Comparison
Precious inlay or Sterling silver?
Choose precious inlay if you want real hallmarked gold on the ring without paying for a solid gold one. Choose sterling silver if you want a hallmarked precious ring on a small budget.
- Harder surface: Precious inlay (Mohs 8.5 against 2.75)
- From: precious inlay £385
- Resizing: precious inlay, slightly larger; sterling silver, yes, by a jeweller
Checked .
| Side by side | Precious inlay | Sterling silver |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Two metals in one band | Silver alloy |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 8.5 | 2.75 |
| Density | Varies by design | 10.4 g/cm³ reference |
| Resizing | Slightly larger | Yes, by a jeweller |
| Hallmarked | Yes, by law above the exemption weight | Yes, by law above the exemption weight |
| Our rings from | £385 | See the range |
Which is heavier, precious inlay or sterling silver?
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 precious inlay more expensive than sterling silver?
Precious inlay rings start at £385 in our range. Plain sterling silver bands are not in the range at the moment, and the sterling silver material page shows what is. An inlay ring carries a line of solid gold set into a titanium or zirconium band, where a silver ring is silver all the way through.
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 2.75 for sterling silver, so it picks up fewer everyday marks. Sterling silver marks sooner, and any jeweller can polish it back.
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.
Sterling silver. Sterling tarnishes as well as scratches, and those are two different jobs: a silver cloth lifts tarnish, polishing takes out marks. Both are quick and we do the polishing free.
Can precious inlay and sterling silver rings be resized?
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.
Sterling silver: Yes. A plain sterling silver 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.
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
Precious inlay is hypoallergenic and a common choice for sensitive skin. Sterling silver 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
Precious inlay if you want real hallmarked gold on the ring without paying for a solid gold one. Sterling silver if you want a hallmarked precious ring on a small budget.
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.
Gold line, titanium
Solid gold inlaid down the centre of brushed titanium.
Rose line, titanium
Solid 9ct rose gold down the centre of brushed titanium.
Gold line, black
Solid yellow gold set flush into satin black zirconium.
Explore the fit and weight
Common questions
- Is precious inlay or sterling silver harder wearing?
- Precious inlay has the harder surface: Mohs 8.5 against 2.75 for sterling silver, so it picks up fewer everyday marks. Sterling silver marks sooner, and any jeweller can polish it back.
- Is precious inlay heavier than sterling silver?
- 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 precious inlay more expensive than sterling silver?
- Precious inlay rings start at £385 in our range. Plain sterling silver bands are not in the range at the moment, and the sterling silver material page shows what is. An inlay ring carries a line of solid gold set into a titanium or zirconium band, where a silver ring is silver all the way through.
- Can both be resized?
- 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. Yes. A plain sterling silver 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.
- 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.