gold think asbotu it as this monolithic category. All gold is just, well, gold. But that isn’t the case. Each type of gold has its own unique blending of materials. It is the unique blend that gives the ring its color and particular qualities. Each has its own benefit but they aren’t the same. There are actually a few different types of gold, but the most common are yellow gold, white gold,and rose gold. Yellow gold is the classic and quintessential gold but some people like the richer color of rose gold. Others like the cooler color that white gold offers.
It is hard to say that one is better than the other as it depends on the person in question. For the purposes of this article, let’s take a closer look at both white and yellow gold. This will allow us to learn about the individual composition of each, which can help us make our ultimate decision as to which type of gold will be better for us.
What is White Gold?
White gold has become quite popular over the years. It has the cool color of platinum or silver, but also has the properties that make gold such a popular choice for jewelry. It is most correct to refer to white gold as a gold alloy. It is actually a blend of different materials with gold. Most often it is a blend of pure yellow gold with cooler silver alloys. Typically, these will eb palladium or silver.
For most gold jewelry, gold will be mixed with other materials. This is to enhance the strength and durability of the metal. Pure gold on its own is actually too soft to really work into jewelry.But in this case, these other materials are included to give the gold the proper color.
Another unique element of white gold is that it has a coating of rhodium on the outside. Rhodium is in the same metal family as platinum, but it is featured in white gold to add strength and luster to the metal.
This coating can actually wear off, which will, in turn, cause your white gold jewlery to take on a more yellow hue. This is completely natural. You can work around this by having it re-coated with rhodium when you notice the yellow showing through too much.
What is Yellow Gold?
Yellow gold is the classic type of gold most of us think of when we ponder the metal. This is a naturally-occuring metal. The thing about yellow gold is that, while it has a really beautiful color, it is actually incredibly soft. If you were to try to work pure gold, you would find it too soft for most kinds of jewelry or other functional purposes.
That means that when we buy yellow gold jewelry, we aren’t buying pure gold. Yellow gold is mixed with a number of harder metal alloys to increase its strength and durability. It also allows the jewelry to retain its shape over time. It is through the blending of pure gold with other metals that we can work it into jewelry that is tough, durable, and can stand the test of time. This is the oldest type of gold and is a perfect option for engagement rings.
Gold is graded in karats. Pure gold is 24-karat. This type of gold is too soft for jewelry-making. 18-karat gold is 75% pure yellow gold and 25% harder metals. Most often, these alloys are white, which gives the yellow gold a softer color.
Which is Better?
Many people wonder whether whote gold or yellow gold is better and this isn’t an easy question to answer. Both have their benefits and perks. The biggest difference between the two types of gold is aesthetic. Do you prefer the color hue of white gold or the richer hue of yellow gold? This will ultimately help you make your decision. Both types of gold are a blending of yellow gold and other metal alloys. With white gold, you have the blending of alloys, as well as the addition of a coating that helps the ring keep its color. However, you will need to have the ring re-coated on occasion if you don’t want the yellow color to start to show through.
Yellow gold is the classic type of gold and many people really like the rich and creamy hue it offers. Since it has so much of its own color, it doesn’t pair as well with gemstones of other colors as white gold does. But if you are getting a diamond ring, this isn’t going to be an issue. In the end, it really depends on your personal preferences, as well as whether you are going for diamonds or other gemstones.
In Closing
Buying an engagement ring doesn’t have to be a big ordeal, but with some thought and consideration, you can be sure that you will choose something you will be happy with for many years to come. You will have to choose between white gold and yellow gold, as well as select a style, and types of gemstones you want in the ring. Both types of gold have their benefits. White gold has a silvery hue that is cooler than yellow gold. It has an appearance more like silver or platinum. The benefit of this type of gold is that it will look great with all sorts of different gemstones. The biggest downside of this type of gold is that you may occasionally need to have it re-coated to keep that cool color.
Yellow gold is the more traditional kind of gold and looks great with diamonds and with classic styles. The biggest downside of yellow gold is that it doesn’t pair with as many colors of gemstone as white gold. But it is a classic and looks stunning with diamonds. THis is a great choice for those who like timeless styles and the rich hue of traditional gold. Either will look great in an engagement ring and whatever you choose, we know that you will love the look and feel of the piece.
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