White Gold vs. Silver: What's the Difference and Why It Matters for Wedding Bands

We aren’t here to talk trash on dudes. Not at all — not even close. So you need to know that’s definitely not the goal when we point out that a lot of guys can fairly be accused of not having a piercingly observant eye for noting subtle differences.  

The majority of guys roll through life thinking that it’s not worth paying attention to the minutiae of things, especially when matters in question are sort of interchangeable. Chartreuse vs. mustard. Eh, they’re both yellow. Royal blue vs. navy? THEY ARE THE SAME DAMN THING YOU INSUFFERABLE SACK OF S&$T. 

Fair enough. Close enough counts, especially when there’s so much other business to tend to.

But white gold vs. silver men’s wedding bands? Your standard dude will once again shrug his shoulders and say, “SHUT UP. WHO CARES? THEY LOOK EXACTLY DAMN IDENTICAL.” But we are gonna have to put our foot down on this one because the difference between these metals is absolutely not negligible, fellas.

So why not use this as a teachable moment and open your eyes to the important differences between white gold and silver? After all, a manly man should absolutely come equipped with a keen, discerning eye. 

What’s the Damn Difference, Then? 

Dudes in the ring market (and because you’re here, we trust you’re one of those dudes) need to know that white gold has one huge advantage over silver. 

And that advantage is: well, it’s just a little manlier. Okay, maybe that’s not exactly fair, but it’s undeniably the case that men’s white gold wedding bands simply hold up better than silver, which is softer and therefore more likely to suffer nicks, dings and scratches from prolonged exposure to that day-to-day dudely grind. 

But listen, just like we aren’t here to knock dudes for their all-too-common lack of discernment, we aren’t here to talk trash about silver like it’s some weak-sauce, no-good metal. Indeed, silver makes for fine jewelry. After all, societies the world over have been making jewelry from silver for hundreds upon hundreds of years. But the fact of the matter is, silver is simply not ideal for pieces that are going to get knocked around on the reg, like that wedding band you’ll be rocking day in and day out for the long haul. 

You must be thinking, though, that surely silver has some advantage over white gold; otherwise, why would this stupid article even exist? Well, you’re right, you smart son-of-a-gun. Silver is eminently less expensive than white gold. No question — when all the price conscious dudes out there see that note about the cost differential, scores of them are gonna say, That does it — I’m a silver guy. But you can’t let the upfront cash savings factor overshadow the durability factor. Because when you are gonna buy something one time in your life — ain’t that the goal here, fellas? — sturdiness matters...a lot. 

Again, we’d like to stress that silver is not exactly a cream puff, especially when that silvery softness we’ve been harping on is girded with strength-boosting copper. When that duo joins forces, it results in a little something called sterling silver, which we deploy in truly badass rings such as The Sage.  

But Do Silver and White Gold Look Identical? 

No, sir, they do not. Both of these white metal options are handsome devils. It goes without saying that silver is a silver fox. But you know what? White gold is a silver damn fox in its own right, too. In fact, white gold brings a little more bling appeal than silver. Indeed, due to the way it’s constructed, white gold shines a little brighter, and because of the way white gold pops, it stands out with a little more boldness when compared to silver. 

So, overall, silver’s appearance is a little less aggressive than white gold. Silver strikes more of a subdued, gray note. And on top of that, silver is more apt to become tarnished. You can assume that getting all tarnished does not help a whole lot in the bling department. You can indeed keep that tarnishing in check with semi-regular maintenance, but if you ask us, the need to regularly clean and polish that thing is another check in favor of white gold. 

A Little Jewelry History for That A$$

First off, what exactly is white gold? Well, it’s gold, dummy. We kid, we kid. You’re not wrong to ask because it’s not merely gold. With white gold, that luminous natural yellow color is essentially blanched out with a mixture of various alloys. As the U.S. Geological Survey notes, white gold was crafted to resemble platinum and is generally about three-quarters gold and a quarter nickel or zinc. 

White gold has been with us since early in the 18th century, but it was basically just chilling in the back row for a couple hundred years until market forces thrust it into the spotlight. What were those market forces? Well, white gold rose up from the calamity of World War II when countries the world over began using platinum in the production of all sorts of war related goods. The war effort eventually led to a platinum shortage. 

Of course, platinum was (and remains) a rock star of the jewelry world, so jewelry makers weren’t gonna just hold off on production until the war wrapped up and things normalized. So white gold got called up from the back row and began filling that platinum void jewelry town. But even after the Allied forces prevailed and WWII came to its blessed conclusion in 1945, white gold kept on keeping on. Why in the heck is that? Well, most things in this world come down to money, right? And white gold hung on because not only does it do an impressive-as-s$&t job of masquerading as platinum, it’s quite a bit cheaper than platinum, which is famously pricey. 

And, damnit, while we’re here, we can’t help but drop a little knowledge on why platinum is so much more expensive than gold. Care to guess? That sweet, sweet platinum is simply way rarer than gold, gentlemen. Check this eye-opening note from International Precious Metals: “It is estimated that there are more than 5 billion ounces of gold above ground. There are only an estimated 200 million ounces of platinum.”

Let’s Peruse the Merchandise 

All right, now we’ll admit that showing off may not be considered a manly quality. Buttttttt, false modesty can also be a touch annoying, no? And it’s not like you dudes aren’t here to find the ballingest rings known to man. To deny you what you’re here for wouldn’t be cool, and coolness is certainly a manly trait we seek to portray. 

So with a little mental gymnastics out of the way, let’s cast our eyes on some of our finest white gold wedding bands. 

First up, a timeless and brawny as s&$t option — The Aurum. This 6mm-wide stud features a domed design and comfort fit band with satin finish and polished edges. The white gold look is baller — no doubt — but know that this ring is also available in yellow gold, rose gold and platinum. 

Now, how about a ring that’s borderline jaw-dropping at first glance, and an all-the-way jaw-dropper when you lean in for a closer inspection. This white gold ring is just right for dudes who have endless confidence paired with a unifying nature. We bring you The Diplomat, a truly square-jawed, get-things-done kind of fella featuring solid 14K white gold with a 5mm inlay of yellow gold. But from there, it just gets better because this quietly confident ring is replete with diamond studded, polished edges. Rocking diamonds, just not in your face about it. The Diplomat is a man’s man. 

In our opinion, a manly man should have a real appreciation for intricate design. So even if this next piece isn’t the one you choose to rock from here to eternity, how can you not dig on the fine craftsmanship displayed in this next fine ring: The Gilded. We like to say The Gilded appeals to the Renaissance man, the kind of guy who truly lives life, gains skills, makes art, continually expands his repertoire. You’ll understand where we’re coming from once you peep that gorgeous wheat design and milgrain detail. It’s almost too handsome (wait, there’s no such thing). You can rock this sweet thing in 10K white gold, 10K yellow gold or platinum. BUT there’s a final option, one that might make that manly breath catch in your manly chest: White gold paired with the intricate inlay in yellow gold. Check it out for yourself. Man, that thing pops. 

All right, guys. You feeling like you have a pretty good handle on the difference between white gold and silver? We knew we’d get you where you need to go. When it comes down to it, both options are great. 

But when it comes to wedding bands, white gold will do a better job of keeping it together through the grit and grind of your daily life. Sure, white gold is a bit pricier, but for a thing you’re gonna purchase one damn time in your life, it’s worth getting something that’s ready to hitch up for the long haul while you hitch up for the long haul.