Will I be allergic to my ring?!

[jfenn001]

My fiance and I are engagement ring shopping and we found the ring I want except only the WG version is in our budget...the platinum is twice as much. The concern I have is that I think i'm allergic to nickel so i'm scared to buy WG and then have a reaction. The reason I originally though I was allergic is because I have problems sometimes wearing earings, my ears get red and itchy. First I thought it was just cheap earings, but then I got some silver ones from a jeweler and I cant even wear those for more than a couple hours. So I did some research and read that if you tape a nickel coin (25% nickel) to your arm for 48 hrs you'll know. I did this with 2 friends and they had no reaction, just took the nickel off there was smooth skin. I however started itching after the first 24 hrs and when I took mine off it was red, puffy and itchy in a nickel sized circle I am interpreting this as an allergy. Also i've been wearing a very thin 10k yellow gold band for the last couple days with no reaction, but I donno if yellow gold has nickel.

So do I get the WG version thats in my budget and hope its ok, double my budget and get platinum, or find a cheaper ring?

Please help me decide what to do!!

 

[lovebug1031]

you might ask what alloys that jeweler uses to make the rings - nickel is something many people are allergic to, so jewelers can use different alloys that are nickel free! just ask them

 

[makhro82]

I'm allergic to nickel and husband had to pay extra for platinum. At the time I didn't realize you could check into nickel free mixes of white gold. Another option for you may be palladium.

 

[msop04]

I can't remember the bench that uses it, but there is a WG alloy that uses palladium instead of nickel... Ritani, maybe? But, you could request this.

 

[jfenn001]

I asked the jeweler and she told me most WG doesnt include nickel anymore since people are allergic, except I dont believe that considering everything I've read on the internet. I was told I could get an 18k WG/Palladium mix, which for some reason is more expensive the full palladium...makes zero sense. The full Palladium is $1K less than platinum, $800 more than the WG, but i've read really mixed messages on palladium. At first it sounds good as long as I didnt need it repaired/resized, which can be hard, but then I talked to a jewel and they went on and on about how palladium can get an air bubbly/chipped texture called porosity and then it looks like shit. I also heard that it can look much darker than platinum if its not made right which scared me away.

Does platinum usually cost twice as much or do you think i can talk them down? The ring in WG is $2,000 and they're saying $3,800 for platinum ($2,800 for palladium)

 

[yssie]

I asked the jeweler and she told me most WG doesnt include nickel anymore since people are allergic, except I dont believe that considering everything I've read on the internet. I was told I could get an 18k WG/Palladium mix, which for some reason is more expensive the full palladium...makes zero sense. The full Palladium is $1K less than platinum, $800 more than the WG, but i've read really mixed messages on palladium. At first it sounds good as long as I didnt need it repaired/resized, which can be hard, but then I talked to a jewel and they went on and on about how palladium can get an air bubbly/chipped texture called porosity and then it looks like shit. I also heard that it can look much darker than platinum if its not made right which scared me away.

Does platinum usually cost twice as much or do you think i can talk them down? The ring in WG is $2,000 and they're saying $3,800 for platinum ($2,800 for palladium)

It's not going to "get it" over time - a bad cast will have it from day one, a good cast won't. And a bad cast is the jeweller's jurisdiction of responsibility, not yours.

My DH has a palladium band - he didn't want the weight of platinum but wanted an icy white metal that didn't need plating, and there was nothing to be saved by having it made in a specialty WG alloy... BUT his ring is a plain band, and at 2000+ I'm guessing your setting is quite a bit more involved than that! Is it a designer setting or one an in-house stock piece, or would it be custom made for you?

 

[pyramid]

In the UK and I think maybe also Europe as a whole, Nickel is banned in jewellery due to people having
allergic reaction. If you have any reaction I would not buy it.

 

[ChristineRose]

I asked the jeweler and she told me most WG doesnt include nickel anymore since people are allergic, except I dont believe that considering everything I've read on the internet. I was told I could get an 18k WG/Palladium mix, which for some reason is more expensive the full palladium...makes zero sense. The full Palladium is $1K less than platinum, $800 more than the WG, but i've read really mixed messages on palladium. At first it sounds good as long as I didnt need it repaired/resized, which can be hard, but then I talked to a jewel and they went on and on about how palladium can get an air bubbly/chipped texture called porosity and then it looks like shit. I also heard that it can look much darker than platinum if its not made right which scared me away.

Does platinum usually cost twice as much or do you think i can talk them down? The ring in WG is $2,000 and they're saying $3,800 for platinum ($2,800 for palladium)

She's lying. Either that or she doesn't know her business. As said, nickel is banned in Europe. Some brands are nickel-free but I wouldn't trust her to tell me which ones.

