Choosing the metal.

From ancient times a certain mystical aura surrounded gold that led different cultures to use it in palaces, churches, temples and tombs. Gold's rarity and high cost along with some properties that differentiate it from other metals have made it the premier jewelry material. Some of these properties are:

Pure gold is relatively soft and as a consequence has durability problems. Pure or fine gold contains no other elements. It is 24K and has a fineness of 999. This unacceptable tendency of pure gold to be soft and not durable has largely given rise to the modern gold we find in the jewelers' window today. Virtually all gold featured in jewelry today is alloyed with secondary metals that enhance its everyday durability. These gold alloys are so frequent, that in many countries many people find the color of pure gold peculiar! However, not all gold purities are the same. The different purities of gold alloys used by jewelers give consumers varying options regarding gold color, affordability and durability. Gold purity is measured in karats.

Gold purity refers to a degree of how much the gold is mixed with other metals. You can use this chart as a reference to gold purity.

18K gold has a higher gold content and therefore rings are more expensive. It also is brighter than 14K gold. However, larger gold content also means it is softer and over the years can wear away because of the softness.

14K rings are less expensive, wear better and hold the diamonds more securely but have a tendency to discolor or tarnish because of lower percentage of gold and a high percentage of copper.

Consider these points but ultimately pick the ring that looks best to you.

Some people make that choice based on the rest of the jewelry they own. For others, it is important how the gold would look with a diamond. If the diamond is colorless or near colorless, white gold or platinum would be a better choice. Yellow gold can make such diamond look slightly yellowish. Yellow gold is a great choice for diamonds that are yellowish color because they can mask their yellowish tints. White gold is harder than yellow gold, so it wears better and holds diamonds more securely.

In the end, the most important thing is that you like the color and that it enhances the look of the diamond.

Sixty times rarer than gold, platinum is only found in a few locations worldwide - Russia's Ural Mountains, South Africa's Merensky Reef, and a few small mines in the U.S. and Canada. Platinum is the most expensive choice for jewelry material. Like gold it also does not corrode, rust or tarnish. It is harder than gold and silver and therefore more suitable for jewelry wear. It has a grayish-white or steel color. Shines well, but less reflective than gold or silver. Platinum is heavier than other metals. For instance it is twice as heavy as silver and about 1.65 times heavier than 14K gold.

Compared to white gold, platinum is more expensive, due to its higher purity, harder, so it wears better and hold diamonds more securely, and it is much heavier. Handling platinum also requires extra work and higher level of expertise so naturally the price of platinum rings is higher than white gold rings.

The answer to "White gold or Platinum?" depends mainly on your budget and the style of ring you want. If you want a simple, elegant ring and money is not the issue than you probably will be better off with a platinum ring. If the funds are limited than white gold is also an excellent choice. It is pretty difficult to tell the difference between a platinum or white gold ring by appearance alone because both are plated with rhodium to achieve a brighter, whiter look.