Any of you have experience with gold rings?

[Guest]

At our upcoming 2 year anniversary of living together, I'm thinking of proposing to my beau. I have been looking up the pros and cons of 18K vs 14K gold, and it seems like the former has less chance of causing skin reactions, but more likely to scratch (opposite for the latter). I've never worn jewelry before. Have any of you experienced skin reactions on 14K, or had problems with scratches on 18K? How serious are those concerns? I do react if I wear belt buckles which include nickel. 

Choosing the Right Gold: Comparing 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K and 24K

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The merits of 10k, 14k, 18k, 22k and 24k gold when used in engagement and wedding rings.

 

18K Gold

Pros: highest purity for all practical jewelry use; has amazing depth of golden color

Cons: higher purity makes it a more expensive karat weight; still easily scratched

This is the purest form of gold used extensively in jewelry, including watches. It has a rich, warm golden hue and is what people typically imagine when they think of gold jewelry. But because gold is naturally so soft, and 18K gold is 75% pure, it can be easily scratched with daily wear and tear.

18K gold is significantly more expensive than 14K and 10K gold because it has such high purity. But a nice benefit of that high purity level is that there’s less risk of jewelry made with 18K gold causing skin irritations or allergic reactions.

14K Gold

Pros: very durable while still retaining a large amount of pure gold; a very good value

Cons: more likely to cause instances of skin irritation

The most popular gold for rings and other wearable jewelry in the US, 14K gold accounts for the metal used in about 90% of all engagement and wedding rings. It is a perfect choice for those who don’t have a strong feeling about the level of pure gold present in their ring. It offers a classic gold appearance without ever looking overly yellow as 18K gold sometimes can.

The main benefit of 14K gold is that it’s highly durable and affordable. It’s an excellent and practical choice for engagement rings and wedding bands since those are staple pieces of jewelry and worn every day. Scuffs and scratches aren’t really an issue with 14K gold, but it could possibly exacerbate skin issues for those who have a copper, zinc, silver, nickel, or iron allergy.

[dcguy20]

I had a 14k gold Atlas band from Tiffany that I had a reaction to (rash).  I hardly wore it as a result.  I eventually lost it when I took it off in a restaurant restroom to wash my hands. It didn't dawn on me until a couple of weeks later that I left it behind. It was a beautiful ring. 

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

To me, gold rings are a little gauche. That's just my own personal hang-up.

From a more 'special' point of view, I'd sooner look into a platinum band. 

Whatever you decide, I'm sure he'll love it.

[+ nycman]

I’m with @BenjaminNicholas on this one. Platinum or nothing. 

I personally don’t like gold jewelry and it never seems to age well.

25 years later, and my platinum ring still looks like new.

That plus your history of a nickel allergy, I’d avoid 14k gold. 

[+ azdr0710]

no expert here, but platinum would look a lot more classy (not flashy) and masculine

[+ Autumnal]

I've never had a reaction to the 14K gold ring I have worn for 30+ years. 18K gold is very soft and can bend easily with only a little pressure.

[MikeBiDude]

Platinum 👍🏻

[Guest]

Thanks for the great advice. I've never purchased a ring, and was even aware that platinum was an option. Platinum it is (if he agrees). 

[keefer]

Definitely platinum

[dbar123]

I also had a bad reaction to my 14k wedding band. I would get cracks in my skin that were very painful. I eventually had to stop wearing it. It took a good six months to fully heal. 
 

I left the ring on my dresser and one day it accidentally fell behind it. When we finally moved and pulled the dresser away from the wall it was nowhere to be found. I never bothered to replace it. My partner is an artist and had stopped wearing a ring because of stray paint so we just decided to not bother any further with the convention of rings

[+ Charlie]

My father never wore a wedding ring. My mother decided to have a thin platinum wedding ring; I don't know her reason, but I suspect it was because they got married secretly at a time when her employer refused to employ married women, so she could pretend it wasn't a wedding ring.

When I got married ten years ago, I still had my grandfather's wedding ring, which I had inherited when he died in 1959, but it still looked new, so I decided to re-purpose it as my own. It is 14 carat, but it was made with gold from a gold mine that my grandfather owned shares in during the 19th century, so it had sentimental value for me. I have never had any skin reaction to it.

 

[+ Pensant]

@Charlie another coincidence in our lives! My parents eloped (father was Episcopalian, mother was RC) and my father hated jewelry and never wore a band.

@Unicorn I wore a simple 14k ring for ten years and never experienced any irritation, nor have I ever heard of this condition. It was bought from a close friend’s family store in Greenwich CT. You’re welcome to it if you don’t go platinum.

[+ GoingGood]

On 3/31/2023 at 2:49 AM, Unicorn said:

Thanks for the great advice. I've never purchased a ring, and was even aware that platinum was an option. Platinum it is (if he agrees). 

Best wishes.  Hope it works out. 

[pubic_assistance]

On 3/30/2023 at 7:49 PM, BenjaminNicholas said:

To me, gold rings are a little gauche

I completely agree.

Our wedding bands are platinum.

I don't know anyone who wears gold.

It's either silver or platinum these days.

My parents have white gold bands because my mother is allergic .

Congratulations on the upcoming proposal.

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by pubic_assistance