In the first part of this how-to feature Choose and Engagement Ring I discussed choosing a shape for the center stone. In this post you will find out a little bit about the type of metal to pick. An engagement ring is something that she will wear every day, hopefully for the rest of her life. You want a precious metal so that her finger does not turn green. The first step is whether you are looking for silver or gold tone. This is important because your wedding bands will be the same type of metal / color as the engagement ring. Some people are allergic to gold and wearing it on a finger day in and day out can become a problem. White gold is made with a coating of Rhodium which gives it the white/silver color. The problem with white gold is that the Rhodium will eventually wear off and you will see the yellow color of the gold. If there is an allergy issue a different metal is best. Platinum is a white precious metal.
The differences between gold and platinum vary.
Gold is harder than platinum and it will keep a shine longer.
Platinum will develop a satin / matte finish over time but this does not affect the quality of the metal. Platinum is heavier than gold.
The thing that will make the biggest difference when buying platinum vs gold is the price. Platinum is 2.5 to 5 times more expensive than gold.
There is also a gold tone called rose gold which is beautiful. The option of two-tone rings is also very popular.
Gold Engagement Ring
A couple of my choices in yellow gold are shown. Clicking on the links will take you to an area where you can easily search for a ring. You can enter the size of the stone, the quality, the type of metal and more into the search. This will make it easier to find exactly what you are looking for.
Gold
Yellow Gold
White Gold
Rose Gold
Two Tone Gold
I picked one of the many rings in the Solitaire section. I recommend a six prong setting if possible. It is harder to loose the stone and it makes the diamond look bigger.
This is one of my favorite designs with stones on either side. There are many more gold engagement rings with more than the center stone.
Platinum Rings
Choose a platinum engagement rings