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What metal to choose for setting?

Begonia

Ideal_Rock
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Hi all:

I've picked out my EC ya hoo! I know what kind of setting I want yee ha! What I need to settle on is what kind of metal. I'm going for a full bezel with wide shank, so platinum is sooooo far out of the ball park for me. :roll:

Unless my gal Sarah tells me differently tomorrow, I expect my choices are 18 kt WG or YG. I was hoping for palladium, but sounds like it may not be possible (she'll let me know tomorrow though). I know you all have talked me through this before, but dang I just don't like the idea of WG and having to replate with rhodium as the need arises. I dislike the idea so much that I may consider yellow gold. Maybe there are some other options I'm not aware of (plat, palladium, WG, YG, or silver - not really an option though). How does YG wear as opposed to plated WG? Remember this is a full bezel...

I'm needing a bit of counsel on this one I'm afraid. :?:
 

slg47

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what about unplated WG? yssie has a ring in unplated WG and it is gorgeous :) not quite as white white as the plated but never needs plating.

what metal do you usually wear? what do you think best complements your skin tone? I think both WG and YG are pretty (and rose gold :love: :love: ) but it is really about what you like best with your skin tone/other jewelry pieces.
 

Begonia

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Unplated WG you say? Didn't know such a beast existed. How would I go about finding a picture of such a ring? =)

I look good in both yellow and white. I've not tried rose gold before and am a bit nervous about that - I hear there can be allergen problems? I do like rose gold and agree it is just lovely, but don't think it would flatter me much. I believe that the setting I have chosen is likely a stock ring, and (will know tomorrow for sure) think platinum, WG and YG are my options...my setting in platinum would be around $3000.00. Good Lord. Has platinum always been thist freakin' expensive?
 

stone-cold11

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Yssie's ring is unplated WG.

Pt is not that expensive with the price of gold as it is now. Just that it is denser and metals are sold by weight and that it is slightly more difficult to work with.
 

Haven

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Unplated white gold sounds like a great option for you. My husband's wedding band is unplated WG and I love the way it looks.
Here's Yssie's SMTB thread:
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...hree-stone-in-unplated-wg.144010/?hilit=yssie

I don't know if you like it, but I just had a ring made in rose gold and I'm just in love with it. I was really nervous about whether I'd like it, as my original engagement ring was platinum, and I have to say I prefer the rose gold, hands-down. Here's my SMTB thread:
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...y-2-30-ct-omb-antique-cushion-upgrade.158760/
 

HopeDream

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Is palladium white gold an option? I think it's a bit whiter than ordinary white gold.
 

Begonia

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I sure hope so, and I'll find out this am (I'll let you know!). I suspect that 18 kt WG, YG and platinum are my options. Thanks for telling me about, and showing me examples of unplated WG. :) I quite like it. It looks lovely with Yssie's beautiful hands and coloring.

I have a question. If a stock setting is ordered in WG, does it come unplated and then once the stone is set, the rhodium is put on (electroplated I presume)? I imagine so, as the setting process would likely mess with the rhodium...should I also inquire about the alloys to make that particular WG setting, or would that not really matter?
 

yssie

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Oh, just coming to this thread - glad you like :))


Yes, plating is the final step. The plating process doesn't affect the diamonds, so no need to remove stones or plate before setting or anything like that. Depending on your skin chemistry, habits, and preferences you can inquire into alloys other than nickel-wg (I believe this is still the standard in the US, my ring is alloyed w/ Ni and it definitely has a visibly creamy cast IRL).. some people's skin wears plating more quickly than others', if you wear your ring whilst working with your hands you're going to notice more wear. If you want the *white* colour and find you don't like the platinum patina but you don't want to commit to the upkeep of re-plating definitely look into pd-wg, as HopeDream said - it might be pricier up-front but it's worth it IMO if it's a good fit for what you're looking for.


From my own experience - I will say that if you're planning to have a wedding band made and you're picky about metal colours matching, seriously consider having the vendor make both rings at the same time - it can be a *real* PITA to find a matching wb after the fact, esp. if you choose a custom alloy!
 

D&T

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hmm, is your preference for white metal only? I like white metal around diamonds, but I'm a yellow girl personally. Do you like two tones?

My Asscher is getting a semi bezel make over, in white gold head (I doubt I'll be plating the head at all) but i"m not worried that it will turn slightly yellow, just that I wanted my asscher not to take on the Shank color since its yellow, plus not having to worry about the shank itself, is ideal.
 

