How Do You Take Care of 14K Gold?

Your wedding band is one of the most meaningful pieces of jewelry you will ever wear, so if you are considering a gold wedding band, it is important to understand how gold ages along with how you can care for your gold ring over the years. 

First things first, what’s the difference between 14K gold and 18K gold? Is one better than the other? 

Pure gold is 24K and far too soft for a wedding ring. Therefore, pure gold is alloyed with stronger metals to give it the durability that is needed for daily wear. 14K yellow gold is made with 58% gold (14/24ths) while 18K yellow gold is made with 75% gold (18/24ths). 

You might think that the less gold, the less prestigious the metal. However, 14K gold is actually more commonly recommended for daily wear over 18K gold because of its increased durability. The more that gold is alloyed with another metal, the less it wears over time. At Hitched, we believe that 14K gold rings provide the perfect balance of luxury and durability, which is why we sell 14K gold standard for all of our rings. However, if you have a skin allergy or just prefer 18K gold, all of our precious metal ring styles are available in 18K gold by request and at a higher price point. 

How Do 14K Gold Rings Age?

Now that you understand the difference between 14K and 18K gold, we can talk more about how gold ages. Although the alloy metals increase the durability of gold rings, they are still gold and therefore relatively soft and prone to wear and tear such as scratching. Your 14K gold wedding band will not stay looking perfect, nor is it meant to. 

The beauty of gold wedding rings are in the way that they age and develop character over time. Most of our customers love gold rings because they are perfectly imperfect. If you do not like the idea of your wedding band scratching up, you may want to consider something more scratch-resistant such as a tungsten wedding band.

Daily Care For A 14K Gold Wedding Band

Exposure to cleaning products, chlorine, or other chemicals can harm the metal, so it is important to avoid those substances as much as possible. Otherwise, 14K gold rings are very low maintenance and will never tarnish! Cleaning your gold wedding band is also very simple, just mix a solution of warm water with detergent-free soap and lightly brush it with a soft bristled brush. Then, dry the ring with a soft cloth. Easy! 

Polishing Your 14K Gold Ring

Think of your gold wedding band like a nice pair of leather shoes, or your most comfortable blue jeans. It’s meant to look worn and lived in, so polishing your wedding band should only be done every so often. The more you professionally polish a gold wedding band, the more metal it will remove from the ring and can over time harm the integrity of the ring. We highly recommend sending your wedding band back to Hitched to be polished, as it is a service we offer for a small fee!

Storing Your 14K Gold Wedding Band

Since 14k gold can scratch easily, be sure to store it away from other jewelry. You can even keep it in the original ring box to keep it in its pristine condition when you do not have it on. And like we said, 14K gold does not tarnish so need to worry about storing it in a tarnish-proof bag. 

Gold is incredibly timeless and prestigious, making it an incredibly desirable metal for a wedding band. Shop Hitched's entire collection of 14k gold or try them all on with the Hitched home try-on!