The Durability of 18 KT Gold Wedding Rings

Many couples prefer the traditional and classic style represented by gold wedding rings. Yellow gold still leads the pack as far as popularity, but white gold is also very popular. However, all gold isn’t the same. If you’re going to purchase a gold wedding ring, it’s in your best interest to learn the differences.

Gold jewelry is valuable no matter how many karats it contains. But a little known fact is that gold is a soft substance, and not suitable for durable jewelry. To overcome this problem, gold is often mixed with additional metals. Copper, silver, zinc, and nickel are sometimes used to strengthen gold. This is important to know when shopping for any type of gold wedding ring. A "karat" represents the amount of pure gold in a piece of gold jewelry. And a "carat" represents the weight of diamonds and other precious metals.

Why are 18 KT gold wedding rings less expensive than 24 KT rings?

As mentioned above, a ring’s karat signifies how much pure gold the piece includes. 24 KT gold wedding rings contain gold in its purest form. Or in other words, 18 KT gold wedding rings contain slightly less gold than the 24 KT rings. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the smaller karat ring is less valuable.

Gold is actually a soft metal. And it’s usually too soft to create a sturdy piece of jewelry. But when additional metals are added to the gold, it becomes more durable. If you see a ring which is 18 KT, 14 KT, 9 KT and so on, that means the ring contains less pure gold. This information is very important because it affects the price of the ring. The karat should be listed on the inside of the ring’s band. And if you’re shopping online, the ring’s karat should be listed with the ring’s information.

So what does all this mean? It means 18 KT gold wedding rings can actually last longer, and withstand daily wear much better than 24 KT rings. So it’s important to not judge a ring so much by its price. Instead, think of the durability of the ring. Your goal is not to simply find the most expensive ring you can afford. Your goal is to find a wedding ring that will last a lifetime. And 18 KT gold wedding rings are a good choice.

Why Should I Consider 18 KT gold wedding rings when I can afford more?

The most expensive ring isn’t necessarily the best ring. 18 KT gold wedding rings are high quality, and the industry standard. Because higher karat rings are softer and more pliant, they are also more likely to be damaged during daily wear. You’ll want to wear your wedding often, if not everyday, so a more durable gold is desirable. Sure, 24 KT costs more than smaller karats, but the ring may spend more time getting repairs than on your finger.

Is there a big difference between 14K gold wedding rings and 18K gold wedding rings?

As stated earlier, a larger karat means there’s more pure gold in the ring. So 14K gold wedding rings contain at least 58% pure gold. On the other hand, 18K gold wedding rings contain at least 75% pure gold. So 18 KT gold wedding rings can be the perfect choice – they’re not as soft as 14 KT and not as expensive as 24 KT rings.