You do NOT want to push this. Do NOT try it out, do NOT coat it with clear nail polish, do NOT think you can get it rhodium-plated. If your allergy is as bad as it sounds pushing it can cause you serious, serious harm. You will grow to hate your ring.

I would never tell anyone to push their budget, and normally I wouldn't tell anyone to give up their dream ring either, but unless you can get really hard proof that it's nickel-free, white gold is not your dream.

 

[jfenn001]

Ya I honestly dont trust anything she says and I dont like her very much When I asked her where the ring came from she said it was a 'private designer' and couldnt tell me anything alse, but i found a ring online which I'm 90% sure is the same...the prices even match up. The website I found is the place I called and who told me to stay away from Palladium. They said they see rings all the time with the bubbly/chipped look, which DOES NOT make me want to buy palladium from them.
Here is the ring - http://www.timelessdesigns.com/content/r1552rd10

I actually took pictures and had the ring made with a slightly larger diamond, except I dont like how it came out...I'm starting to sound like a crazy person He had a 100% money back guarantee which is why I tried it, except he made the band way too big even though I asked him to make it smaller. Anyways, now I'm thinking i'll just buy the original from the bitchy lady in platinum and wait to buy the diamond until I can afford one (CZ looks pretty good for about a yr i think).

Another question - The guy that made me the ring said to make it in WG even though I was allergic to earrings b/c he said ears were more sensitive and I might not have a reaction on my finger. He then said if I do, that he could add a band of platinum to the inside for about $200 so no WG would touch my finger. So I was sold...until the ring came out bad and now i'm second guessing. I called other jewelers and non of them said that was an option, they said i had to get a whole new ring.

 

[ChristineRose]

Ya I honestly dont trust anything she says and I dont like her very much When I asked her where the ring came from she said it was a 'private designer' and couldnt tell me anything alse, but i found a ring online which I'm 90% sure is the same...the prices even match up. The website I found is the place I called and who told me to stay away from Palladium. They said they see rings all the time with the bubbly/chipped look, which DOES NOT make me want to buy palladium from them.
Here is the ring - http://www.timelessdesigns.com/content/r1552rd10

I actually took pictures and had the ring made with a slightly larger diamond, except I dont like how it came out...I'm starting to sound like a crazy person He had a 100% money back guarantee which is why I tried it, except he made the band way too big even though I asked him to make it smaller. Anyways, now I'm thinking i'll just buy the original from the bitchy lady in platinum and wait to buy the diamond until I can afford one (CZ looks pretty good for about a yr i think).

Another question - The guy that made me the ring said to make it in WG even though I was allergic to earrings b/c he said ears were more sensitive and I might not have a reaction on my finger. He then said if I do, that he could add a band of platinum to the inside for about $200 so no WG would touch my finger. So I was sold...until the ring came out bad and now i'm second guessing. I called other jewelers and non of them said that was an option, they said i had to get a whole new ring.

Hands are more sensitive than earlobes. There are two possible reasons. One is that your hands just get into more junk on a day to day basis, and the other is that hands have poor circulation generally where your head has the highest circulation of any part of the body. However a doctor once told me the latter wasn't really true, so maybe not.

In any case though you had a reaction on your arm and if you push it by wearing a nickel ring every day, you will get worse. It's just the way these things work. It is only a matter of time before the ring becomes unwearable.

Adding a band of platinum on the inside may or may not be possible but it's a terrible idea because you will still be touching white gold all day. It's not like you never hold your fingers together or touch the tops of your hands. In that case you would be pushing your allergy until you are so sensitive that you can't even tolerate that small amount of contact with nickel and you're unable to carry coins without reacting. You're then at a point where you can really hurt yourself with a major incident.

These guys are trying to sell you something and they are giving you really bad medical advice. They're not unique among jewelers by any means but if this happened to me I'd have a hard time not going ballistic and getting kicked out of the store. They really have no business telling people to take these kind of chances. I always imagine someone all puffy and bloody coming back into the store and asking them to cover the medical bills and lost wages.

Many jewelers refuse to use palladium. You can do some googling and find some discussions in the trade about how to work with it. In any case you should be working with a jeweler who is comfortable with it and can show you samples. I checked out the website you found and did some searching (with Google site search) and nothing on that site addresses the content of their white gold. It is therefore 99% likely that they use nickel.

