Forget About Rare Gems, Let's Talk About Metal Types for Engagement

Forget About Rare Gems, Let's Talk About Metal Types for Engagement and
Wedding Ring Bands
by: Julie Shields

One key decision to make when you build your own engagement rings is the metal. Yellow, white gold
and platinum are most common. Titanium bands and silver are less so. Rose gold engagement
rings or copper are pretty rare.

Titanium bands are the new black in the wedding industry. Titanium has a long history in industries
such the military, aerospace, medicine, etc. but has only been widely seen on the fingers of brides
and grooms for the last 20 years. While titanium is not rare, it is one of the strongest materials
around, compared to other materials of similar weight. For example, titanium weighs 75% less than
gold, but is 50% stronger than steel of the same weight. Titanium is a tough cookie and will outlast
other metals such as gold and platinum.

Wait, there are even more advantages to titanium bands. Since titanium is one of the 9th most
abundant metals around, it is relatively inexpensive, thus, it will usually cost less than platinum and
sometimes less than gold. The cost in titanium jewelry is not for the raw metal but the artistry and
labor involved in designing the ring. Titanium is also hypoallergenic and will not make your skin turn
green or other unsightly shades. It is a low maintenance metal and doesn't tarnish

Titanium can be combined with other metals such as silver, gold, and platinum and embellished with
any kind of gemstone. It can also be colored to have sheens of any shade of the rainbow.

Titanium bands also have a few downsides. Titanium is often marketed as being scratch-resistant,
but that's not exactly true. Titanium bands will show small scrapes and scratches just like gold and
platinum wedding bands. However, any local jeweler should be able to polish a titanium ring look new
again. you need to take care when picking out your ring size because re-sizing titanium rings is nearly
impossible. You may be able to slightly increase a titanium ring size, but you really can't make it any
smaller. Thus, don't plan on losing any weight after you purchase your ring.

There is an urban legend surrounding titanium, since it is such a strong metal, that if you get a
titanium ring stuck on your finger, you will not be able to get it off and your finger will have to be
amputated. What a horrible thought! This is not true--- as with other metals such as gold or platinum,
if need be, titanium can be cut off one's fingers with a professional-grade ring cutting tool.

I don't think I've ever seen any women wearing rose gold engagement rings. Nonetheless, they exist
and while not typically sold in most mainstream jewelry stores, can be found in antique stores.
Victorian antique engagement rings (1835-1900) were often set in rose gold. You can also find rose
gold engagement rings that are produced today. There are some online jewelry stores that actually
specialize in producing them.

Most people have preferred the color of gold to remain close to that of pure yellow gold itself. Gold only
naturally occurrs in the yellow shade. All others shades are produced by mixing 24K gold with other
metals. Pure gold is too soft to wear as jewelry and so alloys are almost always added to it,
regardless of the color desired. The term alloys refers to a combination of two or more metals. Gold
alloys are a combination of gold, copper and silver. Nickel, zinc, and palladium are common
components of white gold alloys. To create rose gold alloys, the silver content of gold is reduced while
the content of copper is increased slightly. The more copper that is added to it, the deeper the rose
hue.

One thing to note when shopping for a rose gold, is that the color of rose gold may subtly intensify with
age due to a tarnishing of the the copper.

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