Classic · 9ct or 18ct gold
Greek key, gold, 3mm in 9ct or 18ct gold
From £585
A Greek key border cut in a continuous line around the band.
Three millimetres with a Greek key meander engraved as an unbroken border around the whole face, the pattern that has run along Greek architecture for three thousand years. The border runs unbroken the whole way round rather than stopping at the shoulders, which is the part most engraved bands get wrong. About 1.6g in 9ct and 2.3g in 18ct.
Made to order · About 4 weeks · posted insured
Before you order, in one place
- What you are buying
- Greek key, gold, 9ct or 18ct gold, made to order in your size. 3mm wide.
- Price
- £585 in 9ct gold, £885 in 18ct gold. UK delivery is included and nothing is added at checkout.
- When it arrives
- About 4 weeks to make, then one working day insured and signed for. Delivery in full
- Changing your mind
- 14 days from delivery, return postage paid. The cancellation right
- Who you are contracting with
- Trothe Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 17431230, Lytchett House, 13 Freeland Park, Wareham Road, Poole, Dorset, BH16 6FA. Questions and complaints to hello@trothe.co.uk.
- Material9ct gold or 18ct gold
- Surface hardnessMohs 3.5 in 9ct, Mohs 3 in 18ct
- Density11.2 g/cm³ in 9ct, 15.6 g/cm³ in 18ct
- ResizableDesign dependent
- HallmarkedYes, UK hallmarked
- MadeTo order, in your size
- DeliveryAbout 4 weeks, insured
- Returns14 days
Also in: Wedding rings, Women's rings, Gold rings
About this ring
Greek key, gold, 3mm in 9ct or 18ct gold, in detail
Three millimetres with a Greek key meander engraved as an unbroken border around the face. The pattern is a single line turning back on itself at right angles, again and again, the motif that has edged Greek buildings for three thousand years. On a narrow band it reads at first as a fine, regular texture, and only resolves into the key when someone looks closely. The engraving carries on round the back rather than stopping at the shoulders, so the pattern is whole wherever the ring settles, and the polished metal between the cuts keeps each line crisp.
How it wears
Engraving on 9ct gold, Mohs 3.5, ages slowly and evenly. The edges of the cuts round off a little where the band meets the most contact, so after some years the key is softer but still clearly there. The polished areas between pick up fine marks like any gold and polish out. Because the pattern is cut into the metal rather than raised, there is nothing to catch, and the slim width sits comfortably all day.
Choosing yours
It comes in 3mm only, so the choice is between 9ct and 18ct. 9ct is the harder alloy and keeps the engraved edges crisp for longer; 18ct has the deeper, warmer colour that suits a classical pattern. The band is narrow enough to sit beside an engagement ring, where the key gives a plain stacking band a little architecture. It suits someone who wants pattern with history behind it. The Greek key, anodised carries the same meander, for a partner who wants to match in pattern rather than in metal.
The width
| Width | How it reads |
|---|---|
| 3mm | Slim and fine, sits easily beside an engagement ring |
Carat by carat
| Gold | Weight | Price, delivered |
|---|---|---|
| 9ct gold | About 1.6g | £585 |
| 18ct gold | About 2.3g | £885 |
The design and width are the same in each; the gold changes the colour depth, the weight and the hallmark. 9ct or 18ct gold, compared.
How it compares with the rings nearest it
| Ring | What sets it apart | Metal | Widths | Surface hardness | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek key, gold (this ring) | A Greek key border cut in a continuous line around the band. | 9ct gold | 3mm | Mohs 3.5 | £585 |
| Wide court | Six millimetres, high polished, domed outside and court inside. | 9ct gold | 6mm | Mohs 3.5 | £585 |
| Rose satin sparkle, hers | Rose gold, satin on his and a frosted sparkle on hers. 3mm, sold alone or as a set. | 9ct gold | 3mm | Mohs 3.5 | £585 |
| Sparkle line | Polished gold rails either side of a broad sparkling white centre. | 9ct gold | 4mm | Mohs 3.5 | £575 |
There are 32 9ct gold bands in the range, from £515 to £719. All about 9ct gold.
The metal, in brief
37.5% gold against 18ct's 75%, so roughly half the metal cost in a year when bullion set an all time record. It is also the harder alloy of the two, which matters more on a ring worn daily than the carat number does. Fully hallmarked, with resizing options that depend on the finished design, and a British standard that has been sold here for over a century.
Surface hardness Mohs 3.5, density 11.2 g/cm³. As a precious metal it is hallmarked under UK law.
Compared side by side: 9ct gold or sterling silver, 9ct gold or palladium 950, 18ct gold or 9ct gold. Or read the full 9ct gold guide.
Work it out before you order
About Greek key, gold, 3mm in 9ct or 18ct gold
- Can this ring be resized?
- A plain 9ct gold band may suit conventional resizing, but the metal alone does not establish a safe size range. Stones, settings, pattern and condition can restrict an alteration; full eternity is not the only difficult design. GIA warns against stretching platinum bands containing stones. Have the finished ring assessed for the size and direction of change, and confirm the method, finish, cost and timing before work begins.
- How long will it take?
- About 4 weeks. It is made in your size after you order rather than picked off a shelf, in the one width this design is made in.
- What is closest to the Greek key, gold in the range?
- Wide court (9ct gold) and Rose satin sparkle, hers (9ct gold). The comparison table on this page sets them side by side on metal, width, hardness and price.
- What if I get the size wrong?
- Return it inside 14 days and we refund it, and we pay the postage. Use the free ring size finder first if you are unsure, and if the ring is a surprise, ask us and we will talk you through the ways to find out without asking them.