Although this is kind of heresy for PS, I think the CZ is a good idea. Other options include buying a diamond now and the cheapest possible plain platinum setting and saving up for the band, or putting some other sort of natural stone in the setting. In either case you need to find a jeweler that works with stones besides diamonds, which is a challenge in itself.

 

[Rhea]

Another question - The guy that made me the ring said to make it in WG even though I was allergic to earrings b/c he said ears were more sensitive and I might not have a reaction on my finger. He then said if I do, that he could add a band of platinum to the inside for about $200 so no WG would touch my finger. So I was sold...until the ring came out bad and now i'm second guessing. I called other jewelers and non of them said that was an option, they said i had to get a whole new ring.

I have an intolerance to nickel. I found this out from my earrings, which are 14k white gold. I think it's because the post is through my ear lobes, inside my body that I'm experiencing a reaction. All my jewellery is 14k white gold and so far I haven't had any reaction with my rings.

I think the guy making your ring is wrong though. You experienced a reaction on your arm after a very short time. These are rings that you're hoping to wear daily and have for many years. They aren't out anything if you have a reaction and can't wear your rings in 6 months time, you are. They won't be required to remake them. They lose absolutely nothing by having you get a white gold ring now. If in 6 months time you have a reaction, it's you that either goes ringless or spends more money to get a different metal. I honestly wouldn't consider a thin band of platinum a long term solution.

This isn't the same as your ring, but it's an example what you may be able to buy in platinum elsewhere.
Hexagonal diamond halo with tapered setting, but the hexagon is set on a different axis to your ring. In platinum for $2,700. http://www.gabrielny.com/engaged/style/ER8645PT4JJ

And this in platinum for $2,090 with the 6 sided halo and diamonds on the band http://www.gabrielny.com/engaged/style/ER8860PT4JJ

I also like this one but it's much further from your current ring. http://www.gabrielny.com/engaged/style/ER8569PT4JJ

All 3 are from gabriel NY, and they have a lot around the $2,500-$3,000 in platinum mark. I know it's still more expensive then either 14k or 18k with your current design but might be worth checking out as a good compromise so you neither need to spend above your budget or chance an allergic reaction.

Oh! I just found another, but in palladium in your price range and with the halo set the correct way around! It's from Ritani. In platinum for about $3,860 but palladium for $2,520.

Platinum here http://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/vintage-hexagonal-halo-vaulted-diamond-band-engagement-ring-in-platinum/5010

Palladium here http://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/vintage-hexagonal-halo-vaulted-diamond-band-engagement-ring-in-palladium/4810

 

[yssie]

Ya I honestly dont trust anything she says and I dont like her very much When I asked her where the ring came from she said it was a 'private designer' and couldnt tell me anything alse, but i found a ring online which I'm 90% sure is the same...the prices even match up. The website I found is the place I called and who told me to stay away from Palladium. They said they see rings all the time with the bubbly/chipped look, which DOES NOT make me want to buy palladium from them.
Here is the ring - http://www.timelessdesigns.com/content/r1552rd10

I actually took pictures and had the ring made with a slightly larger diamond, except I dont like how it came out...I'm starting to sound like a crazy person He had a 100% money back guarantee which is why I tried it, except he made the band way too big even though I asked him to make it smaller. Anyways, now I'm thinking i'll just buy the original from the bitchy lady in platinum and wait to buy the diamond until I can afford one (CZ looks pretty good for about a yr i think).

Another question - The guy that made me the ring said to make it in WG even though I was allergic to earrings b/c he said ears were more sensitive and I might not have a reaction on my finger. He then said if I do, that he could add a band of platinum to the inside for about $200 so no WG would touch my finger. So I was sold...until the ring came out bad and now i'm second guessing. I called other jewelers and non of them said that was an option, they said i had to get a whole new ring.

That's just... unbelievable.

 

[rubyshoes]

Hmm. I have an allergy too but not as severe as yours.

I rotate between 1 pair of 14k wg studs and 1 pair of 14k yg studs (I don't know if 14k yg also has nickel) in my cartilage piercings and that area is always itchy and red However, I have worn an 18k white gold ring without any problems. So, either the lower level of nickel works for me (as 18k is purer gold) OR the fact that a ring is worn on the skin as opposed to inserted into a hole like an earring is, makes the difference for me. I don't know which it is...

Honestly I would say for your peace of mind just go with the platinum. I have ACA studs set in platinum and a lot of people think plat for earrings is total overkill but I had no desire to go with 18k wg and THEN discover my main piercings were getting itchy/red/swollen. It will cost you more upfront but if you compromise and get a metal that you are allergic towards, you are not going to enjoy your jewelry and the day will come when you want to reset. And I personally hate re-setting. It is a PITA. If money is absolutely an issue, then go with maybe a vintage or pre-loved platinum setting for your ring - look on LT/DB or any of the vintage-y stores (or try to shop around and cajole a jeweler to give you a good deal on plat) instead of paying top dollar for brand-new but just go with the platinum.

