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Which ring metal is right for you?

For most people, 14K gold is the sweet spot. Gold comes in white, yellow and rose, and its karat sets the gold content: 10K is 41.7%, 14K is 58.3% and 18K is 75%. Platinum is 95% pure, naturally white and much heavier. Compare them side by side below, or take the five-question quiz.

Lowest upkeep

Yellow gold, rose gold or platinum: none need plating.

Kindest to sensitive skin

Platinum, or a higher-karat yellow or rose gold.

Updated November 2026 · Metal values use a daily reference price · Reviewed by the Friendly Diamonds jewelry team

Part of the Engagement Ring Guide

14K white gold

58.3% gold

Drag to turn

Metal value todayReference price · updated Nov 4, 2026

10K gold$52.80/g

14K gold$73.91/g

18K gold$95.03/g

22K gold$116.15/g

24K gold$126.71/g

Pt 950 platinum$42.91/g

Gold reference$3,941/oz

Platinum reference$1,405/oz

Side by side

Compare your metals

Pick up to four metals and switch the color or karat on any card. The summary, spec sheet, wear simulator and value calculator all follow your picks.

Platinum

Naturally white, weighty and hypoallergenic.

95%pure platinum

Color

Karat

14K white gold

Crisp white for everyday wear.

58.3%pure gold

Color

Karat

14K yellow gold

The everyday balance of color and strength.

58.3%pure gold

Color

Karat

14K rose gold

Our most-loved blush tone.

58.3%pure gold

Color

Karat

Most precious metalPlatinum

Toughest everyday wear14K white gold & 14K yellow gold & 14K rose gold

Lowest upkeepPlatinum & 14K yellow gold & 14K rose gold

Kindest to sensitive skinPlatinum

Want the full story on one pair? Read our in-depth comparisons: white vs yellow gold, 14K vs 18K white gold and gold vs platinum.

Beyond price: how they live on the hand

Show only differences

Compare	Platinum	14K white gold	14K yellow gold	14K rose gold
Precious metal content	95%Leads	58.3%	58.3%	58.3%
Scratch resistance	Moderate	High	High	High
Low upkeep	Minimal	Re-plating	Minimal	Minimal
Skin friendly	ExcellentLeads	Check alloy	Very good	Very good
Weight of a classic solitaire	≈ 4.1 g	≈ 2.6 g	≈ 2.6 g	≈ 2.6 g
Metal value in that ring	≈ $196	≈ $195	≈ $196	≈ $195
Color	Naturally greyish white that stays white	Bright white under rhodium; warm grey beneath	Warm mid-yellow	Classic blush pink
How it wears	Develops a satin patina; metal moves rather than wearing away	Fine scratches polish out; tiny amounts of metal lost over years	Fine scratches polish out; tiny amounts of metal lost over years	Fine scratches polish out; tiny amounts of metal lost over years
Upkeep	No plating; polish for a high shine	Rhodium re-plating every 1–3 years	No plating; occasional polish	No plating; occasional polish
Sensitive skin	Hypoallergenic for most people	May contain nickel; ask for nickel-free	Generally well tolerated	Generally well tolerated
Best for	No plating, sensitive skin, an heirloom feel	Bright white at a gentle price, worn every day	Most people: color, strength and value	Romantic color with everyday durability

Durability and skin notes describe typical alloys. Exact recipes vary by manufacturer; each product page lists the alloy used.

Fast-forward

How each metal ages

Press play or drag the slider to see ten years of everyday wear, side by side with the day each ring was new. Then switch on routine care to see what a quick re-plate or polish brings back.

NewFresh from the workshop

Years of wear

New2 yrs4 yrs6 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Platinum

ColorTrue color

ShineMirror polish

High polish, naturally white.

No plating, ever

14K white gold

ColorTrue color

ShineMirror polish

Freshly rhodium-plated: bright, icy white.

Re-plate every 1–3 years

14K yellow gold

ColorTrue color

ShineMirror polish

High polish, color that goes all the way through.

Polish every few years

14K rose gold

ColorTrue color

ShineMirror polish

High polish, color that goes all the way through.

Polish every few years

Your 10-year care plan

What each metal you’re comparing will need. Every service here is a quick visit to a jeweler.

Metal	Rhodium re-plating	Polishing	Prong check	How it looks over time
Platinum	Never	Optional, any time	Every 1–2 years	Settles into a satin patina
14K white gold	Every 1–3 years	With each re-plate	Every 1–2 years	Bright white, warming slowly between re-plates
14K yellow gold	Never	Every few years	Every 1–2 years	Color stays true; fine scratches polish out
14K rose gold	Never	Every few years	Every 1–2 years	Color stays true; fine scratches polish out

What it’s worth

Today’s metal prices

What the pure gold or platinum in each alloy is worth right now, per gram. Same karat means the same gold value, whether it’s white, yellow or rose.

10K41.7%

$52.80

gold value per gram · in our rings

14K58.3%

$73.91

gold value per gram · in our rings

18K75%

$95.03

gold value per gram · in our rings

22K91.7%

$116.15

gold value per gram · not used in our rings

24K100%

$126.71

gold value per gram · not used in our rings

Pt 95095%

$42.91

platinum value per gram · in our rings

Reference price · updated Nov 4, 2026Gold $3,941/troy oz · platinum $1,405/troy oz · source: gold-api.com spotUpdated daily by the Friendly Diamonds team; values are for the pure metal only

The metal in your ring

Size the ring and pick a style. We work out how much it weighs in each metal you’re comparing, and what the precious metal inside is worth today.

