deBebians sells jewelry in all the precious metals. Our products are available in 14kt and 18kt white, yellow and rose gold; platinum; palladium; and titanium. Deciding on the metal you want can sometimes be a tough decision. Just remember that whichever metal you choose is a matter of personal preference. Here's some information we thought would be of help in making your decision.
14kt Gold and 18kt Gold
14kt gold is comprised of 58.5 percent pure gold. The rest of the makeup consists of different metal alloys. 18kt gold consists of 75 percent pure gold with the remainder being alloys. Because 14kt is a less pure gold than 18kt, it is a harder metal. This is due to the 14kt having slightly more metal alloys. Whether it's white, yellow or rose, 14kt or 18kt, gold tends to keep a degree of shininess to it.
White Gold
White gold is naturally a yellow metal. The main difference between white gold and yellow gold is the alloys mixed in with the pure gold. White gold has alloys such as nickel mixed in to make the metal appear whiter. All white gold, both 14kt and 18kt, is rhodium plated. This ensures that the metal will maintain its white color. The rhodium plating may wear off depending on how one wears the ring and will need to be redone about every 18-24 months. Do not consider this a drawback. Think of it as part of the maintenance for the ring. You want to have the ring serviced on a yearly basis anyway to ensure the stones are secure and that the prongs are tight. It takes no time at all to rhodium plate a ring so it can always be done at this time.
Rose Gold
The look of rose gold, or pink gold as it is also called, is achieved by adding copper. Gold jewelry in general is made up of a mixture of alloys (like nickel), in addition to pure gold to make it more durable; and in the case of rose gold, copper is added as one of the alloys. We recommend 14kt rose gold to our clients, because the rose color is much nicer compared to 18kt rose gold. A lengthier article about rose gold can be found here.
Platinum
Platinum is a very traditional metal often used in engagement rings and wedding bands. Unlike white gold, platinum is naturally a white metal. Platinum is also a much heavier metal than gold. One difference to be noted is that platinum tends to dull and scratch a little more over time than white gold. However, this is a characteristic of platinum and is considered to be part of its charm. Here at deBebians, we use platinum 950, which is standard among fine jewelry. Our platinum is comprised of 95% platinum and 5% iridium. Iridium is a very hard, dense, and silvery-white metal, belonging to the platinum family of metals.
Palladium
Palladium, a rare white element, belongs to the platinum family of metals and has become an increasingly popular choice for wedding bands in recent years. Palladium rings do not need rhodium plating, unlike white gold, and are typically less expensive than platinum.
Titanium
Aircraft grade titanium is the 45 percent lighter than stainless steel and measures like platinum on the hardness scale. Our titanium wedding bands are highly resistant to corrosion and are 100 percent hypoallergenic. Titanium wedding rings are very lightweight and are perfect for everyday wear. Titanium is similar in color to tungsten in that it has rich, grey tones.