| Gold minded from the earth is a metallic mineral | | | | It is important to know about the rodium plate. |
| and is always a rich yellow color when refined. | | | | The rhodium plate is not a cause for alarm or an |
| Pure gold is quite a rich color, quite soft and very | | | | indication the ring is yellow gold with white plating. |
| malleable. For use in jewelry, gold must be made | | | | The presence of a rhodium plate is pretty |
| stronger. Strength is added by making gold part | | | | standard industry practice. Because yellow is a |
| of a recipe(alloy) of metals. Generally, the basic | | | | small part of white gold, many ring makers and |
| metals added to pure gold are silver and copper. | | | | jewelers cover the white gold with a very fine |
| Small amounts of other metals are added to | | | | plate of rhodium, a very hard and very white |
| make a gold alloy to serve a specific purpose with | | | | metal. The plate is durable and can last a year or |
| special working qualities. Once made into an alloy, | | | | less, depending on wear. Any jeweler worth its |
| gold becomes the karat gold with which we are | | | | salt should be able to polish the ring and reapply a |
| familiar: 10k, 14k, and 18k. | | | | rhodium plate the sales person should have |
| Just as gold is alloyed with other metals to make | | | | mentioned that over time white gold can show a |
| jewelry karat gold, COLOR of the gold is also | | | | yellow tint. Some show a tint of yellow when |
| controlled. For instance, a larger copper content | | | | buffed and some do not, depending it seems |
| takes the metal to more pink or reddish color | | | | more on the alloy the maker used than on the |
| while adding silver creates more of a greenish | | | | overall quality of the ring. Generally buffing will |
| gold. | | | | leave the ring in a whiter state, not more yellow. |
| The various shades of yellow gold are due to the | | | | A second or third party jeweler should be able to |
| specific mix of metals the metal refiners use. | | | | do a quick test on the metals to confirm the |
| White gold is no exception. Generally a metal with | | | | karat is the same as stamped. At the same time, |
| a bleaching effect on the rich yellow is added to | | | | they will likely be able to confirm that the stone is |
| the alloy. This metal is either nickel or palladium (a | | | | a diamond. Don't expect a test for free or |
| metal relative of platinum). In either case, the | | | | expect a guess as to value. A professional |
| white gold is never quite white and the yellow of | | | | jeweler will not guess a value and that is why |
| the pure gold cannot be completely eliminated. | | | | they are often in the appraisal business, charging |
| Nickel white gold might show a very slight yellow | | | | for this service and attesting with their name |
| tinge when new or only after some wear. | | | | attached to value of the jewelry. Still, a metal |
| Palladium white gold is generally a more grey | | | | test is simple enough and will likely be free to |
| white color. | | | | perhaps $10 max to determine "if gold" and what |
| Generally, the yellow tint to white gold that shows | | | | karat. |
| more than expected is due to wear and | | | | General Information on Gold Alloys. |
| exposure. Buffing generally restores the metal to | | | | 10KW .418 gold, nickel, copper, zinc |
| a whiter (yet not pure white) condition. | | | | 14KW .585 gold, nickel, copper, zinc |
| SPECIAL NOTE: If the yellow tint showed "after | | | | 18KW .752 gold, nickel, copper, zinc |
| wearing for a while" after buffing, exposure to | | | | 14K Pall .585 gold, copper, silver, palladium |
| chlorine such as in a pool (etc.) could be partially to | | | | 18K Pall .752 gold, copper, palladium |
| blame. Chemicals like that will discolor white gold. | | | | A typical nickel containing white gold alloy might |
| Always keep white gold away from chlorine of | | | | be, in parts per thousand: Gold 750, Copper 55, |
| any form! Environmental and bodily exposure can | | | | Nickel 145, Zinc 50. |
| exaggerate the problem of yellow tinting. | | | | |