What is the Best Metal for Jewelry? Find Your Perfect Fit
Gold jewelry and silver jewelry are staples, but more metal options exist to explore. While there’s no definitive, overall best metal for jewelry, there are best jewelry metals for jewelry making, specific uses, and wearers.
What You Will Learn
5 Popular Metals to Make Jewelry and When to Buy Them
Gold
You could write an entire guide on the different types of gold—pure gold, rose gold, white gold, gold with rhodium plating—and the various subtypes of gold jewelry, such as gold-filled and gold-plated.
In simplest terms, gold is one of the most common precious metals, thanks to its wide availability and high demand. However, solid gold is too soft to be considered among the best metals for jewelry making. Most gold jewelry at a jewelry store is gold alloys, which is gold mixed with other metals. The higher the percentage of pure gold in a piece, the more expensive the jewelry.
You can find gold used for everything from fine jewelry to everyday wedding bands to body piercing jewelry.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver consists of pure silver mixed with different metals, as pure silver on its own. Like pure gold, sterling silver is too soft to be viewed as the best metal for jewelry making.
Sterling silver is a popular choice due to its appearance, similar to white gold. However, sterling silver is a more affordable jewelry metal. You do, though, get what you pay for. Sterling silver is relatively high maintenance, and you must polish and clean it regularly. Unlike gold, sterling silver is not suitable for engagement and wedding rings.
Note that just because sterling silver is a metal alloy, do not confuse it with nickel silver. Nickel silver looks like silver but does not use silver as its base metal; instead, it is just a mix of copper, nickel, and zinc.
Platinum
Platinum jewelry has many pros. It’s a highly durable metal that is hypoallergenic, great for sensitive skin or those with metal allergies. It’s also corrosion-resistant.
However, it is one of the most expensive metals. Jewelry shoppers often save up to buy essential platinum pieces, such as wedding rings or engagement rings.
Most platinum jewelry is not 100% pure platinum but a mix of platinum and iridium, palladium, or ruthenium.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is growing in popularity among the best metals for jewelry. This jewelry material derives from metal alloys comprising multiple metals such as nickel, titanium, and chromium. It’s versatile and comes in an array of hues and finishes. It’s not difficult to care for. It’s also more affordable than some other jewelry metals on this list. Stainless steel is likewise hypoallergenic and often used for body jewelry and piercings.
Tungsten
As the hardest natural metal and used as the best material for jewelry, tungsten has gained popularity among those looking for an ultra-durable best jewelry material that can stand up to daily wear with no problem. Tungsten offers a dark gray appearance and is heavyweight. It’s popular for making jewelry for men.
Suggested Read: Tungsten vs Stainless Steel
What is the Best Jewelry Metal for Your Needs?
So, which is the best jewelry metal for your needs? It depends on a few factors.
What is Your Budget?
First and foremost, what is your budget? The price tag for a plain sterling silver ring and the price tag for a plain platinum ring will look very different, even if the average shopper won’t notice that much difference between the two rings at first glance.
Note that a lot goes into a piece of jewelry’s price other than the precious metal used. Suppose you have your heart set on a higher-priced metal. In that case, you may be able to lower the cost of, for example, an engagement ring by choosing a cheaper diamond and setting, allowing you to buy the precious metal you want.
What is Your Intended Use?
What are you shopping for, specifically? Are you looking for something special, like an engagement ring or gift? Or do you want something you can wear daily with casual outfits without worrying about damage or maintenance upkeep?
Choose a durable, precious metal that will last if you want something special. If you don’t care about how long the piece lasts, save your cash and buy costume jewelry instead.
What is Your Lifestyle?
Lastly, think about your lifestyle and how much it will impact the piece of jewelry. If you live a very active lifestyle and wish to always wear jewelry, choose a more durable precious metal, like stainless steel or tungsten.
Best Metal Jewelry FAQs
What are the noble metals?
Noble metals include metals that resist corrosion and oxidation. They include some precious metals used for jewelry making but also a few that aren’t as popular for jewelry. They include gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, and iridium.
What jewelry metal is most durable?
Generally, the most durable jewelry metals are titanium, platinum, and tungsten.
What metals do you not want for jewelry?
Some very cheap metals either won’t hold up over time or could cause an allergic reaction. Avoid metals like nickel, brass, and copper for jewelry unless used in an alloy. Even then, avoid alloys that use these metals if you have particularly sensitive skin.
What metals won’t tarnish?
Stainless steel and titanium are tarnish-resistant and overall very durable. If you’re worried about tarnishing, either is a good pick.
What are the best jewelry metals to wear every day?
Gold, sterling silver, platinum, stainless steel, and tungsten are all great jewelry metals. However, pick the metal that best suits your life, work, budget, and personal style.
Protect Your Jewelry — No Matter What It’s Made From!
Protect all your favorite pieces with comprehensive and specialized jewelry insurance, no matter the type of jewelry or precious metals you choose. BriteCo can help ensure that your jewelry has coverage in the case of loss, theft, damage, mysterious disappearance, and more.
Related Articles:
How Much is Permanent Jewelry?
How to Sell Jewelry?
Jewelry Warranty vs. Jewelry Insurance
How Long Do Ear Piercings Take to Heal?
Different Types of Ear Piercings
A Guide to Ancient Egyptian Jewelry & Its Meaning
Are Americans Using Travel Jewelry Dupes
Pumpkin Spice Jewelry Ideas
Quiz:
The Engagement Ring Calculator You’ve Been Searching For and it’s FREE!
UP NEXT: 80% of Americans Buy Fine Jewelry for Themselves – BriteCo
Author
