What you should know when choosing a wedding ring

You usually have five wedding ring choices; gold, white gold, platinum, titanium, and silver. Each specific type has its pros and cons.

There's some things to take into account in choosing a ring, from selecting the metals, karat, and color, to selecting a type that fits your personality and budget. The following paragraphs will provide practical guidance in picking a wedding ring.

The most popular wedding ring is gold. Gold is a soft precious metal that is classified by color and karats. Your options are yellow gold, white cold, and rose gold. The most common karats for gold rings are 14 and 18. Meaning a14 karat gold ring has 58 percent gold and 41 percent other metals such as copper and zinc. 18 karat gold jewelry contains 75 percent pure gold and 20 percent alloys. 24 karat gold rings are made out of 100 percent pure gold. 24 karat gold is usually not used for making rings. This is because the more gold in the ring, the softer the ring is. The softer the ring turns out to be, the less it will endure the elements and the shorter life span the ring will have. 14 and 18 karat gold will not tarnish, but there are those who are allergic to it, so selecting a gold wedding band may not be a possibility. 14k yellow or gold rings retail from 60 to 5,000 dollars. 18k yellow or white gold wedding rings go for 85 to 5,000 dollars.

Platinum is a dazzling white precious metal that will never fade. It is a very dense, heavy precious metal that is the strongest of the precious metals, but it is too soft for bands. Despite the fact that platinum is a 95 percent pure white metal, ruthenium and iridium must be mixed in for strength. Platinum wedding rings tend to feel heavier on the finger, but are extremely strong and a recommended choice for wedding bands. Platinum is also hypo-allergenic. Platinum rings will cost from 350 to 5,000 dollars.

Titanium is the most solid metal known, but it is less known in wedding rings. This metal is safe for allergies and can be inlaid with gold, silver, or platinum to create beautiful bands that will last for a lifetime. When electricity or heat is is administered, Titanium oxidizes which then helps the metal to seem colored. Typically, colors are purple, blue, and iridescent. Titanium wedding rings can not be soldered, so they can't be resized. It is also one of the harder metals to cut through should the ring need to be extricated due to an emergency. Titanium bands retail from 150.00 to 4,000 dollars.

Silver is a quite soft white metal that is prone to wear and tear. Silver wedding rings are perfect for people who are on a small budget. However, because the metal is quite soft, silver wedding rings will not endure nearly as long as gold, platinum, or titanium wedding rings. Silver bands will go for 50 to 200 dollars.

Rev. John Souter is the founder and main minister for Maui Me(R) Inc., a Maui Wedding company. He can be reached at Maui Weddingsin Hawaii or by calling him on his toll free number: 1-800-856-3270.