newbie has yellow gold durability question.

[phoebecat]

Hello everyone!

First of all, let me just say that I have loved looking at all of the beautiful rings on here!

I am looking to get a matching wedding set sometime in the future and love the look of yellow gold. I was thinking along the lines of a simple, petite set of channel set diamonds in a yellow gold setting with platinum prongs to go with my 1/2 carat princess cut diamond.
(I have an very simple platinum band that is only 1 mm thick that came from a "maul" store. Now that I am a bit more educated, I certainly won't go back to a mall store for my setting upgrade, that is for sure! But I still do love my diamond, and it has great sentimental value to me and I still want to keep it.)

I apologize if this has been answered before but I cannot find any specific information on the durability of 14k compared to 18k yellow gold.
Is there a great difference between the durability of 14 vs 18k yellow gold? (By durability I mean will one wear away faster than the other.)

Also, one more question, please. I have read from different sources that a gold wedding set will last anywhere from 20 years to one lifetime.
I expect to have to do some maintenance to my rings (polishing, maybe fixing a prong), but will a yellow gold really only last 20 years before I have to buy a whole new set?

Thank you for your help! Like I said, I am a newbie and this is all quite new to me.

 

[moon river]

From my understanding the less alloys used the weaker the gold. 24k is to soft. I have seen some 22k but it is very delicate. I love the look of 18k but I think 14k is the best route. I don''t like the color of 10k at all. So 24k is pure gold w/no alloys and 10k is 10parts gold and 14 parts alloy, I think that''s how it goes.

 

[movie zombie]

i don''t like the look of 14K gold.....but that''s just me. i wouldn''t go for less than 18k.

more info: http://www.goldencreations-online.com/Harder.htm

movie zombie

 

[phoebecat]

Okay, thank you to you both!

Also, thank you for that link! It really helped with my questions.

 

[ladykemma]

I had a plain narrow six prong yellow gold 14k setting. (the typical rock holder)

It wore out and got thin within ten years. my tenth year of marriage i had my tiny diamond reset into an identical fresh stock setting.

i plan to reset it when it looks bad.

 

[AGBF]

There is absolutely no reason to worry about the durability of 18K gold. That is standard in much of western Europe (including Italy, where we bought my engagement ring and wedding band).

Unlike MZ, I do wear 14K gold. I love yellow gold and, although I have recently developed a tendre for high karat gold, I still wear 14K and 18K yellow gold jewelry!

In deference to what someone else said above: I wear 22K and 24K gold jewelry, but I am very careful with it! It bends quite easily!!!

Deborah

 

[phoebecat]

Thank you for all of your responses!

I keep going back and forth on whether I like platinum or yellow gold better. I love the warmth of yellow gold, but also love how the coolness of platinum goes with diamonds. I will see a wedding set on here in yellow gold that I think is just the most beautiful thing, then the next day see one in a white metal that I also love.

Decisions, decisions.
It''s something to think about.


AGBF, I also wear 14k gold. I have a 14k gold ring with a pearl and little dark blue sapphires on it that my mother gave me that I think is just so pretty. I don''t think it is expensive but to me it is special.

 

[monarch64]

My mother has been wearing her 14k, 10-12 mm solid band (no diamonds, has never owned one in her life, not even an e-ring) for the past 36 years, every day. She takes it off to sleep, or to wash dishes, and that''s it. I really think its durability has something to do with the fact that it is very substantial, meaning, when I pick it up, it''s as heavy as my platinum with diamonds wedding set. Just my .02.... I love YG, but seldom wear it since I was proposed to with a platinum e-ring. Most of my everyday jewelry is sterling silver or white gold, but I have quite a few 14k quality pieces I purchased before I met my husband and white metals became en vogue again.

I don''t think you can go wrong with 18k, or even 14k, as long as the piece you choose to wear for a lifetime is solid and substantial. Good luck in your search!