I have seen some of the most remarkable sets put in Silver.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with using it as an engagement ring metal, however it will lose its luster very quickly and you will need to give it constant care and polishing.  Yellow gold is so beautiful and traditional and is my favorite.  It just stands out there and speaks for itself, you know?

As much as our parents love us and want to give us good advice, that come from a different time where the traditional metal was yellow gold.
Now we have white gold, pallidium, and platinum, rose gold ( the pink tinted gold, and yellow. The choice of metal for your future fiancee's engagement ring should not be want some else prefers, but what you know your future fiancee would be pleased with, after all she is the one who has to wear it. Just ask her which type of metal does she prefer, if your proposal is a secret, just say you are looking to buy her a necklace and earring set, and you'd like to know her preference. I too love yellow gold, and think it's lovely, but it's the taste of your lady that counts at the end of the day !

Most girls in my age range (20-30's) prefer the white metals like silver, white gold, platinum and palladium.

Silver is a nice metal, but it is considered by some not fine jewelery grade (ie "cheaper"). But others really prefer it. If not worn daily or almost all of the time, it will tarnish quickly. It is also much softer, and I am not sure I would feel safe having a stone that costs possibly thousands of dollars held in by little prongs that could bend easily. I've seen platinum (a very strong metal) rings get bent by people hitting things like a door - and their stones popping out of the ring because of it (not the norm, but it's happened). Or snagging a white gold prong on a sweater and then their stone is loose in the setting....So needless to say I would not use Silver for this reason because it is even softer than the other metals.

White Gold is cheaper than Platinum, but will need upkeep with "rhodium dipping" (a coating they put over white gold to make is look nice) otherwise it tarnishes to a yellow-silver colour. Also, if your lady has any metal allergies, white gold may not be the option because many people make their white gold alloys with Nickel (banned in England because of this). Other white gold alloys are made with Palladium which doesn't cause allergies. If you ask a jeweller if their white gold has Nickel or Palladium in it and they don't know what you are talking about RUN AWAY cuz THEY don't know what they are talking about and I wouldn't trust my money with them.  I've had a jeweller tell me that they put copper in their white gold to make it white. Last time I checked, copper was, well COPPER coloured, which would make ROSE coloured gold....which is actually called "Rose Gold" (another gold alloy).  --->Is this making sense? Recap: Gold is a precious metal that is golden coloured, 24k is considered pure gold. To make it stronger or different colours they add other metals to it. That's why you get 14k and 18k (different alloys of yellow gold), white gold (adding nickel or palladium to yellow gold to make it whiter) or other alloys (copper and yellow gold = Rose gold; silver and yellow gold = Green gold).  The white gold requres rhodium dippings to keep it looking white instead of yellow.

They next metal is Platinum - this is a very pretty precious metal and also very heavy, it will feel heavier on your hand than a ring made of white gold. It is also MUCH more expensive, but will not require "rhodium dipping" because it is naturally a cool grey-silver colour. However, it acquires a patina over time but this can be polished out if you don't like it (some people prefer the patina - which just makes it less shiny but the colour doesn't change - like a matte finish). Many people believe that this is the top quality metal you can use in your fine jewelery.

The last of the white metals is Palladium. I should clarify this: There is White Gold made with Palladium, and then there is Palladium on it's own, sometimes called Palladium 950. Palladium on it's own is also a natural cool-grey colour and is similar in chemical structure to Platinum (and is in fact part of the same mineral family). It is also a precious metal. It is MUCH cheaper than Platinum and is comparable to yellow/white gold in cost. HOWEVER, not many jewellers work with the metal as it requires different methods of casting. It is a beautiful metal that will not require rhodium dipping, and will not cause allergies. The problem is if you need repair work down the road or need the ring re-sized, it might be hard to find someone who knows how to work this metal. This metal was used instead of Platinum for jewelry during WWI when Platinum was in short supply. Lately it is becoming popular again, and many cannot tell the difference between it and platinum.

Click the link for more info, there are MANY posts on this topic by consumers who have bought each of the above metals as well as jewelers who work with the metals:

www.pricescope.com/idealbb/view.asp

Personally, I have seen all with my own eyes and prefer the look of Palladium and Platinum. I have a local jeweller who works with Palladium 950 so I will most likely go this route as I like that it's lighter, and not so $$$! :) 

Hope this helps!

If you can, go for platinum. It may be more expensive but its definitely worth it. It has a life time quality, so in the long run its worth it because with other metals you have to get them re-plated every 12-18months because they begin to lose their color. Platinum is also a stronger metal which means that it would hold the stone more securely.

go with white gold!!!!!

 I love my ring and its white gold.  Its a very popular choice for many reasons.  But it really does depend on what she likes...look into her jewel box, and see what kind of metal she likes!

__________________________________________________________

I'm the Director of Community for Ring Envy.  Want to send me a message - click

Definitely go with Platinum! It is no wonder why Platinum is becoming a common trend with engagement rings. Platinum is the rarest of earth's metals- over 30 times more rare than gold. Unlike "white" gold that is mixed with an alloy, Platinum is a naturally white brilliant luster. Because it is 90-95% pure, it is the one true hypoallergenic metal that is friendly with the the most sensitive type of skin, such as my wife's. Platinum is the ideal choice of metals especially in regards to something as special as engagement rings. It is perfect for everyday wear as it has the best life span and ages well in time. In fact only platinum develops a patina as it ages, a satin finish that gives a unique character to the metal which only gets richer with time.
   There are many designs and styles to choose from. One can choose the perfect engagement ring according to his/her taste for style and budget. A great guide to buying the perfect ring is www.EngagementGuide.com. This was a very useful resource when I was doing my research on the different metals and their pros and cons.
Good Luck!!