Eight metals
Materials
Four numbers decide almost everything about living with a ring: how hard the surface is, how heavy it is, whether it can be resized and whether it carries a hallmark. Here they are side by side, including where each one loses.
| Material | Hardness | Density | Resize | Hallmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anodised zirconium Colour made by voltage | Mohs 8.5 | 6.5 | Not usually | n/a |
| Black zirconium Heat-grown black surface | Mohs 8 | 6.5 | Not usually | n/a |
| Titanium The light one | Grade / finish dependent | 4.5 | Slightly larger | n/a |
| Precious inlay Real gold, contemporary price | Mohs 8.5 | 7.2 | Slightly larger | Yes |
| Sterling silver Hallmarked precious, at the lowest price | Mohs 2.75 | 10.5 | Yes, by a jeweller | Yes |
| 9ct gold Precious, at half the metal cost | Mohs 3.5 | 11.2 | Yes, by a jeweller | Yes |
| 18ct gold The traditional choice | Mohs 3 | 15.6 | Yes, by a jeweller | Yes |
| Platinum 950 The heavy white metal | Mohs 4.5 | 21.4 | Yes, by a jeweller | Yes |
| Palladium 950 White, hallmarked, lighter than platinum | Mohs 4.75 | 12 | Yes, by a jeweller | Yes |
Hardness is Mohs at the surface, which for zirconium means its oxide rather than the metal beneath. Titanium is shown without one wear score because its maker says Grade 5 raises tensile strength, not scratch resistance. Density is g/cm³, and it is what people mean when they say a ring feels substantial. Not sure? The metal chooser asks six questions and gives you one answer.
Anodised zirconium
Colour made by voltage
Zirconium grows its own oxide layer under electrical current, and the thickness of that layer decides the colour.
Black zirconium
Heat-grown black surface
Heating zirconium forms a black ceramic oxide at its surface.
Titanium
The light one
Titanium is by a distance the lightest metal we make rings in.
Precious inlay
Real gold, contemporary price
A channel machined into titanium or black zirconium and filled with solid 9ct gold or platinum.
Sterling silver
Hallmarked precious, at the lowest price
925 sterling, hallmarked, resizable by a jeweller, and by a distance the least expensive way to own one.
9ct gold
Precious, at half the metal cost
37.5% gold against 18ct's 75%, so roughly half the metal cost in a year when bullion set an all time record.
18ct gold
The traditional choice
75% gold, in yellow, white or rose.
Platinum 950
The heavy white metal
The densest thing we sell at 21.4 g per cubic centimetre, nearly five times titanium.
Palladium 950
White, hallmarked, lighter than platinum
Naturally white like platinum, hypoallergenic like platinum, hallmarkable since 2010, and a little over half the weight.