Choices of Colors and Karats
Should I get a ring in yellow gold or
white gold, or should it be something else, like platinum?
What karat gold
should I get? Should it be 14K or 18K? Does it matter?
As to the color of gold to choose,
much of this depends purely on personal preference. Some
people like yellow, some like white, and there isn't a
lot of basis for argument one way or the other. Yellow
gold is more traditional. White is more contemporary, perhaps.
Some diamond experts are of the opinion that diamonds look
best in white gold mounts because yellow gold might tend
to influence the diamond's color.
If you are drawn to yellow gold, you
will have plenty of company in that decision. In that case,
the next factor to consider will be what karat to choose.
Does it matter
whether it is 18K or 14K? In Europe, 18K is a standard
karat, while in the U.S., 14K is considered the norm.
In my opininion, 18K is the way to go for a number of reasons.
One is that there will not be a big difference in cost
between 18K and 14K. In my custom pieces, most of the cost
is in the hand- work and time that it takes to produce
the piece. Another is that the higher karat metal is more
precious, which is important for symbolic reasons. There
is also a subtle color difference that you can see--18K
has a richer gold color.
Does that mean that there is something
wrong with 14K? Absolutely not. Personally, I have no prejudices
for any karat. As far as I'm concerned, they're all valid,
from 10K (which is the "economy" karat that is common in
England) through 14K to 18K to 22K (which is common in
Asian countries) to 24K for that matter. Ricco can work
with any of them. It's your choice.
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White Gold Alloys
What about white gold? This is an area
that you need to be careful with. In order to make white
gold, a white metal needs to be added to the yellow gold.
Click here for more information on how this is done.
Most jewelry in retail jewelry stores
that is sold as white gold is an alloy of
gold and nickel. This alloy can have serious downsides.
For one thing, some people are allergic to the nickel in
the gold (and for that reason, nickel- based white gold
alloys are now banned in Europe). For another thing, the
nickel can be attacked by chlorine in bleaches and swimming
pools, causing failures in the prongs that hold stones.
In addition to these issues, a nickel-based
white gold is not really white. In order to make it look
white, the piece is plated with rhodium. In time, the plating
wears through, and the ring will need to be plated again
to maintain its white appearance. If you want to learn
more about these issues, click here.
If you are considering white gold, Ricco
strongly suggests that you choose a palladium white gold
alloy. The alloy is available in both 14K and 18K, and
there is even a option for a 95% pure palladium alloy.
Palladium has many of the same characteristics as Platinum,
yet is available at a fraction of the cost.
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