The standard symbol for an American marriage has always been the gold wedding band worn on the ring finger of the left hand. Indeed, wedding bands are so popular that they account for nearly forty percent of all ring sales in the United States and almost ten percent of all types of jewelry. Gold wedding bands are designed in several different formats, from a simple loop of the precious metal to a gem studded masterpiece or a custom engraved model. It is most common for men to have an unadorned band, while a woman’s ring features one or more precious stones, often in a geometric design. As these rings are relatively simple to manufacture, the price for each one is usually a function of the quality of the gold or the gems.
What a customer thinks of as gold is, in reality, a mixture of the precious metal and an alloy. While the most valuable pieces of jewelry are crafted from pure gold, most have a large percentage of alloys in their mix. Gold is measure in carats; a twenty four carat gold piece is nothing but metal, and thus both extremely expensive and very pliable. Eighteen carat gold is the next most valuable, boasting 75% metal and only a quarter alloy. Likewise, fourteen carat gold is slightly more than fifty percent metal, while ten carat gold is the most inexpensive — but most durable — at less than half metal. As such, a twenty four carat gold wedding band may be the purest form of gold, but also boasts a considerably higher price tag than ten carat gold.
The alloy in question is often silver or copper. This is done to cut the gold, but also to produce a certain color. White gold is produced with a heavy concentration of silver alloy, while red gold requires a high amount of copper alloy. The colors in between range from light yellow, sand, faint green, and brownish red, but are all variations of the three metals. Indeed, gold can be any color — even blue or black — but the majority of jewelry uses the three elements. Some jewelers will cut gold with nickel or palladium to save money, but nickel often produces an allergic reaction, and this practice is frowned upon by most professionals.
White gold wedding bands are a popular choice due to the strength of the combined metals and the low price tag of a ring cut with silver. Additionally, white gold augments the natural color of precious stones, so that rings with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, or pearls can be more easily recognized against a white backdrop. Indeed, using both white gold and synthetic lab created gems, the overall cost of a very ornate ring can be dropped down to a few hundred dollars. A white gold wedding band without any gems from Blue Nile jewelers costs as little as two hundred thirty dollars, ideal for any engagements on a budget!
Gold with a specific copper content appears distinctly more red. At fourteen carats of gold and ten of copper, the combination produces a distinct, deep rust colored red and is called rose gold. This type of gold is popular as it stands out more than white or even pure gold bands; rose gold wedding bands rarely include gems due to the beautiful color of the metal itself. Most often, the craftsmen will work the gold into patterns, symbols, shapes, or curls so that it catches light at several angles and reflects at certain angles. Occasionally the rose gold is combined with white gold or silver, giving a beautiful contrast of colors. Indeed, a fourteen carat triple color band from Apples of Gold incorporates pure gold with white and rose gold for a trisection of lovely hues; at only seven hundred dollars, this band is cheaper than many others with gem patterns attempting to achieve the same imagery.
While the most ornate wedding bands are usually meant for the wife, men’s gold wedding bands do not always have to lack for design. Outlets such as Jewelry Vortex include a staggering amount of variety in their models, using geometric lines and shapes, leaf patterns, gem studs, and double layers of gold with silver or platinum. Of course, the classic look is preferred by many men, meaning that the design is available at any jeweler and most often for a significantly lesser cost than that of women’s bands. In fact, it is not uncommon for a gold wedding band of the husband to be a lower carat than that of his wife’s ring in order to save money!
Gold wedding rings give a classical look and an emotional response. Each year countless Americans mark their union by exchanging gold rings. Check local stores for designs, availability, and different colors and qualities of the metal.