Wedding ring metal choices - the pros and cons!
- Rob Alder
- Feb 25
- 8 min read
Choosing the right wedding ring can feel overwhelming, especially in the midst of all the decisions which need to be taken as part of planning a wedding.
The ring is one thing which stays with you, as the dress, flowers etc become just a memory.
Your ring needs to be durable, comfortable, and match your style (and lifestyle!) It needs to be in budget, and something you can hopefully wear forever, with all of the changes that life brings.
Our customers are also rightly concerned about the ethics behind their ring choices, and want to get it right in terms of sustainability and causing the least harm.
Different metals offer benefits and drawbacks. It is up to you to find out what feels right for you in your circumstances. Please don't feel swayed by what you "should" do according to tradition, or what high street jewellers want you to do to keep you coming back (cough cough, rhodium plating, cough!)
This guide breaks down popular metals we use in our rings, including platinum, gold, silver, copper, steel, and Damascus steel. It also explains why some metals like tungsten and titanium are not something we use. Hopefully it helps clear up what we offer, why we offer it, and what we would recommend!
Platinum
Platinum has lots of pros, and one main con - the cost. There's no getting round it - budget matters. Platinum prices can be volatile, and have risen by up to 150% in the last year alone. Most of our designs can be made in platinum, but may not be listed on the website, so do contact us for a quote.
Pros:
Durability: Platinum is very strong and resists wear and tear well. It holds up to daily use without losing its shape. Great if you are an outdoorsy or working-with-your-hands type.
Hypoallergenic: It rarely causes allergic reactions, making it ideal for sensitive skin.
Natural white colour: Shiny.
Heavy and luxurious feel: Its weight and rarity are seen as signs of quality and luxury.
Generally seen as more ethical than gold: Subject to some caveats, seen as a more responsible choice.
Cons:
Cost: Platinum is one of the most expensive metals for rings.
Scratches: While it doesn’t lose metal when scratched, it can develop a patina due to micro-scratches, that can dull the appearance (but can be re-polished).
Heavier weight: Some people find platinum rings too heavy for comfort.
Harder to work with: This is a con for us and not you! But platinum has a high melting point and work does take longer than when using other metals.
Energy-intensive mining: It takes a whole load of energy to mine platinum.
Gold
Gold remains a classic choice, available in several colours: yellow, white, and rose gold. We can use 9ct or 18ct gold. 14ct is also available for some designs. Pure gold can't be used for jewellery - it is much too soft. Gold is therefore combined with an alloy of other metals to create a harder substance. The hallmark (375 for 9ct and 750 for 18ct gold) denotes how much gold is contained within the mix. 9ct gold is just 37.5% actual gold. 18ct gold is 75% gold.
Pros:
Variety of colors: You can choose from traditional yellow, modern white, or romantic rose gold.
Different Purities available: 9ct, 14ct and 18ct gold offer a balance between purity and durability. 9ct gold is the most hardwearing choice whereas 18ct gold has a deeper, richer colour.
Timeless appeal: Even if buried and then dug up thousands of years in the future, higher purity gold will remain unchanged! It's no wonder humans (and Smaug the dragon) have been obsessed with gold throughout time.
Easier to resize: Gold rings can be resized more easily than some other metals.
Heirloom: Gold lasts very well and can be passed down to future generations.
Re-use: We can re-use your own gold, either for sentimentality reasons or to keep costs down.
Cons:
Softness: The purer the gold, the more soft it is. 9ct gold is most hardwearing but all gold can scratch.
Ethics: Extensive concerns about slavery and environmental harm.
High cost: Like platinum, gold prices have shot up and no doubt will continue to do so in our unstable world.
White gold requires plating?: This, in our opinion, is a total fallacy. We don't plate our white gold. White gold looks great as it is. We wonder whether rhodium plating keeps people coming back to high street jewellers time and time again, and guaranteeing their custom. It looks awful as the coating is coming off and the chemicals used are harmful to the environment.
Allergic reactions: Some gold alloys can cause skin irritation depending on the metals mixed in - please note only our 18ct white gold contains nickel, our gold is otherwise nickel-free. Contact us with any concerns before ordering if you have an allergy.
But what about Fairtrade Gold?
For transparency, all of the gold we use is 100% recycled. We don't know where each small piece of gold came from originally as we buy it refined and labelled from our supplier. It is reusing an existing resource, which, although may have caused harm when it was first mined, does not cause any further harm in its reuse.
Fairtrade gold is available to purchase (at a higher cost). This is gold which has been sourced from small scale mining operations where payment is fair, working practices safer and the gold is fully traceable. It is freshly mined so you know where it came from...but it still needs to be taken from the earth. Depending on your viewpoint, you may prefer recycled or fairtrade gold, or another material entirely, that is up to you.
Silver
Silver is a budget-friendly option and our customers love it!
Pros:
Affordable: Silver is much cheaper than gold or platinum. Costs have risen sharply recently, but the costs of silver still do not compare with those of gold or platinum.
Bright white shine: It has a beautiful natural shine when polished.
Easy to work with: It can be melted, re-used and re-sized easily.
All silver we use is 100% recycled
Cons:
Soft and prone to scratches: Silver can bend or scratch.
Tarnishes: Like gold, pure silver is too soft to make jewellery with. Sterling silver is 92.5% silver, with the remainder being an alloy of other metals including copper. It is these other metals which react with air and moisture, causing tarnish that requires regular cleaning. We include a silver polishing cloth for this very reason.
