Yikes my white gold ring is now yellow!

Image by: Naomi Chokr Photography

Hello all,

I have had many customers afraid the white gold ring they purchased is yellow gold. Time-out. Did the jeweler cheat me? Is this an inferior metal? Many people might think this or feel this way if they were never informed on the formulation of white gold. In order to make what is known as white gold, pure 24kt gold is mixed with nickel, palladium, and/or manganese. These metals are known as alloys, and alloys are added to pure gold to make different purities of gold such as 10kt, 14kt, and 18kt.

The casted white gold appears to be a faint yellow hue after final polishing, but it is then rhodium plated to a brilliant, pure white color. Rhodium is a pure white metal that is plated to the piece using a plating solution with the metal in it. This plating will wear off and eventually your piece will need to be re-plated to restore it's original purchased look.

Most Jewelers charge a fee to re-plate your piece due to the expense of the plating solution that. The solution its self typically costs the jeweler over $600! So, white gold will look pretty brand new and will need a little maintenance as time progresses.

*WARNING* White gold contains nickel. Which some people can be allergic to and cause a red rash. This is something to think about when selecting a piece. There are ways to get a white ring if you are allergic to nickel. First, you can purchase platinum, select a piece with palladium as the alloy (it's hypoallergenic), or choose a piece made of palladium.

Thanks for stopping by I hope you learned something new.

Amir Chokr Gemologist (GIA)