Begonia

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Thanks for the additional information about how WG and rhodium is handled :) everyone. I really appreciate your time!

My options (that are in my budget) are white gold and yellow gold (also platinum - not in the budget). This is ok, I can choose among those two. Would sure like to have the pd-wg option, but this will be alright too.

Two tone is nice, but not available...thank you D&T

The thought of an yellow gold ring with white diamond is okay for me. I am intrigued by this idea of white gold without plating. Wish I could see it in person. Are all white golds (unplated) going to look pretty similar to each other? I sure like yours Yssie, and yellow gold is very warm on me, although I think I am a medium toned person. White gold might be just that little bit cooler in color...I'll look at the pics again! :D
 

yssie

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Begonia|1303418979|2902128 said:
Thanks for the additional information about how WG and rhodium is handled :) everyone. I really appreciate your time!

My options (that are in my budget) are white gold and yellow gold (also platinum - not in the budget). This is ok, I can choose among those two. Would sure like to have the pd-wg option, but this will be alright too.

Two tone is nice, but not available...thank you D&T

The thought of an yellow gold ring with white diamond is okay for me. I am intrigued by this idea of white gold without plating. Wish I could see it in person. Are all white golds (unplated) going to look pretty similar to each other? I sure like yours Yssie, and yellow gold is very warm on me, although I think I am a medium toned person. White gold might be just that little bit cooler in color...I'll look at the pics again! :D


No! And I didn't expect it, and I have *finally* found a band I'm happy with - a custom job from eweddingbands - I spoke from experience on that one ;)) I thought all 18k Ni-alloy unplated rings would look - well, pretty much the same. Or at least similar enough that I wouldn't see the differences w/o unreasonable scrutiny - that turned out not to be the case, though. So my ring is whatever specific alloy WF uses on their custom jobs - might not be what WF's stock pieces are made of, might not be what BGD or GOG use...

For better pics of the colour try pgs 9, 1, 6 of that SMTB thread, in that order - no need to go through the whole thing. You'll see the colour difference between two 18k Ni-alloy bands from two different vendors pretty clearly on p9, and there's a pic at the bottom of p1 that shows the colour I see compared to other metals IRL very accurately.

I too found 18k yg to be just a bit too warm on my finger - I felt like the ring just got lost in all the brown! But I didn't like the bright, icy white of platinum against my finger either - so, compromise.

ETA: whatever alloy you go with, if you choose gold, they can plate or strip the plating after the ring is made without damaging the ring itself, so you're not boxing yourself into one specific colour, might make you feel better about this whole thing ::)
 

Begonia

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Ooooooohhhh okay, good to know. You see the stock ring that I like I believe will be ordered by GoG, and then the stone set in by them. I asked GoG about unplated WG, but they may not be able to answer that question right away, if at all, if they cannot access what the alloy is.

So there is a risk with going this route that the alloy of WG I may have with this setting may not be very pleasing, or is it that they are just different from each other, depending on who you order from? I will not be ordering a wedding band, as the shank on the setting is quite wide. I'm beginning to wonder if I should go in favor of the YG. I will see what Sarah writes back however. Darnskees. I had talked myself into the WG unplated, as I notice that my skin has taken on some faint yellow undertones now that I'm in my 40's. I am so glad I asked!
 

yssie

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Begonia|1303424441|2902201 said:
Ooooooohhhh okay, good to know. You see the stock ring that I like I believe will be ordered by GoG, and then the stone set in by them. I asked GoG about unplated WG, but they may not be able to answer that question right away, if at all, if they cannot access what the alloy is.

So there is a risk with going this route that the alloy of WG I may have with this setting may not be very pleasing, or is it that they are just different from each other, depending on who you order from? I will not be ordering a wedding band, as the shank on the setting is quite wide. I'm beginning to wonder if I should go in favor of the YG. I will see what Sarah writes back however. Darnskees. I had talked myself into the WG unplated, as I notice that my skin has taken on some faint yellow undertones now that I'm in my 40's. I am so glad I asked!


Depending on what alloy it actually is, the tints can be pretty different, if you're looking. I think if you had all your options lined up in a row you'd find that you preferred some over the others, but I'm not sure that you'd find any of them flat-out ugly unless you *seriously* object to either white or yellow - any alloy of the two is going to be somewhere in-between, afterall! I'd definitely ask what alloy - that's a start, you know if it's palladium-wg it's going to be pretty white, if it's nickel it's going to be pretty creamy. If they can send you a sample band to look at in-person that's even better...

