The difference between 14K and 10K Gold and Platinum is the percentage of gold that is contained in a piece of gold jewelry, the softness of the metal, and final cost.
10K GOLD
10K gold contains 41.7% gold and 58.3% alloy, which means it contains more alloy than gold and therefore is a less expensive option. Pure gold is a soft metal that tends to bend and scratch very easily, so since 10K gold has the most alloy in it, it’s more durable (less soft) than 14K gold.
14K GOLD
14K gold contains 58.5% gold and 41.5% alloy and is usually the most popular choice for wedding rings and engagement rings. Since it contains more gold, 14K is more expensive. In terms of the color, 10K gold looks slightly more pale than 14K gold. Usually you won't be able to see the difference with your bare eyes.14K White Gold is very strong and will not scratch as easily as Platinum. However, White Gold is actually more of a yellow gold and has a bright white coloring due to Rhodium Plating. Over time the Rhodium plating can wear off causing the ring to appear slightly “champagney". In the future you may need to Rhodium plate the ring again to get it back to the bright white coloring.
PLATINUM
Platinum is more dense and so you need more of it to make a ring. Additionally, platinum rings are usually 95% pure platinum, while 14k gold is only 58.5% gold. Therefore, platinum rings are more expensive.
Platinum is a strong and sturdy metal however, it does scratch a bit more easily than 14K White Gold and will develop a matte finish over time. If you want to get it back to a bright white finish it will need repolishing. We also recommend increasing the band width for platinum to 1.5mm to ensure the ring stays strong.
COLOR OVER TIME:Since White Gold rings have a percentage of yellow gold in them, they are typically Rhodium Plated so you may have to get it re-plated after a few years. With Platinum, over time, it will fade and begin to lose its shiny finish, and will need to be polished again over time.
*We offer 18K and Platinum upon request
