Tips from the jewelry manufacturer. We asked jeweler, master goldsmith and gemstone appraiser Andreas Ableitner what to look for when choosing wedding rings to ensure that they will bring you joy for a lifetime.
hochzeits-location.info: What quality criteria should the bride and groom pay attention to?
Andreas Ableitner: It starts like a dish with the choice of the right ingredients. We always alloy "fresh". Unless the customer specifically requests it, no old gold should be used, as this can have a negative effect on the properties of the alloy.
The quality of the alloy is essential for the properties of the rings. The alloy should be homogeneous, have no cavities, be hard but also elastic. Fine gold recycled according to the strictest environmental criteria (*Responsible Gold Guidance certified) is fair to nature and provides a clear starting point for production. Due to the above-average stress on wedding rings, it is important that the rings have a solid material thickness and are well compacted. Material loss occurs not only from abrasion through wear - the door handle is the ring's great enemy - but also from the goldsmith's freshening of the rings. It is therefore important that the material thickness is not chosen too thin from the start. The rings should not bend even after years if you lift something heavy. Rings with a material thickness of 1.80 mm or more can be considered solid. Personal perception of material thickness varies greatly: 1.80 mm can already be perceived as the maximum by some wearers. Others have no problem with 2.5 mm and more and appreciate the resulting solid appearance of their rings. The perception of the material thickness should be considered in conjunction with the profile, width and surface finish. A ring with an oval cross-section/profile with a material thickness of 2.2 mm feels completely different to a ring with a rectangular cross-section.
Rings with a ring size of 54, for example, can fit you very differently! This depends on the width and cross-section of the ring. Is the ring flat or domed on the inside? All of this can lead to a very different wearing experience.
Therefore, we recommend choosing rings on site at a jeweler or goldsmith and not making the final decision online.
In addition to the design, the material - gold or platinum - is an important question when choosing wedding rings. What quality differences should the bride and groom be aware of?
In addition to choosing the right width, material thickness and profile/cross-section, the choice of the preferred precious metal also plays a major role. Here you should insist that you only be shown rings made of genuine materials. Only these will give you a feel for your future rings. Because in addition to the original color of the gold alloy, the weight also plays a role. Fake materials are not able to give you the real feeling and sensation when wearing them. In addition, you have to know that 14-carat gold feels different to 18-carat gold and completely different again to 950/000 platinum. Which brings us to the next topic: the color of the material.
White, yellow or rose gold, platinum or a white or black rhodium-plated surface? Matte or shiny wedding rings, with or without stones? What options do couples have when choosing their wedding rings?
This is a question of personal style and preference. Pure 999/000 gold would be too soft for the rings. To improve the properties of the gold and achieve different colors, silver, copper or palladium are added. Nickel is no longer used because it often causes allergies.
So which gold color should you choose for your wedding rings? Usually, a personal preference is formed through impressions and experiences, and you choose a color intuitively. If this is the case for a couple in different ways, this would not be a problem at all. It is of course permitted, and is often requested, for the two partners to choose a different gold color. The rings can otherwise harmonize very well in terms of design. If you are unsure about which gold color to choose for your wedding rings, some platforms give tips on how to determine your own color type in order to then choose the right gold color. Cooler skin color (blue veins) for platinum and white gold or warm skin tone (green veins) for yellow gold. Rose gold is considered the golden mean and a subtle color. It is not for nothing that many luxury watches from renowned brands are made in this gold color.
If you prefer the color white, you should know that white gold rings are usually rhodium-plated on the surface (rhodium is a platinum metal). Rhodium is hard, but the metal rubs off on door handles over time. The underlying, slightly reddish-gray white gold becomes visible over time. For rings from our own factory, we offer the renewal of the rhodium as a free service.
White gold containing palladium and not rhodium-plated is more grayish. If you like the color, you have the advantage that the color is permanent. If you choose your rings in platinum, no rhodium is necessary and the color is almost as white as rhodium!
* The abbreviation LBMA stands for London Bullion Market Association and refers to the organization that sets and controls global standards for trading in gold and silver. In addition to many other tasks, the LBMA in London also maintains a Good Delivery list that transparently lists all refiners that meet the standards, thus ensuring that the quality and origin of the precious metals can be proven. The supplier of the Ableitner manufactory is on the Good Delivery list and is certified according to Responsible Gold Guidance.
Interesting facts about the interviewee: Andreas Ableitner is a jeweler, master goldsmith and certified gemstone appraiser. With a passion for high-quality materials, unique designs and enthusiasm for the wishes of his customers, he is the second generation to run the Ableitner jewelery business and manufactory in Lieboch near Graz. The family business is one of the few real manufacturers in Austria where jewelry in every price range and suitable for every occasion is made entirely in the company's own workshop, from the design to the finishing touches. For many years, according to Schmuck Magazin, Ableitner jeweler has been one of the TOP 100 jewelers in German-speaking countries and, with its in-house manufactory, is constantly producing new pieces of jewelry that have already won many international competitions.
www.ableitner.com
Related Links:
The LBMA in London
Use the color type analysis to determine the right gold color for your skin type
For further reading: Jewellery glossary Cover photo: Croce & Wir © Leonard Ableitner GmbH
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