Selecting the right precious metal for your wedding ring is just as important as selecting the right ring style or the cut of the diamond. Up till a few years ago, this selection was quite simple considering that there weren’t all that many options to choose from. You mainly had just gold and silver, with gold being the traditional choice of many.

Today, there are a few different types of gold available plus platinum, palladium and silver which all offer something different in terms of style.

So which one do you choose? Each metal has its own properties, distinctive look and price point. Then there is the small matter of every individual having their own distinct personality which the wedding band needs to suit. Will rose gold look good on you, or does awhite metal bandbring out that extra bit of elegance.

Katie from Orla James said “People care about how the ring looks and its style, when a huge consideration should be the metal

Here is all that you need to know about your different precious metal options for your wedding band:

Platinum

Platinum is the most expensive precious metal you can choose. It is much rarer than gold and is very durable. Platinum is also one of the strongest metals that used in wedding bands. You can expect it to hold your diamonds quite securely, minimizing the risk of them getting loose and you losing them.

Another thing going for platinum is that it does not fade with time and is perhaps the easiest metal to maintain.It has acool, silver huewhich is great for highlighting the magnificence of your centre diamonds and stones. So even though it is a little pricey, if you are aiming for a long-lasting wedding ring with a prominent stone, this is the metal for you.

Palladium

If platinum is out of your price range but you prefer something with a similar look and feel, you should consider going for palladium.Since it is from the same family of metals as platinum, palladium too has an eye-catching natural white hue which is great as a backdrop for diamonds. Plus it is pretty low maintenance and durable as well.

What makes palladium a good alternative is that it is much cheaper and buthas the same graceful look of platinum. When you are working on a budget and just don’t want to divert funds away from your realfocus i.e. the diamond, palladium is an excellent choice.

Gold

In most parts of the world, gold is still the standard metal used in jewellery. Initially it was just yellow gold, but white and rose gold have also made their mark. Since it is very malleable, it has to be alloyed to prevent it from deforming when worn. Silver and copper are often the metals used for this.

The purest form of gold is 24karat which is not suitable for jewellery, so you can get gold varying from 10K to 21K for your wedding band.Gram to gram, gold costs almost the same as platinum. But since it has to be alloyed to be made usable, a gold wedding band will cost you less.

As far as which type of gold to select, it is worth knowing that that gold is naturally yellow and its other colour variations are because of the colour of other metals that it is mixed with. Yellow Goldis the timeless classic. It is has its own trademark with the warm, sophisticated tone that no other precious metal can replicate. It works well with all sorts of coloured stones and suits almost everyone.

If you prefer white metals, then White Goldis a good option. Gold has to be has to be alloyed with white metals like palladium and silver to give it its shiny, white hue. As with platinum and palladium, white gold works brilliantly with diamonds.

You may also go for Rose Gold akapink gold which is truly a one-of-a-kind choice for the romantic in you. Gracepersonified, rose gold is a popular choice in two-toned rings to add personality to the plainer look of white and yellow gold.

Silver

Along with gold, silver has the longest history of being used in jewellery due to its malleable nature. Its popularity has gone down in recent times,though,due to its tendency to tarnish easily. It also darkens with use and needs regular re-polishing to remain presentable. One option to make it more durable is to get it plated with another metal like rhodium. When compared with other precious metals, the main thing going for silver is the fact that it is perhaps the least expensive option of all.