Yellow Gold - Wedding Rings Buyer's Guide

What Is Yellow Gold?

If you want a traditional wedding ring that is resistant to tarnishing, then yellow gold is the choice for you.

Gold in its pure form is too soft to be worn as jewellery, as it would not withstand the everyday stresses that jewellery is exposed to. Instead it is mixed with other metals such as e.g. copper, zinc, silver or cobalt, to make a stronger alloy. A pleasant consequence of alloying gold with other metals is that it the end result is often a different colour - so white and rose golds are now cherished in their own right.

Choosing the Right Karat of Gold

The karat system is used by the jewellery trade to indicate the proportion of gold in an alloy. Wedding Rings Direct sell rings of 9, 18 and 22 karat yellow gold.

22ct yellow gold is the highest karat of gold that we would recommend for jewellery - it is extremely rare to get jewellery any purer than this as it would be so soft that it wouldn't be practical for the purpose. 22ct yellow gold has a gorgeous, buttery yellow colour. As 22ct gold has only a small proportion of other metals, it is still a soft alloy. If you want a higher-value ring with an intense gold tone and a high proportion of gold in the alloy, then 22ct would be the way to go.

9ct yellow gold is made from 37.5% pure gold, with other metals making up the other 62.5%. This proportion of gold vs other metals in the alloy makes it very strong and resilient to daily wear. It still has an unmistakably gold colour, although it is a little less yellow than higher karats. 9ct gold is a wonderful choice for those who are mindful of their budget but still want a luxurious look and harder wearing wedding ring.

18ct yellow gold is made up of 75% pure gold and 25% other metals. It is a happy medium between the vibrant colour and status of 22ct gold, and the durability of 9ct. 18ct gold will develop a patina similar to platinum, but over a longer period of time than 22ct gold.

Caring For Yellow Gold Wedding Rings

Gold does not tarnish, but over time, the ring may dull from contact with detergents, moisturisers and other chemicals. Ideally, you would take the ring off whilst cleaning, swimming, or lifting heavy objects as this will help to preserve the precious metal. If you find that your ring has dulled, then a quick buff with a soft cloth should brighten it up.

Gold will show scratches from every day wear and tear, no matter how careful you are with your wedding ring. As we say with all wedding rings, the first few scratches will be the most obvious but over time it will develop into a more pleasing patina. We can re-polish/refinish the ring for you should you ever want to remove any particularly deep scratches, or return your ring to an "as new" polish.