Good luck! I confess, I'm kinda hoping you fall hard and fast for the unplated colour like I did ;)) But I think no matter what you choose, it'll be lovely!

Some threads you might find interesting -
https://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/news/an-overview-of-common-alloys.htm

Leanne's rings -that inspired my own choice. Green Lake confirmed 18k Ni when I called, but they didn't have the specific composition info on-hand. Bezel w/ wide band, too! [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/green-lake-jewelers-nerd-ring-wedding-band.130950/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/green-lake-jewelers-nerd-ring-wedding-band.130950/[/URL]
file.jpg


From the helpful threads archive
White%20Gold%20Comparisons.jpg
 

Begonia

Ideal_Rock
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I think the unplated WG in your rings is absolutely lovely. I'll ask my girl Sarah if she can access the info for me. I'm thinking I'm going to go for this, unless I don't care for what they have to say. As you say Yssie, there will be variability, but nothing flat out ugly :lol:

Thanks for all of the advice and photos. You have been incredibly helpful! :bigsmile:
 

yssie

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Oh, you're very welcome :bigsmile: :naughty: Looking forward to the update!
 

iota15

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I don't know if I should add this unnecessarily to the mix - but in Canada, it's popular to use 19K white gold. I believe they mix palladium in it, and it never needs to be replated. It's not popular in the US but all the jewelers in the two cities I travel to a lot swear by it. They also swear they never dip or need to redip 19K white gold.
 

Begonia

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Nothing is unnecessary for this chickie. :)

While I am Canadian, the stone and setting are coming from the US. I had thought about having the stone sent up and set locally, but I thought I would try GoG. Their work looks nice and is going to be as fast or faster than local. For now I'm not doing a custom design, but what I believe is called a stock setting?

You know when I start to ask local jewellers about alloys, they get twitchy. Claim that they themselves are not privy to the alloy information as 'trade secrets'. I had a ring reset with palladium and they couldn't (wouldn't?) give me that information.

Thank you for the added info! :)
 

diamondseeker2006

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I absolutely love Yssie's unplated white gold! I just don't love rhodium plating and think the color of unplated wg is so appealing! I am wearing a diamond band now that is unplated wg because the rhodium wore off and I decided not to replate it in honor of Yssie! :bigsmile:

If you do go with yellow gold, though, I would suggest white metal prongs or you'll have yellow prong reflection in your diamond.
 

Begonia

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Ahhhh I see. Thank you Diamondseeker. :wavey:

The setting I may go for is a full bezel. I believe that the metal choice is for the whole ring, without the option of white metal bezel. The metal does reflect into the diamond then? Quite a lot? I have an H stone if that helps for info...

Looks like I'm not the only one who is unwilling to do this replate thing!
 

Begonia

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I've been reading one of the links about what white gold is commonly alloyed with. The part that some white gold uses nickel concerns me. Is there an easy way to find out if I might have a nickel allergy before I order my setting? I've not had sensitivities to any jewellery since I was a child. Got my ears pierced at 6 and used to wear cheap costume earrings. That caused a few problems, but nothing since. Would I likely have run into nickel at some point since then? :confused:
 

yssie

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Hmm.. probably? Actually that's a big issue - you really don't want to find out about an allergy after the fact.

Best thing to do is to have a patch test done, if that's possible?

I personally was too lazy for that and since I don't have any allergies that I know about, I went the easy route and ordered a Ni-alloy plain band unplated from a vendor w/ a good return policy and wore that around for a couple of weeks, w/ the agreement that I could return if I needed to. Nothing bad happened or seemed about to happen, so I went with it..! If you're feeling adventurous you might talk to your vendor or a local jeweller about buying a cheapie stock band that you can perhaps keep around as a wband or spacer for later..
 

Begonia

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Thanks for your advice Yssie. I"ve thought about it, and I think I am going to go for the white gold unplated and see what happens. I've not experienced any problems in a lot of years, and have white gold earrings. No problems. If all else fails I'll have it reset locally. Bit of a risk, but I'm feeling very hopeful (and excited about seeing this white gold!). =)
 

yssie

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Good luck!


Can't wait for your SMTB thread ::)
 
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