How to choose the perfect wedding bands?
Wedding bands are a special type of jewelry that will accompany you throughout your life. Unlike other jewelry, when choosing wedding bands, not only aesthetics but above all durability and practicality are crucial. This guide will help you make the right choice.
Durability – the most important feature of wedding bands
When designing and making jewelry, aesthetic considerations are usually put first, and only then attention is paid to practicality and durability. In the case of wedding bands, the latter aspect is more important. Wedding bands are worn daily and are meant to last many years. For this reason, they should have much greater durability and practicality in use than other jewelry.
Gold fineness – finding a compromise
Durability is directly related to fineness. The lower the fineness, the higher the durability. Unfortunately, this does not go hand in hand with the aesthetics of the product. Pure gold is a very soft metal, prone to abrasion and mechanical damage. Therefore, a compromise is needed.
585 Gold (14 carats) – optimal fineness
The optimal choice is the so-called fourteen karat, which has various names in jewelry nomenclature (585, 14 carats, hallmark number 3). Wedding bands made of gold in this fineness are offered at affordable prices, while being characterized by high durability and impeccable aesthetics. We offer our customers wedding bands of this very fineness.
Colored gold wedding bands
If you decide on wedding bands with two or three gold colors, you should pay attention to whether the white elements are actually made of white gold or only galvanically coated with rhodium.
Rhodium plating – advantages and disadvantages
Rhodium plating is snow white, resistant to chemicals, and does not cause allergies or allergic reactions. However, it has a serious drawback – it wears off over time. Of course, it can be reapplied, but this is always a troublesome procedure and not all goldsmith workshops are able to do it. Therefore, a better solution in this case is to purchase wedding bands in which the white elements are made of white gold.
Limitations in size adjustments
When deciding on two or three-color wedding bands, we must be aware that size adjustment of the ring in this case is quite limited. Always ask the seller at purchase what range we will be able to adjust the size in the future.
Weight of wedding bands – key to durability
The weight of a wedding band has a direct impact on its durability and comfort of use. If wedding bands at one seller are lighter than comparable designs at others, this does not necessarily mean a good deal. There is then a justified suspicion that the wedding bands are either hollow inside or thinner.
Choosing a store – what to look for
It is best to compare offers from several stores. A reliable seller can explain to us the difference between individual models, their advantages, but also problems that may arise when using certain patterns.
Swollen fingers problem – size adjustment
Unfortunately, it often happens that under the influence of stress or weather, fingers swell or, conversely, at low temperatures, wedding bands start to slide off fingers. When taking measurements at the seller, we suggest making an allowance for temperature.
White gold – facts and myths
The term white gold is solely a trade name. The physical and chemical properties of white gold do not differ from yellow gold. 14-carat white gold contains the same amount of pure gold as yellow gold. In reality, white gold has a gray color with a slight yellowish tint.
Rhodium-plated vs non-plated
To improve the aesthetics of the product and obtain a snow-white color, some manufacturers coat white gold wedding bands with a layer of rhodium. Unfortunately, this procedure is not permanent – rhodium wears off over time. In our offer, you will find white gold wedding bands both rhodium-plated and non-plated. The choice is yours.
Risk of causing allergies
Allergies to gold jewelry are rare. Significantly higher allergy risk occurs with low fineness products of 8 and 10 carats, which contain more ingredients that can lead to skin irritation. 14-carat gold causes allergies much less frequently.
Hidden defects – what to look for
A wedding band should have the shape of a perfect circle, and there should be no cuts, scratches, or discolorations on its circumference. If it is multicolored, the spacing between colors should be identical throughout its circumference.
Watch out for transverse cuts
If it does not have diamond-cut patterns, please pay special attention to transverse cuts. Some sellers inform their customers that this is the pattern, but this is not entirely true. Most often they are used to hide defects in joining (the so-called seam).
Need help choosing wedding bands?
Contact us for professional advice and to learn about our wedding band offerings. We will help you choose the perfect wedding bands that will last a lifetime.