10kt Wedding Rings

10kt wedding rings are traditional wedding bands that symbolize true love and new beginnings. Once upon a time, yellow gold was the standard in wedding rings, but in recent years it has taken a backseat to white gold and platinum. Gold is a very durable metal that has wonderful workmanship, which is why jewelers throughout the ages have used this metal in their craft.

Gold can be melted or shaped to create any design. It can be alloyed with a number of other metals to increase its strength and produce a variety of colors. Yellow gold is created by alloying the metal with copper and silver; using palladium or platinum creates white gold.

Understanding Karats

It is important to understand what the term karat means when you are purchasing gold jewelry. 24kt gold is pure gold, but is generally too soft for use in jewelry. 18kt gold is 75 percent pure gold, and 14kt gold is slightly more than half pure gold.

Nothing less than 10kt gold can be legally marked or sold as gold jewelry in the United States. These pieces are marked "10kt," and they equal about 41.7 percent gold. 10kt wedding rings are therefore a less expensive alternative to the higher karats, but can be just as beautiful and appealing.