Wedding Band Question - Metal Pricing?

[astrocreep96]

Hey guys & girls,

I have a question on the prices of various metals for wedding bands.

I'm looking at upgrading my current wedding band and I was thinking something along the lines of a hammered finish band in a white-colored metal.

I seem to remember a few months ago (June-ish) looking at bands from ArtCarved and another smaller jeweler. ArtCarved had the style I wanted in 14K white gold, Palladium, and Platinum.

I don't remember the prices of the white gold, but it seemed like the Palladium bands were ~ $900 and the Platinum bands were ~$1300. The bands were 6mm thick and seemed fairly heavy.

Fast forward to today - I go to look at the rings with the intent to buy and find that the two jewelers I checked previously are selling the same style band in white gold at ~$900 and no Palladium/Platinum in stock. That price for a white gold ring with no stones seems a bit exorbitant but I admit to not being anywhere near an expert on metal prices so maybe I'm just cheap?:shrug:

Did I just totally fubar what I remember the cost of Palladium/Platinum being, did prices spike tremendously over the past two months, or is someone trying to scam me big time with over priced white gold?

 

[N2DAMYSTIC]

I'll have to admit that the first time I ever went cheap on something was my Wedding band. I initially was looking at some very nice Platnum rings, $1,200 range. Like everything it was something I had to have. Almost felt I deserved it since I just spent 8K on my wifes ring.

Bottom line was I did not want something gold in color, and did not like what I knew of white gold. I am not a fan of jewlery and for the most part hated the fact that I would have to wear a ring. While looking one day I saw a shape and design of a ring I liked. I asked what it was and they told me it was Titanium. For the most part it is light as a feather, and super strong. When the jewler told me the ring was only $126.00 on sale I was sold. Considering that I would likely loose it, as with allot of things, knowing I could replace it for $126 was also a good thing.

Been wearing it 6 years now and it doen not show a bit of wear. The only down side to Titanium is you cannot re-size it, or so I was told. Anyway, check it out and think about the Mod Money you can have:beer:

EDIT: Somehow missed that your intentions are to upgrade your band. Oh well, food for thought incase someone else reads, and is looking to buy.

 

[James Snover]

Yep, the price of precious metals has risen sharply. Precious metals almost always go up in a bad economy.

White gold is my favorite. Nickel and gold, you just can't wrong with that combo.

Jim Snover

 

[astrocreep96]

I'll have to admit that the first time I ever went cheap on something was my Wedding band. I initially was looking at some very nice Platnum rings, $1,200 range. Like everything it was something I had to have. Almost felt I deserved it since I just spent 8K on my wifes ring.

Bottom line was I did not want something gold in color, and did not like what I knew of white gold. I am not a fan of jewlery and for the most part hated the fact that I would have to wear a ring. While looking one day I saw a shape and design of a ring I liked. I asked what it was and they told me it was Titanium. For the most part it is light as a feather, and super strong. When the jewler told me the ring was only $126.00 on sale I was sold. Considering that I would likely loose it, as with allot of things, knowing I could replace it for $126 was also a good thing.

Been wearing it 6 years now and it doen not show a bit of wear. The only down side to Titanium is you cannot re-size it, or so I was told. Anyway, check it out and think about the Mod Money you can have:beer:

EDIT: Somehow missed that your intentions are to upgrade your band. Oh well, food for thought incase someone else reads, and is looking to buy.

Yeah, the band I have now is titanium and it's not bad at all. I really like the metal in general (I also have a watch made of titanium).

The band I had found was the specific style I was looking for, and the "lowest" quality metal it is made in is white gold. I had thought Palladium would be cool because even if it's not as much as Platinum, it is also not used as much and kind of has a cool factor in that aspect for me.

Jim, thanks for the info. I assume the metal always goes up in value, but it seems to have just about doubled in the jewelery market (at least according to some retailers) in the past two months and it seems excessive.

 

[d-nice]

Hey guys & girls,

I have a question on the prices of various metals for wedding bands.

I'm looking at upgrading my current wedding band and I was thinking something along the lines of a hammered finish band in a white-colored metal.

