I've seen a lot of these things online. My complaints about them are the same as those I have with ordinary jewelry: most of what is sold is of low quality. It makes me think people want a quick buck from cheap occult goods, and that they don't really care about the quality of the things they sell or what you might want to do with them.
I can understand wanting to work on a budget and adapt to what you can afford. If a ring "may be gold or silver," even a meager silver ring will do, and you can be proud that it isn't "german silver" or "nickel silver" or otherwise cheap fake junk. If you want a silver ring, at least get something in solid 925 sterling. Fine silver or (.999 silver) is a little too soft for rings, but for larger pieces it has a better shine. There is a new alloy called Argentium silver that is 925 but does not tarnish, and it looks promising.
Gold is a whole other ballgame. I assume that your magical work is important to you, and that you want to get something real. If such is the case, get any ideas about gold paint, gold plating, and 10 karat gold out of your head immediately. This may seem a more cost-effective measure, but in the long run you have an item that is still cheap junk from a purely material point of view. Low quality gold (10k)is more brittle and tends to tarnish easily, and in most pawn shops in any ghetto you will find mountains of the stuff. You will want at least 14k gold, which is still only between 50 and 60 percent gold. Higher-karat gold (18k-22k) is easier to work and looks better when polished, and pure (24k) gold will hold a shine forever despite being unsuitable for frequently-worn rings.
A good quality ring will have a shank width of at least 2mm and a thickness of at least 1.5mm, and these are minimum standards. Anything less will look like foil. There are many places selling blank-top rings, and you can either have these engraved or do it yourself. If you want to make such an item, you can buy a plain band and have the disc soldered to the top and then engraved. You might prefer to have the ring cast from wax, but this will usually cost more. In all cases, you get what you pay for.
I normally work in 18k gold only, and I'm not very keen on the idea of manufacturing occult goods for sale, either on demand or as a business venture. I suggest you look online at jeweler's websites for rings that may be engraved, and if that fails look for private jewelry makers in your area. I also know that there are metalsmiths on these boards who might want to help. If you can find nothing suitable, feel free to PM me.
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