Ring size (US)6

Band width2.0 mm

Setting style

Platinum

4.11 g ring · 3.90 g pure platinum

$176metal value

14K white gold

2.58 g ring · 1.51 g pure gold

$191metal value

14K yellow gold

2.60 g ring · 1.52 g pure gold

$192metal value

14K rose gold

2.58 g ring · 1.51 g pure gold

$191metal value

In platinum this ring weighs 1.6× as much as in 14K white gold (4.1 g vs 2.6 g). Even so, its metal is worth about the same as the gold version at today’s prices, because platinum trades well below gold per gram. Platinum rings often cost more mainly because platinum is harder to cast and finish.

How we calculate this

Ring weight = band volume (from inner diameter, width and a 1.6 mm comfort-fit thickness) plus the head for the setting style, multiplied by each metal’s typical density. Metal value = ring weight × purity × reference price per gram.

This is the raw precious metal only, not a quote or resale offer. A finished ring’s price also covers the other alloy metals, casting, finishing, setting and the stone. Actual weights vary by design; product pages list the metal weight.

The alchemy of gold

Mix your own alloy

Every gold color comes from just three ingredients. Drag the marker anywhere in the triangle: closer to a corner means more of that metal. The lines show where each karat begins.

14KWarm yellow

Gold Silver Copper

A piece is stamped at the highest standard it fully meets. This blend meets the 14K standard.

Gold value: $73.87 per gram of this alloy, or about $222 for a 3 g ring.

Real alloys often add zinc, and white gold needs palladium or nickel. This lab is for learning, not a manufacturing recipe.

Still deciding?

Find your metal in five questions

The guide

Everything that matters, in plain words

Karat, explained

Karat measures how much of a piece is pure gold, out of 24 parts. 24K is pure gold; 18K is 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals, or 75%. 14K is 58.3% and 10K is 41.7%. The rest is an alloy of metals like silver, copper, zinc, palladium or nickel, which gives gold its color and strength.

Look inside a ring and you’ll usually find the purity stamped as parts per thousand: 585 for 14K, 750 for 18K and 950 for platinum. Shopping in the UK or India? You’ll also see 9ct (375) in the UK and 22K (916) in India.

10K yellow gold ring — 10K41.7% gold, palest

18K yellow gold ring — 18K75% gold, richest

14K14 of 24 parts are pure gold: 58.3%

Where color comes from

Pure gold is always yellow. Yellow gold balances silver and copper; rose gold leans on copper for its blush; white gold uses whitening metals and is usually plated with rhodium for a bright, icy finish. Two rings of the same karat hold exactly the same amount of gold, whatever their color.

Platinum is a different metal altogether. Our platinum is 95% pure and naturally greyish white, so it never needs plating to stay white.

White gold ring — White goldRhodium-plated

Yellow gold ring — Yellow goldSilver and copper

Durability and wear

Lower karats contain more alloy metal, which makes them harder and better at resisting scratches and dents. That’s why 14K is the everyday favorite and 18K, with its richer color, is a touch softer.

Platinum wears differently. It scratches about as easily as 18K gold, but the metal moves rather than wearing away, so it settles into a soft satin patina and the prongs keep their bulk for decades.

White gold and yellow gold solitaire engagement rings on stone steps — Six-prong solitaires in white and yellow gold. Prongs are the first thing to check as any ring ages.

Care and upkeep

Yellow and rose gold need only an occasional clean and polish. White gold needs fresh rhodium plating every one to three years, depending on wear. Platinum needs no plating; polish it if you prefer a high shine. Whatever the metal, have the prongs checked every 6 to 12 months, or every 3 to 6 months for pavé and eternity bands worn daily.

Polished yellow gold wedding bands — Yellow and rose gold keep their color all the way through, so a polish is all they need.

What you pay for

Higher karats cost more because they contain more gold. Platinum trades below gold per ounce today, but a platinum ring weighs far more, is 95% pure and is harder to cast and finish, so finished platinum rings often cost more than 14K gold. The metal is only part of the price: design, craftsmanship and the stone make up the rest.

Platinum solitaire — PlatinumSame design weighs ≈ 4.1 g

14K white gold solitaire — 14K white goldSame design weighs ≈ 2.6 g

Questions people ask

All metals FAQs

Which metal is best for an engagement ring?

For everyday wear, 14K gold balances durability and price. Platinum suits people who want a white metal without plating, or have sensitive skin.

What is the difference between 10K, 14K and 18K gold?

Karat measures gold content out of 24 parts: 10K is 41.7% gold, 14K is 58.3% and 18K is 75%. Lower karats are harder and cost less; higher karats have richer color and more gold value.

How often does white gold need re-plating?

Typically every one to three years, depending on how hard the ring is worn. Re-plating is a quick jeweler service that restores the bright white finish.

What do 375, 585, 750 and 950 mean?

They’re fineness stamps: parts per thousand of pure metal. 375 is 9K gold, 585 is 14K, 750 is 18K, 916 is 22K, and 950 is 95% pure platinum.

How current are the metal prices on this page?

They use a daily reference price for gold and platinum, updated by our team, and the date of the last update is shown next to them. They show the value of the pure metal only, not the price of a finished ring.

Is the metal value the price of the ring?

No. It is only the value of the precious metal at today’s reference price. A finished ring also includes the other alloy metals, casting, finishing, setting and the stone.

Why can’t rose gold be 24K?

24K is pure gold, and pure gold is yellow. Rose gold gets its color from copper, so it always contains alloy metals.

Go deeper

Metal comparisons in depth, from our blog

This guide gives you the tools: compare, age, value and mix metals side by side. For the full story on one pair or one karat, read the in-depth articles below.

Gold colors compared

Karats explained

Platinum

See it in your metal

Every setting is made to order in the metal you choose.

Shop settings Browse complete rings

White and yellow gold solitaire engagement rings