(14k vs 18k vs 19k white gold) vs palladium vs platinum

[Netsurfer733]

I very quickly need to decide on the best type of silver-y/white color for the engagement ring I am trying to make (I need it by January 10th and I'm having it custom made), so I thought I'd write a post here to see if anyone can advise me in what direction to go for the white gold! Fair warning, I am a total noob when it comes to all of this stuff. The options are a bit overwhelming to look into thoroughly, but I understand there is a wide range of options here.



I know my girlfriend, and she will probably never want to do anything with our ring, or change it later on, etc., so I'm looking for something that still has a very brilliant(?) sort of white-silver color to it (the more white, the better), but will also certainly last for decades without any need for maintenance.



So I'm fairly sure Rhodium is out, and I am left with these 5 options:



14k White Gold

18k White Gold

19k White Gold

Palladium

Platinum



Platinum, Palladium, and 19k white gold are apparently going to be hard to come by for my maker, with 19k white gold being almost impossible to get, but I'm listing them here in case any of you think they are clearly better; she may still be able to find someone that can get her those materials. Also, she says platinum would cost me an extra $500 which very easily could put me past my budget unless I shrink the diamond to below a 0.5 ct., I think.



In any case, I've heard great things about Platinum and Palladium, as well as 19k white gold. Can any of you draw me up a list of pros and cons of these three and/or the 14k/18k white gold? I really need to decide on this by today, in fact, so any help you guys can offer me would be exceptional!



Thanks a million to anyone that can help - this is obviously super important to me! (And I assure you I have good reason as to why I have to rush this!)

 

[dk168]

White gold, whatever the carat, is a mixture of yellow gold and white metals such as silver or other white metals. Most white gold jewellery are rhodium-plated to give that shiny white metal finish. As with all things plated, over time, the plating will wear off, and one will need to rhodium-dip from time to time.

Un-plated white gold has a dull yellow tint, which some find unattractive, myself included.

Platinum when new can be very shiny, and it is white without the need to be rhodium plated. However, over time, the shin may wear out and the surface develops a satin sheen which is termed "patina".

Unlike gold that can be chipped when being hit very hard, platinum merely displaces, and the patina can be buffed out and turned shiny again and again.

I have limited knowledge of palladium and jewellery made out of palladium except to know it is a cheaper alternative to platinum.

Given the choice, I would always opt for platinum for rings for its durability and minimal maintenance, unless they are for occasional wear only.

For WG, the lowest carat available in the UK is 9K for lower end jewellery. Nicer jewellery will be made in 18K WG.

10K and 14K are not common in the UK unless the jewellery pieces are imported from abroad such as US (especially for 10K) and the Far East.

I have heard that 14K WG is the most durable, however, I do not know if that is true or not.

I have not heard of 19K WG before.

I have a mixture of 9K to 18K WG pieces. Once WG is rhodium plated, it is not possible to tell their gold content without checking the hallmark.

To throw another metal into the pot, I am considering having some inexpensive tension set CS rings made out of cobalt chrome from Boone Rings. It is shiny and while like platinum, and less prone to scratching, being a harder metal, and is a lot cheaper! However, they are not suitable for very intricate settings due to its hardness and being less malleable than platinum and gold.

I am sure the others will come and add their opinions and advices, and to correct me if I am wrong.

Good luck with your purchase.

DK

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Palladium is in the same chemical family as platinum and has many of the same characteristics.

14k, 18k and 19k white gold are going to need rhodium plating to look white. Otherwise, they will be a cream sort of colour (the higher the gold content, the warmer the colour). They also contain nickel, which can cause skin issues (Europe uses palladium white gold, which looks greyish). The exception is, I hear, Stuller's proprietary X1 alloy, which doesn't require plating. However, I have not seen it yet or worked with it, so I can't give you a personal opinion. Palladium (usually alloyed as 950 palladium, 50 ruthenium, similar to platinum alloys) is naturally white but with a touch of grey (like platinum).

Any metal will develop a patina in time and lose the polished finish. Touching up on polish is pretty routine stuff. The difference is that platinum doesn't lose much metal during polishing, while gold and silver lose more. But platinum will develop a patina faster than gold. Palladium usually holds a finish best but there aren't many old palladium rings around yet. Palladium also tends to not lose metal, like platinum.

Platinum is, by far, the heaviest of the three metals while 14k gold and palladium have a similar weight. Some people like rings with some heft, others prefer lighter jewelry. This is a personal choice.

Both platinum and palladium are great for prongs. They don't "spring back" so the stone can be held more securely and they also last longer.

Oh, my. This is a long and rather confusing post. I just noted down thoughts as they occurred to me. I hope this helps!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

My preference is platinum, and if you go with platinum, choose 95%plat/5%ruthenium or 90%plat/10%iridium. Both of those are harder and more durable that the 95plat/5iridium which will scratch more easily and develop that gray patina much sooner.

 

[yssie]

I very quickly need to decide on the best type of silver-y/white color for the engagement ring I am trying to make (I need it by January 10th and I'm having it custom made), so I thought I'd write a post here to see if anyone can advise me in what direction to go for the white gold! Fair warning, I am a total noob when it comes to all of this stuff. The options are a bit overwhelming to look into thoroughly, but I understand there is a wide range of options here.



I know my girlfriend, and she will probably never want to do anything with our ring, or change it later on, etc., so I'm looking for something that still has a very brilliant(?) sort of white-silver color to it (the more white, the better), but will also certainly last for decades without any need for maintenance.



So I'm fairly sure Rhodium is out, and I am left with these 5 options:



14k White Gold

18k White Gold

19k White Gold

Palladium

Platinum



Platinum, Palladium, and 19k white gold are apparently going to be hard to come by for my maker, with 19k white gold being almost impossible to get, but I'm listing them here in case any of you think they are clearly better; she may still be able to find someone that can get her those materials. Also, she says platinum would cost me an extra $500 which very easily could put me past my budget unless I shrink the diamond to below a 0.5 ct., I think.



In any case, I've heard great things about Platinum and Palladium, as well as 19k white gold. Can any of you draw me up a list of pros and cons of these three and/or the 14k/18k white gold? I really need to decide on this by today, in fact, so any help you guys can offer me would be exceptional!



Thanks a million to anyone that can help - this is obviously super important to me! (And I assure you I have good reason as to why I have to rush this!)

Whichever is least expensive.
All metals have pros and cons, and in this sort of situation where a small margin can make a big difference to budget allocation, I would not advise choosing a pricier metal and sacrificing on stone size to <0.5ct if you live in the US. In other parts of the world society places much, much less value on size, which IMO changes the equation.

 

[chrono]

Since budget is a concern, I would stick with palladium white gold alloy, either in 14K or 18K, especially if your jeweller has difficulty in sourcing other white metals.
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/engagement-rings/platinum-vs-white-gold
https://www.pricescope.com/journal/overview_common_alloys_used_jewelry