Metal	Pros	Cons
14K Gold	More affordable, durable	Nickel content may cause allergic reaction.
18K Gold	Contains more gold, higher investment value	Less durable due to higher gold content. Nickel content may cause allergic reaction.
Platinum	Excellent investment value, very durable	Can be expensive

.	Pros	Cons
White Gold	More durable than yellow gold, can replicate look of platinum at a lower price	Will tarnish over time requiring maintenance (need to re-rhodium plate)
Yellow Gold	Does not tarnish - will always retain yellow color, traditionally most popular metal for rings	More easily scratched than white gold due to no rhodium plating
Rose Gold	Will not tarnish, extremely durable due to presence of copper	Copper will naturally darken over time - can be good or bad depending on preference
Platinum	Very durable material, best for gem security (prongs do not bend or break easily)	Can be expensive