Gold Inlay Stainless Steel Ring?

There are lots of stainless steel rings that have gold inlay. What is the durability of a stainless steel wedding band made with gold inlay with every day wear? Thank You.


Hello,

Stainless steel rings made with gold inlay can hold up very well to every day wear – depending on three very important factors:
  • The workmanship of the inlay

  • The depth and thickness of the inlay

  • How the ring is cared for over the long term

    • Stainless steel is a fantastic metal for inlay because it is such a hard metal – and inlay features work best when extremely hard metals are combined with softer metals. Which is why you’ll often see tungsten and titanium rings with gold or silver inlay – and why silver is a popular inlay metal for two-tone gold rings.

    Find Stainless Steel Rings on Ebay!


    In fact, steel was a very popular metal for use with gold inlay designs dating back several hundred years ago. And today, there are some beautiful pieces – particularly swords – made with steel and gold inlay from the early 1800s which are still in excellent condition.

    That being said, crafting metal inlay is definitely a work of art – and when performed properly, inlay metal creations can hold up to every day wear with ease.

    And so, it is extremely important with any type of inlay wedding ring – including a stainless steel band made with gold inlay – that the ring is made with high standards of workmanship. Otherwise, the inlay feature could eventually lose its integrity and possibly loosen or begin to chip off in pieces.

    The depth and thickness of the gold inlay can also have a big impact on how the inlay performs over time. A gold inlay feature that is extraordinarily thin can perform a lot like gold plate – it will quickly chip and break away from the steel band with wear.

    Last but not least, when a ring is crafted with two different types of metals the wear of the metals will not be the same due to their different properties. Because the gold portion of a stainless steel gold inlay ring is softer than the steel, the gold inlay can develop more scratches and even slight dings with time.

    For a lasting steel inlay ring that will remain in top condition through years of daily wear, the best thing you can do is to:

    1. Stick with handcrafted rings made with high standards of workmanship - and rings made by companies/jewelers with excellent reputations and online reviews. When it comes to inlay rings of any kind, you definitely will get what you pay for. Expect to pay at least $200 dollars and up for a steel and gold inlay ring crafted to last a lifetime and more.

    2. Remember that the gold portion of the ring will require a little extra care. Remove the ring if you will be performing any heavy duty activities that could expose the ring to hard knocks or blows – and if the gold inlay does develop a few scratches with time, a gentle professional buff and polish every so often will ensure that the ring stays in great condition.

    And as with any stainless steel ring, avoid any contact with chlorine. Remove the ring before swimming in chlorinated water as stainless steel is susceptible to chlorine corrosion.

    I hope this answers your question – and feel free to write again if you have any additional questions!

    Suzanne Gardner
    Everything Wedding Rings

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by: Anonymous

Hi there,

I am wondering whether it is possible to wear stainless steel and gold jewellery together or whether this is likely to damage one or other (e.g. the gold as the softer metal. For example, is it possible to wear a gold engagement ring with a stainless steel wedding band?

Thanks!

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Hello,

As a general guideline, it is best to combine rings that have metals with similar characteristics.

Combining two rings crafted with vastly different metals can definitely lead to scratches on one or the other - and over time the rings will wear differently.

These two metals also have very different weights and so the rings may feel a bit strange on your finger.

For long term wear - combining rings with similar metals is the better choice!

Suzanne Gardner
Everything Wedding Rings

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