To get a 9 carat wedding ring?

[Spanneroo]

OH and I are having a very small wedding in a couple of months' time. Only two guests, plus our two DDs. We don't plan to spend much at all, but have come to a bit of a stumbling block when it comes to rings.

I don't have an engagement ring, and we were planning to get a couple of wedding rings second hand for around £50 each. But, now that we've looked into it, I've realised maybe this is unrealistic for a ring I'll be wearing every single day? Not wanting to spend too much, 9 carat is appealing to me, but I can't seem to find a straight answer online as to whether 9 carat is genuinely suitable as a metal for a wedding ring. Lots of sites say 14/18 carat is better, but not really WHY. As we're not interested in how "precious" the metal is, more the durability, I'm hoping some on here might be able to help us make a decision.

Has anyone on here got a 9 carat wedding ring? Is it lasting well? Do you regret not getting a higher carat? Why/why not?

Are you wanting gold then? Titanium is really durable and doesn’t cost much. My wedding ring is platinum and DH’s is palladium, both very hard wearing. But as you don’t have an engagement ring, you won’t have another ring next to it rubbing.

Mine is nine carat white gold it still.looks fine 14 years later my engagement ring was 18 carat white gold also looks fine many be I have just been lucky?

Do not buy a titanium ring. If every you break your finger or have an accident the hospital can’t cut it off! You could look at other metals or do you specifically want gold? My wedding ring is palladium. Hardwearing metal that looks like white gold. Doesn’t fade like white gold does or get scratched as easy as white gold does. Other option is if you already have jewellery you don’t wear melt it down and have something else made like your ring. I had my wedding ring made and it was cheaper than buying that what we had seen in leading jewellery stores and it’s unique to me. Congratulations on your wedding!

9 carat is definitely suitable for a wedding ring. It's a harder metal than 18 carat so it's not a good idea to put a 9 carat ring against an 18 carat ring, but if you don't have another ring it won't matter.

I went for 9 carat because I prefer the colour!

I've looked at titanium etc but there isn't much on the second hand market, especially for women. I was hoping to find something with a bit more interest than just a band, and there doesn't seem to be much about of that sort, though OH could probably find something. That's why I was thinking gold, but I'm not averse to something else, as long as it's durable.

Palladium is a great budget option. Really hard wearing and indistinguishable from white gold/platinum to most people.

I think 9carat gold wouldn’t last I’m afraid.

Also, if money is an issue, have a look at second hand rings. I got my engagement ring secondhand and it was about half the price of a new one, plus it was a more vintage style, which I prefer. I like the idea that it has some history too.

I've not heard of palladium before, I'll look into it. Thank you for mentioning it.

If I remember rightly gold is quite a soft metal so the greater the carat, the purer it is, so the softer it is.

I think 18 carat is seen as a good balance of purity and durability. 9 carat is fine by me (I have a gold chain that I rarely remove, approx 20 years old) but I'd probably prefer 18 for a special item.

Don't think about it too much, just pick a ring in your price range. The meaning comes from the occasion.

Mine is 9 carat and I've worn it daily since 1997. It still looks as good as new. I've also worn my great grandmother's 9 carat gold wedding ring since she passed away, and she had worn it since 1918.

I have a 9 carat wedding ring. Been on my finger for almost 43 years and it still looks good. I never take it off either whatever jobs I am doing.

9 carat gold lasts perfectly well. I wore my 9ct engagement and wedding rings for more than 20 years and they still looked fine. They were both from Argos, as it happens.

If i ever get engaged / married again, i would like a "vintage" ring.

Sounds like 9 carat may be ok then. I will look into some of the other metals mentioned, though if they are known to be harder. I don't wear jewellery ever, really, so I have absolutely NO idea about all this

Maybe ask an independent jeweller - not some shop assistant in a chain jewellers. I'm not sure why a pp is saying 9 carat wouldn't last. It's the other way round - higher carats wear away faster. My mum's wedding ring is 18 carat and although it's lasted 49 years so far it has worn completely smooth. I was amazed when my mum said it was originally patterned (a la 70s) as it was already smooth when I was a child.

My nine carat gold wedding ring has been on my finger for forty three years - still looks shiny and new.

My wedding ring is 18ct because my engagement ring is 18ct. Hubbys wedding ring is 9ct. Recommended by the jeweller precisely because it's hard wearing. 22 years on, it looks a good as it did on our wedding day. Both my wedding ring and engagement rings have been reshaped due the softness of the metal. His - nothing.
Don't worry about it. 9ct gold is perfectly fine for a wedding ring.

9 is fine. Hopefully you will be wearing it for many years to come - my parents rings both wore out after time and I have a necklace abbot to go after 15 years of constant wear.

Is there a good auction house near you? They often have "Country House" sales where the lots are that bit more special than the weekly sale lots. You could get something special for a lot less than you'd pay on the high street.

Mine is 9 carat. It cost £30 38 years ago.

My wedding ring is 9carat and has a pattern engraved on it - we've been married 26years this year and it still looks good as new! ☺

It's very reassuring to hear how many of you have 9 carat rings that have lasted ages. Thank you all for commenting

Mine is 9ct white gold and absolutely fine. Think it cost about £30 from hsamuel!

I use my great grandmother’s 9ct wedding ring as my wedding ring and wear it daily, it’s a very narrow band (2mm) and still in beautiful condition. She married in 1905.

To echo the other poster that said avoid titanium, please heed that advice! The hospital can’t cut through it and neither can the fire service and people have genuinely lost fingers (and genitals) due to rings made of this!