Jewellery News

So you’ve decided to get married. Now you want to choose the wedding bands. Should they be yellow gold, white gold or platinum? Is one better that the other or more appropriate? Does the age you’re getting married at determine whether you should buy a yellow or white gold ring or a platinum one?

Traditionally yellow gold was the norm for wedding bands. The karat could be 9k, 18k or 22k, it didn’t really matter. But today, there’s a lot more choice in wedding bands – in the metal chosen, in the style and even settings. You could choose to set small diamonds into the wedding band, or even engrave a special message on the inside of the band.

If you want a traditional gold wedding band, choose a yellow gold one. Whether you’re getting married at a young age, a later age, or if this is a second or third wedding – it doesn’t matter at all.

Sometimes, people prefer a white gold wedding band. They prefer the colour and feel it makes more of a fashion statement. A lot of people, both men and women find that this is a more timeless colour and matches their style a lot better than yellow gold does.

White gold is created by mixing in 75% yellow gold with 25% of other metals like copper and zinc, or silver and palladium. Earlier nickel was used but this is hardly ever done today, as this often caused a skin reaction with sensitive skins. This white gold ring is coated with rhodium which is very white, hard and similar to platinum. Rhodium does tend to wear away eventually, and would need to be coated on again.

Platinum is a white metal, which has all the beauty of white gold but none of its disadvantages. It is a very durable metal and does not need much care. Jewellery that is created from platinum uses the metal in almost in its pure form – most platinum jewellery is approximately 95% pure. Platinum is very dense, so it feels much heavier than a yellow gold ring. And platinum is a lot more expensive too. It costs at least twice that of an 18k white gold wedding band.

Because platinum is so expensive, it is not really a popular choice with young couples who are just starting out in life. But for couples who have comfortable income levels, who have more financial stability, and who may perhaps be getting married a little later on in life, platinum rings are often the wedding bands of choice.

So choose a metal for your wedding bands that you will like to wear forever. Let the rings be something that will accessorize well with your style. Whether it’s yellow gold, white gold or platinum, your rings will always remain precious to you.