(I feel strongly about this as allergies totally suck and I hate having itchy skin!)

 

[jfenn001]

Thank you everyone for replying, its so nice to have a sounding board since I was waiting to find the ring before telling friends/family about our engagement.

Rhea - Thanks so much for the links, I really dont understand why the setting I want is so expensive. I found it interesting with the last ring you sent in platinum was the same price as mine ($3,800) but the difference in price from 18k WG was $300 cheaper. For someone so cheap I sure have expensive taste

Rhea/Rubyshoes - You both say you have a nickel reaction to earrings, but that your ok with WG rings. Do you wear the rings everyday? Have either of your ever felt like taping a nickel to your arm for 2 days to see what happens I never considered my allergy that bad, I wasn't even positive I had one until the nickel experiment so maybe I would be ok with WG...or maybe I just REALLY wanna be.

I think my BF and I have decided we should just kill our budget and get platinum...although as you can tell I'm still kinda hoping WG will work out. Its just sooo not like us to spend extra, but we've been trying to find a ring for so long and the wait/stress isnt worth the extra money. Hopefully we can talk down the price a little.

I've attached pics from my nickel experiment...is it really that bad? The first pic is right when i took off the nickel, the second is the next day. It stayed like that for about a week

 

[Rhea]

What about ordering the Ritani in to a local store and trying it? The website said they could do that. Then you'd have a palladium ring so no allergic reaction, from a well-known and respected maker with a lifetime warranty at the same price as 18k in your current 1st choice setting. If it doesn't work out, back to the one you love in platinum!

I wore white gold and silver earrings for years and years with no problem. Last summer I had a pair custom made in 14k white gold in the US because it was less expensive than having it done in Europe where I live. Within a few months I was having an allergic reaction. My husband had really wanted me to get them made either nickel free in the US or just have them back in England where use of nickel in white gold is not permitted. I wanted to save money and thought the itchy ears with silver was a fluke from cheap earrings. I do regret it now and will end up resetting them within the next couple of years.

I wear my rings off and on, not daily. My engagement ring is 1950s or 60s and I don't know it's alloys. Another ring I wear is 14k from the 1920s and was reshanked a few years ago so it probably has nickel - it was done by the same people who did my earrings. So far no reaction to either of the rings.

I'd happily tape a nickel to my arm, but it's banned over here and I have no US money. I'll dig around for some and report back if I can find one and test it out. I'm very curious.

 

[yssie]

Thank you everyone for replying, its so nice to have a sounding board since I was waiting to find the ring before telling friends/family about our engagement.

Rhea - Thanks so much for the links, I really dont understand why the setting I want is so expensive. I found it interesting with the last ring you sent in platinum was the same price as mine ($3,800) but the difference in price from 18k WG was $300 cheaper. For someone so cheap I sure have expensive taste

Rhea/Rubyshoes - You both say you have a nickel reaction to earrings, but that your ok with WG rings. Do you wear the rings everyday? Have either of your ever felt like taping a nickel to your arm for 2 days to see what happens I never considered my allergy that bad, I wasn't even positive I had one until the nickel experiment so maybe I would be ok with WG...or maybe I just REALLY wanna be.

I think my BF and I have decided we should just kill our budget and get platinum...although as you can tell I'm still kinda hoping WG will work out. Its just sooo not like us to spend extra, but we've been trying to find a ring for so long and the wait/stress isnt worth the extra money. Hopefully we can talk down the price a little.

I've attached pics from my nickel experiment...is it really that bad? The first pic is right when i took off the nickel, the second is the next day. It stayed like that for about a week

I don't understand why you're still hoping their stock WG will work out - why would you want to spend so much on an everyday ring that you KNOW will make your skin itchy, red, and uncomfortable? That looks miserable

Saving for plat, choosing palladium or a specialty Ni-free WG, or choosing a different less-pricey design alternative all sounds like far, far more appealing options to me!

 

[jfenn001]

Hahah I'll mail you a nickel

I have a 10k yellow gold ring, vintage and very thin, that I wore around for a couple days to see if I reacted but I didnt. However I've read mixed things about whether YG has nickel or not...I feel like if it does it couldnt be as much as WG since its retained they yellow color.

I love the idea of the checking out the Ritani ring in person, however my heart is a little set already. I feel like if I cant afford my hexagon ring I should just start over and try and find something I like in person and can just buy on the stop...or a vintage ring which is even harder to find.

