18 Carat Yellow Gold

This is the classic colour of Gold used for wedding rings. It has a beautiful lustrous warm yellow hue with a luxurious feel and weight to the touch. There are several carats available for Gold but 18ct Gold is the superior quality with a Vickers hardness measurement of 125 over 9ct Gold's 120.
The carat of Gold is dependent on the content of pure Gold within the metal. 18ct Gold is hallmarked 750 which means 75% pure Gold. The rest of the metal is made up with alloys for strength and durability, such as Copper and Zinc.

18 Carat White Gold

White Gold has the same amount of pure yellow Gold in the metal as 18ct yellow Gold. The difference in colour between yellow and white Gold is determined by the metals used in the alloy mix. The alloys used to make white Gold would be other white metals such as Palladium and Silver.

Rhodium plating of white Gold
The natural colour of white Gold is actually a steely grey colour as shown, however many manufacturers Rhodium plate the white Gold to make it look whiter. Rhodium is a hard white metal, but will eventually wear off. The ring may need replating every 12 - 18 months. If you would like this service please see the 'extras' section at the end of the design process.

Platinum

Platinum is the rarest of all white metals and 95% pure. It has a naturally white lustre which does not fade. It is 30 times more rare than Gold and costs more than twice as much as white Gold! The density of Platinum makes it extremely durable and it does not wear over time. A Platinum ring weighs 40% more than the same ring in Gold. The process of making a piece of Platinum jewellery requires a particularly high level of craftsmanship.