Therefore, jewelers add other metals to pure silver to make the precious metal harder and durable, and to create the intricate rings you are now looking at. Once you’ve run the purity test, the jeweler will go ahead to value the piece based on the purity results, the weight of the piece, and the current market value of the piece. gold is cheaper than rings made of solid gold, and these pieces also boasts a beautiful and classic gold luster. At the end of the day, however, your decision is determined by your preference.

If you are considering a ring made of the precious metals, silver or gold, you need to be familiar with the standard features and identifiers of these metals. Otherwise, you will end up with a fake, at a price. For wide shank rings, we recommend going one size larger than your normal ring size, as this ring has a wider band. It’s also important to know that silver’s rating is based on the grading system, while the rating of gold is based on gold’s purity or karatage. Your partner's friends and family are a great source of help if you're still wondering how to measure their ring size. They may be better placed to get the information without raising suspicion, so if you can enlist their help, take advantage of it. Just be sure they will keep your secret if you want the proposal to be a surprise.

Understanding the importance of the 925 stamps is important because its use isn’t limited to sterling silver. In gold, it has a slightly different meaning. But sometimes, these are not the only identification markers which is why you need to dig deeper and even run some simple tests. For purity, there are several notable ways of determining whether that ring is made of genuine sterling silver or not. Wrap a small piece of string around your partner’s finger while they’re sleeping and use a pen to mark where the ends meet. Take the string to a jeweler and you’ll receive an accurate measurement of ring size. The following are a few tips for secretly obtaining your partner's ring size, gleaned from the collective knowledge of our experienced team here at Goldsmiths. Once you have discovered your partner's size, you will be better able to peruse our extensive collection of diamond solitaire and gem-set engagement rings in a full choice of precious metals.

Like sterling silver, the 925 stamp is the unit that denotes the quality and also the authenticity of a piece of metal. However, it has a different meaning where gold is involved, and it doesn’t mean that the ring you are looking at is made of 92.5% gold. If you are looking at value and timelessness in costume jewelry, you cannot go wrong with a sterling silver piece coated with gold/ gold vermeil, or 925 gold.

Shoe Size Guide

With this in mind, if you are shopping for a gold ring, you should avoid all gold rings with the 925 stamp. These pieces are not worth much on the market, given the low-karat level. While sterling silver is cheaper than gold and other precious metals, there are many sterling silver imitations and fakes on the market today.

Although our collection of women’s silver rings features some beautiful engagement rings and wedding rings to treasure forever, we’ve also got sterling silver rings that make wonderful costume jewellery. Layer up these rings on your fingers or wear across your whole hand to make a quirky statement; remember that silver rings don’t just have to be for your ring finger, they can be a gorgeous treat for yourself too. First, you should consider looking for the hallmark or its identification stamp. A genuine sterling silver piece is engraved with an authentication mark as 925, .925, or 92.5. These are the standard markers of identification. In most cases, you will come across sterling silver that’s marketed as the real deal, but it then turns out that you were dealing with the fake with less than ideal silver content. Therefore, identification of the sterling silver using the 925 hallmarks is crucial.Wrap a small piece of string around your partner’s finger while they’re sleeping and use a pen to mark where the ends meet. Take the string to a jeweller and you’ll receive an accurate measurement of ring size. Diamonds - or even cubic zirconia - look simply stunning paired with a silver band for the ultimate shining, sparkling ring, and you’ll find a beautiful collection of women’s silver rings (and sterling silver rings), both with and without diamonds, at Warren James. These rings make beautiful silver engagement rings, and there are plenty of plain silver bands to choose from if you’re looking for a wedding ring. It’s important to remember that finger size changes throughout the day and can be affected by things like weather and hydration. We recommend measuring your finger several times over a day to calculate your ideal ring size. Choose a larger size Encourage your loved one to try on their friends or family members’ rings so you can get a better idea of what their ring size might be. The use of this mark stems from the fact that gold is one of rarest precious metals mined, which means that it’s valued highly.

Regarding value, 925 gold isn’t solid gold, but it’s still valuable since these pieces are made of high-quality sterling silver plated with relatively good-quality gold. If your partner is likely to notice the disappearance of a ring, then carefully draw around the inside of it on a piece of paper, for a more approximate ring size guide. You can then bring this piece of paper into one of our UK stores, where we will be able to get a good estimate of sizing. The simplest way to find your partner's ring size is to 'borrow' a ring they already wear. As engagement and wedding rings are typically worn on the third finger of the left hand, it's perhaps unlikely that that finger is already adorned. Simply choose a ring usually worn on the middle finger instead, and be prepared to go down a size or two for the right fit. We have produced the following printable PDF ring size guides to assist you in finding the correct ring size.Our silver rings don’t just come with plain bands - some have a twisted or braided design, and some even have petal-inspired bands. So, if you are looking for good quality gold-plated sterling silver rings, look for 925 jewelry (gold). The gold-plated sterling silver piece of jewelry is also called gold vermeil. This technique is common with costume jewelry. In gold rings, the 925 mark means that the ring’s actual or base metal is sterling silver that’s coated/ plated with gold. Therefore, the next time you see a 925 mark on a piece that looks genuinely gold, you know that it means that you are buying a gold-plated sterling silver ring. Encourage your loved one to try on their friends’ or family members’ rings so you can get a better idea of what their ring size might be.