Your choice of metal for a special piece of jewelry will depend on a number of factors. When asked this question by customers looking for a beautiful piece of jewelry for themselves or a loved one, we often start by asking them a few questions of our own to understand what they need.

Read on to find out what they are, and what to consider when choosing the right metal for you.

My Irish Jeweler Buyer Guide

We hope you find our buyers guide useful in making your choice. We suggest you work through the questions below and if you are still unsure, please do get in touch. We would be delighted to draw on our 50+ years of experience in Irish jewelry to help you.

1) What Color Metal Do You Typically Wear?

Gold or white/silver metals? Perhaps you already have a jewelry collection that you would like a new piece to work alongside? Or you may be looking for a wedding band that will complement an engagement ring.

In these cases, it is wise to match your metals as color varies with metal type and purity. For example, the warmth of yellow gold increases the higher the karat. This is due to greater percentages of pure gold as the karat increase. Thus, if you are looking to find a wedding band to match a 14 karat gold engagement ring, we would recommend a 14 karat gold band as the best match of color and tone.

Yellow gold is an enduringly popular choice for jewelry, but other naturally white and silver metals like platinum are highly favored too.

2) Do You Love Intricate Design or Are You More of a “No Frills” Person?

Some metals like platinum and gold lend themselves particularly well to intricate knot work and sharp detailing. One of our most popular wedding bands is this stunning Book of Kells ring, made with superb enamel detailing which is available in yellow, rose, and white gold, or platinum. The engravings are inspired by the 9th-century Book of Kells manuscript on display at Trinity College in Dublin. We think this black enamel contrasts gorgeously against these highly polished precious metals.

Other metals work very well in harmony with complimentary tones e.g. a two-toned piece with Sterling silver, or rose, yellow, or white gold. This stunning Celtic Cross combines oxidized Sterling silver with 10K gold to great effect.

We consider these factors in the designs of all of our jewelry so you only need to think about what style or design you prefer.

3) What Would You Ideally Like To Spend?

My mother taught me that it is not polite to talk about money! But in this case, it is an important factor in choosing the right metal for your jewelry. We are proud to offer people a range of beautiful pieces that can be achieved across a wide price range. Sterling silver is a lovely and cost-effective option with beautiful results. With a little care, Sterling silver will look stunning for many years.

This striking History of Ireland ring is a beautiful Sterling silver piece that will stand the test of time.

Platinum sits at the other end of the price spectrum for white or silver metals, with its price tag reflecting its rarity. It is a stunning, heavy, and relatively low-maintenance metal that will look fantastic even with everyday wear.

For gold, price is reflected in purity which is measured in Karats (K). Pure Gold is 24 K or 100% gold. However 100% gold is far too soft for use in jewelry regularly worn pieces. As a result, it is mixed with other metals in different percentages to form an alloy that gives it strength or to adapt its color as in rose or white gold.

With a purity of 37.5% gold for 9K, or 41.7% for 10K gold, these are the most affordable options with beautiful color and great hardness. For someone with a little more to spend, 14K has a higher percentage of gold (58%) and this is reflected in the weight of the jewelry and the warmer gold tone. This is our most popular choice for yellow gold jewelry, especially wedding or engagement rings, striking a great balance between cost and purity.

At the top end of the market is 18K gold. It has the highest percentage of gold at 75% and has the heaviest weight and the warmest tone. It is again increasing in popularity for long-term investment pieces like wedding bands or engagement rings.

4) How Hard-Wearing Do You Need Your Jewelry To Be?

This is worth taking some time to consider. Do you intend to wear your new jewelry every day? Perhaps you work with your hands or have a hobby that might be tough on your precious items. In this case, it can be a good idea to opt for a very hard-wearing and tarnish-resistant metal like yellow gold or platinum. If you are looking for earrings, necklaces, or brooches that may not be worn continuously or will not be subjected to as much wear and tear, Sterling silver is a great choice.

For pieces like wedding rings or engagement rings that will be worn every day, this question is especially important. No precious metal is impervious to being damaged, and care should always be taken with all items, but your hands interact with the world daily, and so you need to consider what may impact your rings.

5) Is This Item Going To Be An Heirloom One Day?

Metals like platinum and gold will age very well and maintain their lustre throughout your lifetime with very limited maintenance. You can be confident that pieces crafted in these precious metals will be family heirlooms far into the future. If this is important to you, it can be worthwhile focusing on these metals in your search.

Again, this is especially worth considering for engagement and wedding rings that are likely to be handed down one day. These are hugely sentimental pieces of jewelry, above and beyond their material value.

These impressive Heraldic cufflinks can be personalized with your family coat of arms, making them a lovely piece to pass down the generations.

5) Do you have a nickel or other metal allergy?

If you have a nickel allergy, you should be able to comfortably wear our jewelry. All of our precious metal pieces including Sterling silver, gold and platinum are made according to an EU directive (27 of Annex XVII of the REACH regulation) that restricts the use of nickel in jewelry. However, if you suffer from a severe nickel allergy or have had a reaction to "hypoallergenic" jewelry pieces in the past, we would recommend sticking with platinum, 18K yellow, or 18K rose gold as you may also react to other alloyed metals.

Which metal did you choose?

We hope you are closer to deciding what metal is right for you. If you would like to learn more, you can find out about each of the precious metals we use in our jewelry designs as well as the History of Precious Metal use in ancient Irish Jewelry.

And, of course, we are here if you have any questions. Please don't hesitate to get in contact - we would love to hear from you!