We get a lot of questions from customers asking about white gold.  Is white gold better than yellow gold?   Is white gold, real gold?  If it is, then why does my white gold ring now look yellow?

In this blog, we’ll answer all these questions and more and tell you some surprising facts about white gold.

What is White Gold?

Actually, there is no such thing as naturally white, yellow or rose gold. As we’ve written about before, almost all metals used in jewellery making are alloys, meaning they are a mixture of metals.

"Alloy - a metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion".​

Oxford Languages

White Gold Capped Hoop Earrings

A pure noble metal (like gold, silver, platinum or palladium) is always mixed with other metals to improve it - often for durability and/or strength.

Some metals, like pure gold, is very soft and, by mixing it ith other metals (called alloys) it not only makes it more workable so that it can be shaped and crafted into beautiful pieces of jewellery but, by mixing it with other metals, it is also made stronger and long-lasting. 

What differentiates white gold from other golds is that the alloys it is mixed with are chosen for their colour or, more precisely, their whiteness.

Other coloured golds, like yellow and rose, tend to be mixed with different alloys to achieve their colours. Therefore, white gold starts in the same way as yellow gold, only the alloys are different.

Often the main alloys used to give the whiteness to white gold are nickel or palladium.  These metals are used to “bleach” the naturally yellow gold. Others include silver or zinc.  Nickel and palladium are the whitest, although nickel can still appear grey/brown-yellow.  Palladium gives the strongest white colour, but it is very expensive.

Is White Gold Real Gold?

Yes!  As we've mentioned, white gold starts in exactly the same way as yellow gold. White gold is not gold-plated. 

White gold consists of the same amounts of pure gold as any other gold.  It is the alloys chosen to add to the pure gold that differs in white gold.

The actual amount of pure gold is indicated by its "carat".  This is indicated by its hallmark.

9K, or 9-carat, gold comprises 37.5% pure gold with the remaining 62.5%  consisting of other metals.  This is the same, whether it is white gold or yellow gold.  

14K, or 14-carat gold, comprises 58.5% pure gold and the rest is alloys - in both white and yellow gold.

18K, or 18 carat, white or yellow gold comprises 75% pure gold and the remaining 25% is an alloy of other metals.

Why Does My White Gold Look a Little Yellow?

Even when a white gold piece of jewellery is carefully alloyed with white-silver metals, it can still appear to have a slightly yellow tinge to it.  Therefore, white gold jewellery is always then rhodium-plated.

Can my Faded White Gold Jewellery Sparkle White Again?

Yes, rhodium plating the jewellery again should take care of this.  Your white gold jewellery will be re-plated with rhodium. 

If you're interested we've written a blog post on rhodium plating here.

Rhodium Plating

Rhodium is a very hard and very white metal, similar to platinum, and it gives a beautifully lustrous and hard protective layer to white gold.

Rhodium plating is a simple process but will need to be done at your local jewellers' workshop. 

It will come back looking as good as new.  The main inconvenience is being without your ring whilst the work is being done depending on the schedule of your jewellers' workshop.

Why Does it Look Like the Gold on My Ring Has Worn Off?

Unfortunately, the rhodium-plating on white gold jewellery wears off over time.

Rhodium plating on gold is just that, a plating and, whilst modern methods of plating are very good, it can still wear off over years of use. 

It is totally normal for the rhodium plating to wear off.

Rhodium plating on rings can wear off quicker than other pieces of jewellery because we subject our rings to more wear and tear than other pieces of jewellery likr a pendant or earrings.

We use our hands constantly and wash our hands many times a day, particularly in these times of COVID-19 precautions, all with our rings on (including all the hand sanitiser we rubbed over our hands and rings).

Even so, you shouldn't need to re-rhodium plate your ring for a few years after it's new. 

Remember to Regularly Remove Your Jewellery

For this reason, it is worth another reminder to always remove our jewellery at home. Doing so really will keep our jewellery looking good for longer. 

Doing cleaning jobs around the house with our jewellery on won’t do it any favours. 

Many of us change into something more comfortable when we get home.  Remember to also remove your jewellery and pop it into a little dish or our jewellery box until we get dressed the next day.  It’s a habit well worth getting into.

Why Does My White Gold Ring Now Irritate My Skin?

Rhodium is a very inert metal and rarely causes any reactions.  Unfortunately people can have, or develop, sensitivities to nickel and even to gold. 

Once the protective rhodium has worn a little, the metals underneath can cause a skin irritation. 

It is always worth getting your ring (or other jewellery) rhodium plated again and see if this solves the irritation.  It often does. 

The Assay Office, Birmingham, mention on their website, “As a precautionary note when white gold is alloyed with nickel, nickel-sensitive consumers may react to the nickel in the alloy when the jewellery is worn."   (Souce - Assay Office, Birmingham. https://theassayoffice.com/white_gold_labexpert)

Can I Avoid Having to Get My Ring Rhodium Plated Again?

We have found customers are so disappointed when the white lustre on their white gold ring starts to wear off, and we regularly hear that a customer would have chosen platinum if they had known the rhodium would need replating.

At the moment the main cure is to get your item of jewellery re-rhodium plated.  However, advances in jewellery manufacture is such that whiter alloys are being used, to the point that white gold pieces manufactured in the future may not even need to be rhodium-plated soon. 

Can You Tell What My White Gold Jewellery Has Been Alloyed With?

At the moment there is no way of knowing exactly what a piece of white gold jewellery is alloyed from, other than the manufacturer offering that information. 

However, developments may be afoot.  The Assay Office has acknowledged this and state in an article on their website, that is is important that the appropriate alloy is used, and there is talk of even grading white gold alloys into "grades of whiteness".

The Pro's And Con's of White Gold

To Sum Up

White gold is definitely real gold, and it looks great.  With regular maintenance and some care, it will last and will look good for a lifetime.

For those with allergies, we suggest taking extra care in ensuring your piece is re-rhodium plated as soon as it wears or, instead, take a look at silver, platinum or palladium as an alternative white metal.

Sources

The Assay Office