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Using 19k white gold for engagement ring and platinum for wedding band?

L

lostinblue

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
36
Hi folks, just wanted some informed opinions on whether it’s ok to have 19k white gold for the engagement ring setting and platinum for the wedding band - or would it be best to also do the wedding band in 19k to match?
 
Depends on how the bands and metals look together. If you like it, that's all that matters!
 
The subtle color difference would drive me absolutely bonkers. If the goal is to match - I would stick to standard alloys and get the same metals, unless I was intentionally mixing for a two toned, or even three toned look.

I would potentially steer clear of a 19k alloy if I wanted a matching set, like extra bands, earrings, etc...because it isn’t a terribly common alloy, and I’d feel pressured to reuse the same vendor to reduce the headache...matching colors is extremely important to me as I’m very sensitive to color - but that’s just me!
 
There's also the issue of wear. I had an old watch chain that belonged to a great uncle. It had platinum links alternating with gold links. The platinum wore through the gold and it broke in several places.
 
They will be different colours and the Platinum, over time, will wear the gold (as it’s softer).
best to match the alloys, either both platinum or both gold.
 
annagene12 said:
The subtle color difference would drive me absolutely bonkers. If the goal is to match - I would stick to standard alloys and get the same metals, unless I was intentionally mixing for a two toned, or even three toned look.

I would potentially steer clear of a 19k alloy if I wanted a matching set, like extra bands, earrings, etc...because it isn’t a terribly common alloy, and I’d feel pressured to reuse the same vendor to reduce the headache...matching colors is extremely important to me as I’m very sensitive to color - but that’s just me!
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Think @lostinblue is in Canada -- where 19K, not 18K, is the norm for for the next jump up from 14K white gold..

@lostinblue, will the shank of the e-ring and/or the wedding band be plain -- or are you thinking that one or the other or both will have diamond pavé?
 
MollyMalone said:
Think @lostinblue is in Canada -- where 19K, not 18K, is the norm for for the next jump up from 14K white gold..

@lostinblue, will the shank of the e-ring and/or the wedding band be plain -- or are you thinking that one or the other or both will have diamond pavé?
Click to expand...

Ahh fair enough! The only time I’ve seen it - it was a Canadian vendor!
 
I feel like an idiot not understanding what 19k was.
Thanks for explaining
 
19k is not standard in Canada. I had assumed a typo?

As for mixing metals, may I ask what the goal is? Why not all platinum?
 
Skyjems said:
19k is not standard in Canada. I had assumed a typo? * * *
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MJ_Mac said:
19k is definitely not standard in Canada as @Skyjems mentioned. I have only seen a couple of small vendors use 19k. Most gold jewellery is 10k, 14k or 18k.
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Thanks for setting me straight. My time here on PS -- where we've received more than a scant few inquiries re 19K white gold, almost always from Canadians or because until a couple of years ago, Scott Kay here in the US used 19K rather than 18K for engagement-wedding rings -- had given me a skewed perspective.
 
lostinblue said:
Hi folks, just wanted some informed opinions on whether it’s ok to have 19k white gold for the engagement ring setting and platinum for the wedding band - or would it be best to also do the wedding band in 19k to match?
Click to expand...

Many people gave opinions, but you never explained why you wanted to use the 19K white gold. What are your goals?
 
MollyMalone said:
Think @lostinblue is in Canada -- where 19K, not 18K, is the norm for for the next jump up from 14K white gold..

@lostinblue, will the shank of the e-ring and/or the wedding band be plain -- or are you thinking that one or the other or both will have diamond pavé?
Click to expand...

Hi, you’re right! I am in Canada. We have 18k here too, but for some reason custom jewelers here really push the 19k.. 2 of the 3 custom jewellers we talked to suggested 19k. I hear it’s a Western Canada thing? My engagement ring is already done and it’s plain band, but my wedding band will be pave.
 
AGBF said:
Many people gave opinions, but you never explained why you wanted to use the 19K white gold. What are your goals?
Click to expand...

No goals. We went to a custom jeweller who suggested 19k, and we decided to use white gold because he said it’d stay white longer and won’t need rhodium plating.. but there’s a lot of nickel in the alloy which I didn’t really realize until it was done. The best prices for diamond pave bands in my area is Costco, and everything they have online is platinum, so I was wondering if it’s possible. I think going back to the issue with the metals grinding each other.. that’s the thing that I can’t have and so I’ll have to do the band in white gold again. But I will try to get a nickel free alloy this time around.
 
MJ_Mac said:
19k is definitely not standard in Canada as @Skyjems mentioned. I have only seen a couple of small vendors use 19k. Most gold jewellery is 10k, 14k or 18k.
Click to expand...

Is 19k bad?
 
Skyjems said:
19k is not standard in Canada. I had assumed a typo?

As for mixing metals, may I ask what the goal is? Why not all platinum?
Click to expand...

We’ve already done the engagement ring in 19k, but wanted to get platinum diamond pave rings from Costco (they don’t have white gold available).
 
MollyMalone said:
Thanks for setting me straight. My time here on PS -- where we've received more than a scant few inquiries re 19K white gold, almost always from Canadians or because until a couple of years ago, Scott Kay here in the US used 19K rather than 18K for engagement-wedding rings -- had given me a skewed perspective.
Click to expand...

