Which Gold Is Best For Rings?
Ekaterina Kouznetsova
Posted on January 22 2021
What grade of gold is best for rings? What type of gold jewelry; solid gold, gold filled, etc... is best for rings? We get these questions a lot! It's common to want the best-quality jewelry for your lifestyle and personal taste, so we're here to break down the best gold for rings, and what gold you should be looking for depending on your needs.
The Best Gold For Rings
It's an easy answer...if you know what you're looking for in a gold ring! Are you looking for durability? A rich color? Great value? Let's start with different common grades - 10k, 14k, and 18k gold. We'll keep it in bullets for quick reading and a good summary of the advantages and disadvantages of each grade of gold for rings. Keep in mind that pure 24k gold is not commonly used for rings for 2 main reasons: it's very easy to scratch, and pure 24k gold is actually closer to orange in color.
18k Gold Rings
- 18k is the purest type of gold for practical wear. 18 out of 24 parts (75%) of the metal alloy is gold.
- Great for semi-daily wear rings or earrings. You'll have to be more careful when wearing 18k gold rings because they are easier to scratch than 10k or 14k gold rings.
- Luxurious and bright with very rich gold color.
- Less likely to trigger any skin allergies due to small alloy content to gold ratio.
- Easier to find than 24k gold, which is pure gold that is super soft and very easy to scratch.
- A good choice for a less active lifestyle if you're looking for a gold ring to wear everyday.
- Very expensive.
14k Gold Rings
- 14k Gold means 14 out of 24 parts (58%) of the metal alloy is gold. It's a great middle ground and choice for gold rings.
- Great for daily wear for rings or earrings. But it can still scratch with a super-active lifestyle.
- Retains rich gold color, but is a little less orange than 18k gold.
- Higher amount of alloy in the metal may cause skin allergies, but it is very rare.
- The most common grade of gold used in rings, easy to find rings made in 14k gold in a variety of styles.
- Great choice for an active lifestyle, but with some care in hyper-active situations.
- Less expensive than 18k gold, but more expensive than 10k gold.
10k Gold Rings
- 10k Gold means 10 out of 24 parts (42%) of the metal alloy is gold. Very durable for everyday wear and very hard to scratch.
- Great choice for a ring you want to wear everyday without worrying about scratching it.
- Usually less orange than 14k and 18k gold. Skaska Fine Jewelry has created a proprietary secret 10k gold that retains the beautiful hue of 14k gold while being more affordable and more durable than 14k gold. Shop our collection here, with 10k solid gold rings starting at $250.
- More rare than 14k gold, now starting to trend for jewelry and rings.
- The best choice for an active lifestyle, don't have to worry about scratching it.
- Least expensive choice for gold jewelry.