I seem to remember a few months ago (June-ish) looking at bands from ArtCarved and another smaller jeweler. ArtCarved had the style I wanted in 14K white gold, Palladium, and Platinum.

I don't remember the prices of the white gold, but it seemed like the Palladium bands were ~ $900 and the Platinum bands were ~$1300. The bands were 6mm thick and seemed fairly heavy.

Fast forward to today - I go to look at the rings with the intent to buy and find that the two jewelers I checked previously are selling the same style band in white gold at ~$900 and no Palladium/Platinum in stock. That price for a white gold ring with no stones seems a bit exorbitant but I admit to not being anywhere near an expert on metal prices so maybe I'm just cheap?:shrug:

Did I just totally fubar what I remember the cost of Palladium/Platinum being, did prices spike tremendously over the past two months, or is someone trying to scam me big time with over priced white gold?

I think that you may hve gotten the price of the Palladium and the gold mixed up. The white gold was probably 900 and the platinum was 1300. Palladium is usually less $$ than gold. I belive that a platinum ring is about 90-93% platinum(depending on the designer) and the remainer is made up of palladium and nickel. Gold ring are mostly either 14k or 18k sometimes 10k(class rings). Pure gold is 24K (market value is about $950 an ounce give or take for 24K). If you get any band that has a design on it (like brushed or satin) with the gold, over time the design will wear off. Also with white gold, which is really a gold color before they dip it in rhodium, will require you to get it rhodiumed and polished to keep that white look. Platinum will only have to be polished too bring it back to looking new.

 

[Hmbre97]

Here's something kind of related to the OP. I've got an extra platinum band laying around. How would I go about selling it or are there jewelers that can melt it down and make other jewelry out of it?

 

[BadBlue98GT]

Hey guys & girls,

I have a question on the prices of various metals for wedding bands.

I'm looking at upgrading my current wedding band and I was thinking something along the lines of a hammered finish band in a white-colored metal.

I seem to remember a few months ago (June-ish) looking at bands from ArtCarved and another smaller jeweler. ArtCarved had the style I wanted in 14K white gold, Palladium, and Platinum.

I don't remember the prices of the white gold, but it seemed like the Palladium bands were ~ $900 and the Platinum bands were ~$1300. The bands were 6mm thick and seemed fairly heavy.

Fast forward to today - I go to look at the rings with the intent to buy and find that the two jewelers I checked previously are selling the same style band in white gold at ~$900 and no Palladium/Platinum in stock. That price for a white gold ring with no stones seems a bit exorbitant but I admit to not being anywhere near an expert on metal prices so maybe I'm just cheap?:shrug:

Did I just totally fubar what I remember the cost of Palladium/Platinum being, did prices spike tremendously over the past two months, or is someone trying to scam me big time with over priced white gold?

Precious metals prices have risen sharply in the past year or so and the quantity available is very limited. I've actually had one of the company's that I usually by investment precious metals from email me asking me to sell back what I have bought from them! In other words, it's a seller's market so good luck finding what you want at a reasonable price. You might want to wait until it's time for a different anniversary.

 

[d-nice]

Here's something kind of related to the OP. I've got an extra platinum band laying around. How would I go about selling it or are there jewelers that can melt it down and make other jewelry out of it?

Thee not going to give you anything close to what you paid for the ring. You would be better of selling it on ebay.

 

[astrocreep96]

I think that you may hve gotten the price of the Palladium and the gold mixed up. The white gold was probably 900 and the platinum was 1300. Palladium is usually less $$ than gold. I belive that a platinum ring is about 90-93% platinum(depending on the designer) and the remainer is made up of palladium and nickel. Gold ring are mostly either 14k or 18k sometimes 10k(class rings). Pure gold is 24K (market value is about $950 an ounce give or take for 24K). If you get any band that has a design on it (like brushed or satin) with the gold, over time the design will wear off. Also with white gold, which is really a gold color before they dip it in rhodium, will require you to get it rhodiumed and polished to keep that white look. Platinum will only have to be polished too bring it back to looking new.

That may have been it. I think I probably ignored the value of the gold ring and assumed the Palladium must be more money and then found myself confused when the gold was the price that I was.

Fair enough, I learned something new today.:beer: Thanks for the input everyone.