Comparison
9ct gold or Precious inlay?
Choose 9ct gold if you want a hallmarked gold ring that wears harder than 18ct and costs less. Choose precious inlay if you want real hallmarked gold on the ring without paying for a solid gold one.
- Harder surface: Precious inlay (Mohs 8.5 against 3.5)
- From: 9ct gold £515, precious inlay £385
- Resizing: 9ct gold, yes, by a jeweller; precious inlay, slightly larger
Checked .
| Side by side | 9ct gold | Precious inlay |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Gold alloy, colour varies | Two metals in one band |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 3.5 | 8.5 |
| Density | 11.4 g/cm³ reference | Varies by design |
| Resizing | Yes, by a jeweller | Slightly larger |
| Hallmarked | Yes, by law above the exemption weight | Yes, by law above the exemption weight |
| Our rings from | £515 | £385 |
Which is heavier, 9ct gold or precious inlay?
An inlay ring weighs what its titanium or zirconium base weighs plus a little for the gold line, so it sits much closer to the base metal than to solid gold. Every ring page gives the weight of that band.
Is 9ct gold more expensive than precious inlay?
Precious inlay costs less: 9ct gold rings start at £515 and precious inlay rings at £385 in our range. An inlay ring carries a line of solid gold rather than a whole band of it, which is why it costs less than 9ct gold.
Every ring is made to order in your size, and engraving is free on every ring whose page offers it.
Which is harder wearing?
Precious inlay has the harder surface: Mohs 8.5 against 3.5 for 9ct gold, so it picks up fewer everyday marks. 9ct gold marks sooner, and any jeweller can polish it back.
9ct gold. 9ct is 37.5% gold and the harder of the two gold alloys, which matters more on a ring worn every day than the carat number does. All gold picks up marks with wear, and any jeweller can polish them out; polishing takes a very small amount of metal each time, so it is an occasional refresh rather than a routine. White gold is often rhodium plated, and a jeweller can replate it when it starts to look warm.
Precious inlay. Solid gold set flush into a titanium or zirconium band and hallmarked at Birmingham. The two metals wear at different rates, so the gold picks up marks first, and it polishes back. The inlay is a few millimetres of gold, not a gold ring, and we give the weight on every product page.
Want the deepest gold colour? 18ct is 75% gold against 9ct's 37.5%. Compare 18ct gold and precious inlay
Can 9ct gold and precious inlay rings be resized?
9ct gold: Yes. A plain 9ct gold band can be made larger or smaller by a jeweller, the way wedding rings have always been resized. The exception is a band set with stones all the way round, where there is nowhere to cut without disturbing a stone, so on those the size is settled when you order.
Precious inlay: Often, a little larger. On a titanium base the inside of the band can be machined to make it slightly bigger, though not smaller, and it is never stretched, so the inlay stays exactly as it was made. On a black zirconium base the colour is grown into the surface, so the size is settled when you order and the ring is made to it.
Either way, getting the size right first is the easy part: the free ring size finder measures it at home in a couple of minutes, and the resizing guide explains the differences between metals.
Sensitive skin and hallmarks
9ct gold is a gold alloy, and white gold can be alloyed with nickel, so if you know you react to nickel, a hypoallergenic metal such as platinum, titanium or zirconium is the easy choice. Precious inlay is hypoallergenic and a common choice for sensitive skin. The metal allergy guide explains what causes a rash under a ring.
Gold, silver, platinum and palladium are hallmarked by law above the exemption weights. The marks go inside the band, where you can read the fineness for yourself. The UK hallmarking guide explains each mark.
Our verdict
9ct gold if you want a hallmarked gold ring that wears harder than 18ct and costs less. Precious inlay if you want real hallmarked gold on the ring without paying for a solid gold one.
Not sure on width? The band width guide shows what each width looks like and weighs, and the metal chooser weighs the metals up against how you will wear the ring.
In these materials
Rings to look at
Rings made in, or available in, the two materials above, each with its current price, widths and finishes on its own page.
Slim band
Two millimetres of solid gold, narrow enough to sit close to an engagement ring.
Gold line, titanium
Solid gold inlaid down the centre of brushed titanium.
Soft ridge
The face rises to a gentle ridge, so the light runs along the finger.
Explore the fit and weight
Common questions
- Is 9ct gold or precious inlay harder wearing?
- Precious inlay has the harder surface: Mohs 8.5 against 3.5 for 9ct gold, so it picks up fewer everyday marks. 9ct gold marks sooner, and any jeweller can polish it back.
- Is 9ct gold heavier than precious inlay?
- An inlay ring weighs what its titanium or zirconium base weighs plus a little for the gold line, so it sits much closer to the base metal than to solid gold. Every ring page gives the weight of that band.
- Is 9ct gold more expensive than precious inlay?
- Precious inlay costs less: 9ct gold rings start at £515 and precious inlay rings at £385 in our range. An inlay ring carries a line of solid gold rather than a whole band of it, which is why it costs less than 9ct gold.
- Can both be resized?
- Yes. A plain 9ct gold band can be made larger or smaller by a jeweller, the way wedding rings have always been resized. The exception is a band set with stones all the way round, where there is nowhere to cut without disturbing a stone, so on those the size is settled when you order. Often, a little larger. On a titanium base the inside of the band can be machined to make it slightly bigger, though not smaller, and it is never stretched, so the inlay stays exactly as it was made. On a black zirconium base the colour is grown into the surface, so the size is settled when you order and the ring is made to it.
- Are both hallmarked?
- Gold, silver, platinum and palladium are hallmarked by law above the exemption weights. The marks go inside the band, where you can read the fineness for yourself.