My experience certainly makes it feel it’s quite popular in my neck of the woods in Canada, so it was a reasonable assumption to make. 18k is also very widely available here though, as is platinum.
 
Thank you so far for all your input! Another question just to understand my options - understood platinum and white gold can’t be used together - but what about different karat white gold? I am also eyeing a 14k diamond pave. I guess the issue would be different colors? I’m thinking the metal on the pave wouldn’t be very visible though, since the diamonds cover most of the metal.
 
@lostinblue,

You can do whatever you want and there are people who have done every combination you have mentioned and many more, including using two precious metals in an engagement ring. In my opinion, 19K karat gold is preferable to 18K gold simply because it has more gold in it and I love gold. I have gone from wearing what was the traditional pale yellow 14K gold worn in the United States when I was young to wearing brash, very dark yellow high karat gold that looks like wild jewelry.

If you want a perfectly matching wedding set, go back to 19K white gold. I would also have the same jeweler make the ring or obtain it from the place he got the first ring. If you prefer another ring for any reason (price, its look), then buy that one.19K gold is relatively soft. I do not know if rubbing against platinum for years would eventually wear it down a bit. The rule of thumb for gold is the higher the karat, the softer the gold. 24K gold, which I wear a lot, is the most vulnerable to dings and bending. I don't mind, however.

Please let us know what you choose to do.

Deb/AGBF :wavey:
 
lostinblue said:
Is 19k bad?
Click to expand...

I don't think it's bad, it's just not that common. And by the way, I'm in western Canada too. I think it's depends on the bench that makes the jewellery. Not all small jewellers have their own bench. I wore an 18k yellow gold band with 14k engagement ring for a number of years. The colour difference was almost indistinguishable. There is probably more of a difference with white gold because of the different alloys used. I personally wear very little white gold as I have a nickel allergy so I have to be very cautious. I had a 18k palladium white gold ring custom made a few years ago and I didn't like it. It was too grey. I ended up having it rhodium plated. I will wear white gold if I know it was manufactured in Europe as they are strict regarding nickel content in their gold.

Edited to add - you can mix it up. Most people, besides you, will never notice the slight variation in colour.
 
lostinblue said:
Thank you so far for all your input! Another question just to understand my options - understood platinum and white gold can’t be used together - but what about different karat white gold? I am also eyeing a 14k diamond pave. I guess the issue would be different colors? I’m thinking the metal on the pave wouldn’t be very visible though, since the diamonds cover most of the metal.
Click to expand...
Is your enagagement ring rhodium-plated; if so -- and if you'd be having the pave wedding band rhodium-plated, there won't be any visual difference... at least, so long as the rhodium plating on the 2 rings wears the same.

Even if the e-ring and pave band are not rhodium-plated, your thought that it won't matter much, if at all, that the pave band is 14K, rather than 19K, may very well prove true. I'd like to think that whomever you're thinking of as a possible source for the 14K pave band would show you some samples for a real life comparison with your e-ring -- or if an online vendor, has a "no questions asked" return-full refund policy for non-custom orders, so you could make an in-person comparison for yourself to see if you perceive a bothersome difference.
 
lostinblue said:
Thank you so far for all your input! Another question just to understand my options - understood platinum and white gold can’t be used together - but what about different karat white gold? I am also eyeing a 14k diamond pave. I guess the issue would be different colors? I’m thinking the metal on the pave wouldn’t be very visible though, since the diamonds cover most of the metal.
Click to expand...

I thought up to a 4 carat difference is ok - after than the high carat ring will get scratched
Apologies if this has already been said
 
MollyMalone said:
For those who didn't previously see this recent post, take a look at the very "white" 19K gold that Mark Morell -- who refuses to rhodium-plate any of his fabrications -- showed in the pic comparing that particular 19K alloy with the platinum alloy he uses :sun:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/white-gold-alloys-and-rhodium.255795/#post-4710068
Click to expand...

Thanks @MollyMalone - I’ll have a look. I missed that thread/post. I am always curious about all the different alloys now beIng used.
 
lostinblue said:
Hi, you’re right! I am in Canada. We have 18k here too, but for some reason custom jewelers here really push the 19k.. 2 of the 3 custom jewellers we talked to suggested 19k. I hear it’s a Western Canada thing? My engagement ring is already done and it’s plain band, but my wedding band will be pave.
Click to expand...

I've had custom work in 19K but I wouldn't say it is standard in Canada.
 
MollyMalone said:
For those who didn't previously see this recent post, take a look at the very "white" 19K gold that Mark Morell -- who refuses to rhodium-plate any of his fabrications -- showed in the pic comparing that particular 19K alloy with the platinum alloy he uses :sun:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/white-gold-alloys-and-rhodium.255795/#post-4710068
Click to expand...

I had never seen that page, Molly, and I love threads about gold. Thank you so much for posting this here and bringing it to our attention. It makes me sorry that I do not spend time on Rocky Talky anymore. I do not miss most of the diamond discussions, but I hate to miss out on discussions like this one. I have to mark this. I used to keep a list of Pricescope threads on gold and gold alloys, but I got tired of transferring it from place to place. Now I miss it!!
 
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