Rose gold has a unique look and a timeless elegance–but is this precious metal the right choice for your wedding ring? Decide for yourself as we share everything you need to know about rose gold wedding bands.
What is Rose Gold?
Like yellow gold and white gold, rose gold is a gold alloy that’s popularly used to make fine jewelry. These gold alloys are a mixture of pure gold and other metals that add strength to the gold. Pure gold is too soft to use in jewelry–a pure gold ring would get dented and bent with everyday wear. Rose gold, on the other hand, is an excellent choice for daily wear due to its strength.
Rose gold is a mixture of pure gold and copper, and sometimes white metals such as silver. This combination of metals creates rose gold’s signature pinkish gold color. Rose gold can vary in hue depending on its exact gold and copper content, and whether it contains white metals. Rose gold can range from a vibrant coppery gold to a pale pink.
If you want to know how much pure gold is in rose gold, look at its karat. Karat is a measurement of how much pure gold is in a gold alloy. 24 karat is 100% pure gold, 18 karat is 75% pure gold, and 14 karat is 58.3% pure gold. So, if you see a piece of jewelry described as “18k rose gold,” it is 75% pure gold.
Some think that a higher karat gold is always better, but that’s not necessarily the case. The right karat for you depends on your personal preferences. Higher karat rose gold has more gold content, which makes it a bit softer and gives it a more yellow color compared to lower karat rose gold. Both are excellent options, but you may prefer one over the other depending on what you want in terms of strength, color, and gold content.
Unique Style of Rose Gold
Many people are drawn to rose gold due to its unique look. While rose gold is one of the most popular precious metals, it’s a less popular choice compared to yellow gold and white gold. Rose gold rings are comparatively rare, so they have a stand-out quality.
Some are also drawn to rose gold because it has a rather romantic aesthetic. Rose gold is the only pink precious metal and its rosy color makes it quite a romantic choice.
Rose gold was very popular in certain vintage eras, especially the Victorian era, so many consider it to have a vintage style. You’ll find rose gold rings in a huge range of styles, but it’s a particularly popular choice for vintage-inspired designs due to its history.
Whether you’re drawn to unique, romantic, or vintage rings, a rose gold ring could be your perfect fit.
Beautiful Patina of Rose Gold
One thing to consider about rose gold is the fact that it develops a patina. A patina is a thin layer that develops on certain metals due to oxygen exposure. Copper develops a strong patina and rose gold is a copper alloy, so rose gold jewelry will develop a patina over time.
Rose gold’s patina makes it look richer and deeper with age, which many people love. However, if you want a rose gold ring but don’t like the idea of a patina, know that you can always have your patina polished off.
Rose Gold and Skin Undertones
Thanks to its mixture of cool and warm tones, rose gold is a universally flattering metal color. Rose gold has a neutral undertone that looks lovely on people of all skin tones. Whether your skin undertone is cool, warm, or neutral, rose gold is the perfect choice.
Caring for Rose Gold
Rose gold is a durable and low maintenance precious metal. Rose gold is the strongest gold alloy due to its high copper content. The composition of rose gold also means it doesn’t tarnish, and instead develops a patina over time. Rose gold jewelry should still be cleaned from time to time, but it generally requires less upkeep than many other metals.
All you need to clean rose gold jewelry at home is gentle dish soap, warm water, a soft toothbrush, and a soft cloth. Never use harsh chemicals on gold jewelry, especially rose gold. Chemicals can cause a reaction with certain metals, leading to damage or discoloration. Copper is particularly sensitive to many of the chemicals found in household cleaning supplies, so remember to stick to soap and water when cleaning your rose gold pieces.
Rose Gold vs. Pink Gold
Is there a difference between rose gold and pink gold? What about rose gold and red gold?
Rose gold, pink gold, and red gold are three names for the same thing: a gold alloy with substantial copper content. A jeweler might choose to call a rose gold piece by a different name if it looks particularly pink or red. But, ultimately, they’re all still gold alloys with a golden pink tone.
Rose Gold and Colored Gemstones
White diamonds are the most common accent stone option for rose gold rings, but they’re far from your only option. Rose gold looks lovely with a wide range of gemstones, including pink diamonds, morganite, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and black diamonds.
Final Thoughts
Offering timeless beauty and impressive strength, a rose gold engagement ring or wedding band is a wonderful choice. Discover more beautiful rose gold rings in our online selection or in person at our Los Angeles showroom.