Gold or Platinum?

Finding the right metal for you is a personal process and can be difficult as there are so many options out there. So I hope to share my knowledge with you and make the decision easier as well as more in formed. Firstly, choosing a fine metal such as silver, gold or platinum over plated metals is important because if you are commissioning a one of a kind piece, you don’t want it to tarnish and re-plate or worse, loose interest and discard it. At Found Treasure we only work with fine metals to ensure that your piece will last and only need to be re-polished to bring back it’s mirror like shine. This is a strong value of ours which we have held from the start as this reduces waste and also brings us joy knowing what we create will live on.

Skin Tone & Introduction to Fine Metals

Depending on your skin tone you may prefer to match with a cool or warm tone of metal. On the cool side, your options are silver, white gold and platinum which range from a light shimmering silver to a gun-metal like tone. With warm tones, your options are yellow gold and rose gold. Depending on the ct or purity that you choose, the shades range from a pinky-yellow with 9ct to a warmer shade of 14ct and strong golden tone with 18ct. If you want a richer shade again we would recommend 22ct but this tends to be quite rare and 24ct is pure gold.

So your main options for casual everyday pieces are silver on the cool spectrum and 9ct gold on the warm spectrum. The price difference between silver and gold is quite a jump as the value of these two metals is very different and the base cost to buy both of these are on two different levels. With silver, pure silver is mixed with copper to keep the silver strong for wearing although the copper in this combination oxodises over time creating a dark, almost black like colour when exposed to water. This can be removed by a jeweller or you can do this at home using biocabonate soda and warm water, see our FAQ’s for more details. For this reason along with showing wear easily it’s not recommend for bespoke pieces. With 9ct gold, this is 37.5% pure gold and a peachy colour as it contains a mixture of copper and other metals which makes it a great option for your first piece of gold jewellery. We have found the 9ct Gold Tidal Ring to be very popular with first time gold buyers!

Purity and Ct’s

Value and Pricing

Your rings are made to stand the test of time and symbolise your love and commitment to one another. Having your rings made for you already adds value and meaning so matching this with a fine metal is important. Your rings will hold their value and be a heirloom piece one day, choosing a higher ct or % of gold will match the design time gone into the rings. For bespoke we recommend 18ct as it has a beautiful golden colour and is great to work with as a jeweller and setter. 14ct has a lighter gold shade and is popular in the US for wedding and engagement rings, whereas 9ct is an everyday gold that is the most affordable option, if you value the design but don’t want the investment of gold content. The price of gold fluctuates day by day, so we will quote bespoke in line with the current price.

Wedding Bands: Which metal to choose?

Gold is the most popular choice for wedding ring and 18ct or 14ct is widely recommended by jewellers across the world. 14ct gold is used widely in USA for wedding and engagement rings as it is 58.3% pure gold, 14ct holds it’s value and is slightly harder than 18ct. 18ct gold is a beautiful metal to work with and is the highest purity before being too soft to wear everyday. 18ct gold holds it’s value well and when setting stones, 18ct is easier to get a beautifully flush setting when working with stones. If your engagement ring is a particular metal, we recommend matching the metal so that the tones match, completing your bridal set. You can check the stamps on your jewellery and speaking with your jeweller directly. Having your rings individually made, allows you to have one-on-one time with a jeweller that will help guide you through the options with ease.

White Gold

With a cool tone and a golden shimmer, white gold is a wonderful combination. As you go up the ct’s the cool tone darkens slightly and the warmth of the gold shines through brighter. It’s common to rhodium plate white gold because of this interesting tone but so far all the clients I have made wedding bands and engagement rings with have opted out of plating which I have been really happy with. The plating coats the metal and makes it extremely shiny and almost a light, silver like colour. There is nothing wrong with this, it’s a matter of preference although personally I like that the up keep non-plated metals is minimal and enjoy seeing the metal itself. With plating you will need to send it either back to the place you bought it from and they will run this service for you, each year or every other year depending on the wear. 18ct white gold is recommended for wedding, engagement and special commissions, one of a kind styles that are made to be enjoyed for a lifetime and passed down through generations.

Platinum

Looking for a strong metal and don’t mind it being a bit heavier than usual? Platinum is your metal! Its dense structure is like no other metal that jewellers work with and we even use different tools when working with Platinum as it creates small filings not dust like gold. It can look gun-metal like in shade when given a matte finish and a silver like tone when polished. With antique designs, you may see that engagement ring settings are be created in Platinum and the band in gold to give a two toned effect. This metal is even more rare than gold and is priced accordingly, it’s similar to 18ct gold in price although slightly more due to the extra work and tools involved.

Conclusion

Choosing the right metal for you can be dependant on what the piece symbolises and means for you. If you are deciding on your wedding band and you don’t wear jewellery, try on some options to get an idea of how each metal looks on you and discuss which you like more and why. Your ring is a precious symbol of your marriage and commitment, it is something that will be worn everyday and will hold it’s value. If you would like to discuss your options, leave a note below and we will get back to you.

Thank you for reading and hope you have enjoyed!

Naomi x