Gold is a popular choice for men's rings, but there are many different grades and styles available so choosing one can be difficult. There are two main factors to consider when picking gold rings for men, the color and the carat. Most rings for men have a gold carat of 18kt, 14kt or 9kt. The higher the quality of gold is used in the ring, the more expensive and valuable it will be. An 18kt carat will be far more costly compared to a 9 carat ring of the same size and style.
Hardness and durability are also important to consider because a man's ring should be strong and able to withstand harsh conditions. The carat level of the gold actually affects the hardness level of the ring. Metal hardness is measured on the Vickers scale, so hard metals receive high Vickers scores and softer metals have a lower score. 9kt has a Vickers score of 120 while an 18kt is 125. The 9 carat ring is harder to bend and springier than 18 carat styles, so a good 9kt ring will be less likely to get bent out of shape compared to an 18kt ring. Gold is a soft metal so a higher level of gold means a softer ring. However if it has been mixed with sturdy constructive metals, then it is far less likely to bend out of shape.
Gold rings are available in several different colors. The most popular choice is yellow gold, although rose gold and white gold rings are also popular. Other gold varieties can include lime, red, peach and bronze gold. Each gold color has the same amount of pure gold in it, so it will have the same Vickers score. When comparing gold rings, white gold is usually more costly than rose gold or yellow gold. This is because metals like platinum and palladium are mixed into the metal. Palladium and platinum are very expensive elements and cost more than the gold itself, causing the ring to be more expensive.