14K or 18K Rose Gold for a RHR?

[westjenn]

Looking for opinions for a Diamond solitaire RHR. Would you choose 14K or 18K and why? I understand that 18K is softer, and has a richer hue than 14k. This would be a ring that would be worn as a RHR and daily.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Niel]

Looking for opinions for a Diamond solitaire RHR. Would you choose 14K or 18K and why? I understand that 18K is softer, and has a richer hue than 14k. This would be a ring that would be worn as a RHR and daily.
Thanks in advance!

Its a matter of what you're looking for. Unlike yellow gold, where I always recommend 18k+, rose gold is equally beautiful in 14k as 18k.

I find 14k typically has a pinker hue, where 18k has a more coppery subtle rose color. Which is funny as 14 k should look more coppery ad it has more copper in it.....

 

[Rhino]

Hi Westjenn,

I happen to be rendering a solitaire in CAD. Here is 14kt vs 18kt rose.

Neil is right. The reason is because there are more alloys in the 14kt contributing to the color.

Hope that helps.

Kind regards,
Rhino

 

[caf]

Hi Westjenn,

I happen to be rendering a solitaire in CAD. Here is 14kt vs 18kt rose.

Neil is right. The reason is because there are more alloys in the 14kt contributing to the color.

Hope that helps.

Kind regards,
Rhino

Rhino - both are beautiful. Could you show us more of the CAD views, if you have them? Thanks.

 

[MollyMalone]

fyi because I think you're asking about color tones, jenn: there isn't a universal "recipe" for either 18K or 14K rose-pink gold alloys; varying percentages of silver and/or zinc can also be present in addition to the gold and copper. You may find some alloys more pleasing to your eyes than others of the same K. So if you see a 14K (or 1 ring/mounting that doesn't really grab you, that doesn't mean you should ditch 14K (or 18K) altogether. Although if you're picky in this regard, you will need to find a jeweler/goldsmith whose preference jives with yours, or is willing to do a special order re the alloy.

 

[Rhino]

Hi Westjenn,

I happen to be rendering a solitaire in CAD. Here is 14kt vs 18kt rose.

Neil is right. The reason is because there are more alloys in the 14kt contributing to the color.

Hope that helps.

Kind regards,
Rhino

Rhino - both are beautiful. Could you show us more of the CAD views, if you have them? Thanks.

Sure. 14 or 18kt and what shape and size center stone? The one in the graphic above was a 1.28ct ideal round with a 7mm average diameter.

 

[westjenn]

fyi because I think you're asking about color tones, jenn: there isn't a universal "recipe" for either 18K or 14K rose-pink gold alloys; varying percentages of silver and/or zinc can also be present in addition to the gold and copper. You may find some alloys more pleasing to your eyes than others of the same K. So if you see a 14K (or 1 ring/mounting that doesn't really grab you, that doesn't mean you should ditch 14K (or 18K) altogether. Although if you're picky in this regard, you will need to find a jeweler/goldsmith whose preference jives with yours, or is willing to do a special order re the alloy.

Tone yes, also durability- since I would plan on wearing it daily- is 14k more durable?

 

[yssie]

Tone yes, also durability- since I would plan on wearing it daily- is 14k more durable?

Will your RHR be hand-forged or cast? RG is known for being brittle, hand-forged/die-struck RG even more so - dropped-my-band-on-tile-and-it-chipped sort of brittle. The lower density inherent in casting is a benefit, IMO, when it comes to RG!

Ditto Molly - exact alloy will determine both colour and nuance of durability. It really is a discussion of nuance, though - 14k won't be any more or less durable than 18k in any practical sense: if you're hard on your jewellery both will suffer, if you're careful with your jewellery either will serve you well; you won't benefit from having chosen one over the other...

 

[westjenn]

Tone yes, also durability- since I would plan on wearing it daily- is 14k more durable?

Will your RHR be hand-forged or cast? RG is known for being brittle, hand-forged/die-struck RG even more so - dropped-my-band-on-tile-and-it-chipped sort of brittle. The lower density inherent in casting is a benefit, IMO, when it comes to RG!

Ditto Molly - exact alloy will determine both colour and nuance of durability. It really is a discussion of nuance, though - 14k won't be any more or less durable than 18k in any practical sense: if you're hard on your jewellery both will suffer, if you're careful with your jewellery either will serve you well; you won't benefit from having chosen one over the other...

I'm honestly not sure- I'm still educating myself on the techniques:
#1: A Sholdt setting from BGD, modified for my center stone
#2: A modified existing style from Erika Grace- a CAD would be presented and then created

 

[MollyMalone]

It's been years since I took a workshop with Tim McCreight, but my recollection is that the potential for brittleness (is that a word?) is heightened with an 18K rose gold alloy that does not have silver in the mix and/or isn't "quenched" early enough (rather, is allowed to cool off to a lower temp) in the course of fashioning the piece; 14K RG alloys are less problematic for a goldsmith.

Both Sholdt and Erica's benches are well versed in working with RG -- you won't be someone's guinea pig, no matter which K you opt for. Still, unless their 18K RG alloys are much more appealing in appearance to you, I'd go with 14K RG, and save some money

 

[westjenn]

Thanks MollyMalone! Very useful info!

 

[MollyMalone]

Looking forward to seeing pics of whatever ring you decide upon, jenn!

 

[retrogamer]

Hmm, I think it also depends on the bench too as far as colours go. Single Stone had several different shades of 18k rose gold, and even between my wife's 18k Tiffany RG and 18k Cartier RG bands, the softness in color is more apparently in the Cartier.

 

[MollyMalone]

Yep, the presence, and percentages, of the whiter metals (silver and/or zinc) in a rose gold alloy -- be it 14K or 18K -- will "tone down", to varying degrees of subtlety, the color otherwise rendered by the alloys that are simply gold and copper (which may be more properly denominated as red gold).