Less durable: Some say it is not ideal for everyday wear over many years (if you want the ring to still look pristine in many years).
Environment: Extraction of silver from the environment leads to harm.
PLEASE NOTE: We also stock Argentium silver, which is a lesser-known, more hardwearing alloy than sterling silver. See here: https://www.argentiumsilver.com/ This material is subject to a small surcharge as it costs more for us to buy, but we are happy to use this in any of our silver rings.
Copper
A lot of our customers really love copper, it isn't a traditional choice, but it has a lot going for it! Unfortunately there are a few cons too.
Pros:
Unique colour: Copper offers a warm, rustic look.
Affordable: It is inexpensive compared to precious metals.
Antimicrobial properties: Copper can reduce bacteria on the skin.
Health benefits: Some of our customers believe wearing uncoated copper is good for health conditions like arthritis.
Base metal: As a base metal, copper rings are not hallmarked, so long as the ring doesn't also contain precious metals.
Cons:
Oxidises quickly: Copper darkens and changes colour with exposure to air and moisture. This can happen surprisingly quickly. Sometimes it has begun changing even before it is worn. We can coat the copper with wax or lacquer, but these come off. If you want a copper ring but don't like the patina which develops, you will have to clean and maintain the copper very regularly. Which, unless you enjoy that kind of thing, is a bit of an inconvenience!
Soft metal: It scratches and dents easily.
Can cause skin discoloration: Copper may leave green marks on the skin. We can make our copper rings with a silver core to help prevent this happening, however contact between fingers and the outside of the ring will still cause discolouration.
Environmental harm: Extraction of copper from the environment causes harm.
Steel
Stainless steel is gaining popularity for its strength and modern look. We think it's great - and we machine it ourselves! It is a less traditional choice. We use 304 (18/8) or 316 stainless steel in our workshop.
Pros:
Highly durable: Steel resists scratches and dents.
Affordable: It costs much less than precious metals, though it does take additional work to make the ring, so in terms of our costs it is comparable with silver.
Low maintenance: Steel rings keep their shine without much care.
Hypoallergenic options: Stainless steel tends to be safe for sensitive skin, however some stainless steel does contain nickel so if you have an allergy - contact us before ordering.
No need for hallmarking: Steel does not need to be hallmarked
Darker colour: It's great for people who don't want a white band. Think gunmetal grey.
Cons:
Difficult to resize: Difficult / impossible. That's why we send sizing rings first!
Weight: Steel can feel heavy depending on the design.
Can rust: Contact with water and harsh chemicals can cause the steel to corrode. We can use marine grade 316 stainless steel to help prevent this issue.
No mountains: We can't use stainless steel for all of our designs due to how they're made, so if you would like a mountain or a wave ring, you can count stainless steel out.
Environmental harm: Production of steel causes lots of CO2 emissions.
Damascus Steel
Damascus steel is a striking choice for those who want a unique pattern and strong metal. It is something we have just started to offer and will be added to our website soon.
Pros:
Distinctive patterns: The layered steel creates beautiful, wavy designs.
Very strong: Damascus steel is tough and resists wear.
Modern and artistic: It appeals to couples looking for something different.
Cons:
Not hypoallergenic: Some people may react to the metals used in Damascus steel.
Requires special care: It can rust if not properly maintained (but we use marine grade stainless steel).
Limited resizing options: Like other steel rings, resizing is difficult.
Environmental harm: Production of steel causes lots of CO2 emissions.
Damascus steel wedding band close-up
Why not tungsten or titanium?
We are often asked if we make rings with alternative materials like tungsten, titanium and cobalt so we thought we would also include these and explain WHY we can't or don't use them.
Tungsten:
Tungsten is formed by super high pressure which we just can't replicate in our home workshop. It is extremely hard, so many people are drawn to it for this reason. However, also think about this:
Brittle: It can crack or shatter if dropped or knocked.
Cannot be resized: Once made, tungsten rings cannot be adjusted.
Heavy: Some find tungsten rings too heavy for daily wear.
Titanium:
Titanium is made using very high heats. In our little workshop, we just don't have the equipment to make it. We don't like to use anything we can't make ourselves, however there are also other factors to consider if you are thinking of getting a titanium ring from somewhere else:
Lightweight and strong.
Hypoallergenic and corrosion-resistant.
Difficult to resize: Titanium rings usually cannot be resized.
Limited design options: Titanium is hard to engrave or alter.
Most importantly: Titanium will not "give" or flex. If you have an accident you can suffer severe injuries to your finger. You might think this is unlikely, but several of our customers have had bad accidents where the ring has become damaged, and we can repair the rings. What we can't repair is your finger!
Final thoughts on choosing your wedding ring metal
Your wedding ring will be worn every day, so the metal you choose should fit your lifestyle and preferences. Platinum offers unmatched durability but comes with a higher price. Gold provides timeless beauty and colour options but has high cost and can scratch. Silver and copper are budget-friendly but less durable. Steel and Damascus steel bring modern strength and style but have resizing and design limitations.
In summary - everything has a compromise!
Every choice always has an environmental cost too, which might well be worth another blog post....
Bottom line - we don't believe you should be constrained by "tradition" when choosing your ring. Whether you want the rings to match, whatever metal you choose, or even if you just use a Haribo ring, it isn't really about the ring. It's about you! BUT if we can help at all, we would be more than glad to!
Hayley x
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