I know this is suppose to be a "symbol of our love" and a positive experience, but it's kinda turning into a nightmare I just want the ring so I can start planning! Our wedding date is less that a year away...not that anyone knows it haha

 

[jfenn001]

Yssie - deep down I know your right, I need to let go, but i'm cheap to a fault...I blame my accountant mother I wish I could just wear around a WG ring, have a reaction, and then know its not an option. As it is now I just keep having that voice say "but what if you dont have a reaction and you spend $2K extra for platinum".

 

[JulieN]

1Eh? From what you've posted you definitely do have a reaction and nickel is not an option!

 

[distracts]

If you are allergic to nickel, there are a few things you can do:

1. Get a platinum ring.
2. Get a yellow or rose gold ring.
3. Get a ring made by Ritani, who does not use nickel in their white gold.
4. Get a Stuller stock setting in Stuller X1 which is their proprietary nickel-free white gold (very white, does not require replating. I have some awesome earrings in this alloy). You are limited to more basic settings in most cases but there are some lovely solitaires that come in X1.
5. Find a jeweler you 100% trust to work in palladium or nickel-free white gold. Preferably a jeweler who does so regularly. There are many online jewelers who offer stock settings in these metals.

Under no circumstances should you go with nickel-containing white gold and count on the jeweler possibly half-assing a fix (that you will surely have to pay for) later.

I am allergic to nickel and the only nickel-containing jewelry I will wear is pendants that are worn over my shirts. I would never wear a nickel-containing white gold ring - not worth the risk! You say what if you pay 2k more for platinum - but what if you pay the 2k for the white gold, are allergic, and then have to eat that cost to buy a new ring for twice the price in platinum anyway!? That would be crazier than just starting with platinum.

 

[jfenn001]

Distracts - You make a very good point, if I cant wear it at some point then I've lost $2K anyways.

I wish trusted my jewelers but I totally dont. I did trust the guy who made me the ring, but now I feel a bit duped by him...why is it so hard to find someone to trust and work with me

 

[trhs12]

Yssie - deep down I know your right, I need to let go, but i'm cheap to a fault...I blame my accountant mother I wish I could just wear around a WG ring, have a reaction, and then know its not an option. As it is now I just keep having that voice say "but what if you dont have a reaction and you spend $2K extra for platinum".

I don't think having a nickle allergy is the only reason to get platinum. Peoples opinions vary on this, naturally, but platinum is heavier, more "pure", doesn't have to be plated, potentially lasts longer, and just overall is a little more bad**s... Of course, that's more or less just one mans opinion. $2K really is a huge premium, but I do feel like platinum is a premium metal.

 

[lovebug1031]

not that this is much cheaper, but have you considered this setting from the same designer? it'd save you $500 in pt
http://www.timelessdesigns.com/content/r1549rd10

also, i'm not sure where you're located, but you might check their website to find other locations that sell their designs that are near you - since you don't care for your jeweler!

 

[Laila619]

Yssie - deep down I know your right, I need to let go, but i'm cheap to a fault...I blame my accountant mother I wish I could just wear around a WG ring, have a reaction, and then know its not an option. As it is now I just keep having that voice say "but what if you dont have a reaction and you spend $2K extra for platinum".

I don't think having a nickle allergy is the only reason to get platinum. Peoples opinions vary on this, naturally, but platinum is heavier, more "pure", doesn't have to be plated, potentially lasts longer, and just overall is a little more bad**s... Of course, that's more or less just one mans opinion. $2K really is a huge premium, but I do feel like platinum is a premium metal.

I agree too. For an engagement ring, I think plat is much more durable.

 

[rubyshoes]

Rhea/Rubyshoes - You both say you have a nickel reaction to earrings, but that your ok with WG rings. Do you wear the rings everyday? Have either of your ever felt like taping a nickel to your arm for 2 days to see what happens I never considered my allergy that bad, I wasn't even positive I had one until the nickel experiment so maybe I would be ok with WG...or maybe I just REALLY wanna be.

I wear my 14k cartilage studs 24/7 (because I don't want the piercing holes to close up) but the WG ring I used to wear was a RHR - so I wore it occasionally, basically if I was in the mood or it matched my outfit sort of thing... also as I mentioned the ring was 18 white gold so bit purer. I would not be taping a nickel to my skin under any circumstance. But seeing the photos you posted I am alarmed. That is quite awful! People wear 14k all the time but you don't see them walking around with red splotchy arms or fingers, do you??? Get platinum, girl!