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“Why not get the higher 18K grade, or the less expensive 10K for your men’s ring?” 14K may not be the highest karat grade commonly found on the gold men’s jewelry market nor the least expensive, but its formulation does lend itself to a number of particular advantages. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider buying a 14K gold men’s ring.
Increased durability
Despite its handsome look pure 24K gold is extremely soft by nature, making it less than ideal in its unalloyed state for use in jewelry items, especially for pieces that are worn daily like men’s wedding bands. Alloying gold with other materials improves its durability and prevents it from becoming easily dented. Since 14K gold contains more alloy than 18K gold, it tends to be stronger and more resistant to wear.
Attractive pricing
When the karat grade of gold goes up, so does the pricing. 14K gold is more durable and significantly less expensive than 18K gold. While more expensive than 10K white gold, a 14K gold men’s ring does show an appreciable difference in quality. Which brings us to…
Quality
14K gold walks a fine line between affordability and quality, and in many ways offers the best of both the 10K and 18K gold worlds. Many customers will not likely notice a tremendous downgrade in quality between 14K and 18K gold, yet between 10K and 14K the difference in quality can be more marked.
Flexibility of design
Gold’s natural softness means that it is very malleable, and lends itself well to a number of designs. This flexibility has in large part contributed to gold’s heavy use in jewelry throughout time starting with the Ancient Egyptians, who redefined early jewelry making with their sophisticated use of gold.
Unlike some of the harder and more brittle materials currently found on the men’s jewelry market, a 14K gold men’s ring can be worked into a number of impressive and intricate designs. This means that there is simply an astounding number of styles and designs of gold bands available. You can essentially be assured that there will be at least one 14K gold men’s ring that suits your personal style and taste, no matter how particular it might be.
Color options
Because 14K gold men’s rings are the most prevalent in the market, they also offer the greatest number of color options. 14K yellow gold showcases gold’s natural aurulent color, which also highlights gold’s exclusivity as the only naturally occurring yellow metal. 14K white gold has a classic and rich look similar to that of platinum, and usually integrates a white metal alloy like nickel, silver or palladium. Rose gold and red gold both offer a striking reddish hue that is derived from the use of copper as an alloy.
Other colors for 14K gold men’s rings that are being increasing seen are green gold and black gold. Green gold has a surprisingly subtle look, and simply leaves copper out of the alloy combination for a remaining mixture of just gold and silver. Black men’s wedding rings are incredibly popular right now, and black gold offers an undeniably striking look that is very much in keeping with the trend. Usually created by electroplating gold with black rhodium or ruthenium, black gold has a gleaming ebony appearance.
As you can see, a 14K gold men’s ring offers a nearly ideal combination of price, quality and design options. In some ways, 14K gold is like the little bear’s porridge in the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears – not too expensive, not too alloyed, but “just right.”
This is a guest post from Mens Wedding Rings, an online shop that offers a wide selection of unique men’s wedding bands, many alternative styles and traditional rings like gold men’s rings.
