70% of customers purchasing wedding or engagement rings and other jewelry from us choose white gold. In this article, we will talk about white gold, its properties, and its differences from other gold colors. While our parents and grandparents knew only one color of gold – red, also known as “Russian” gold – it is much less popular today.
In truth, white gold itself can also be of two types. Yellow gold alloy is a natural, bright yellow metal that is often compared to white gold. Therefore, when we ask the question of which gold you will choose – white or rhodium-plated white – many get confused. What is the difference? We will try to explain.
What is white gold?
The color of gold depends on the impurities within it. The gold fineness (hallmark) indicates how many grams of pure gold are in a kilogram of alloy. For example, 585 gold fineness means that there are 585 grams of pure gold in the total alloy. And what makes up the remaining weight? Various chemical elements that strengthen the metal (gold is very soft) and change its color. Therefore, the value of gold depends only on the fineness, not the color. White, yellow, or red gold costs exactly the same!
Natural white gold
Natural white gold is an exclusive and rare metal that is increasingly chosen for the production of high-quality jewelry, especially wedding rings and engagement rings. Unlike yellow gold, natural white gold features a subtle, light color provided by specially selected alloys. This metal not only looks modern and elegant but also remains popular due to its versatility – it pairs perfectly with both diamonds and other gemstones.
One of the biggest advantages of natural white gold is its durability. Due to its special composition, this metal is resistant to daily wear and corrosion, so wedding rings or other white gold jewelry maintain their beauty for many years. This is especially important for those who want their ring or earrings to always look flawless, despite constant wear.
Natural white gold is often paired with diamonds because the light color of the metal perfectly highlights the brilliance of the gemstones. Such rings or earrings look exceptionally luxurious and exclusive. Furthermore, jewelry combining white and yellow gold is being chosen more and more often – this combination provides an exceptional design and allows for the creation of unique, eye-catching pieces.
Over the past years, the popularity of white gold has been constantly growing – more and more people are choosing this metal not only for wedding rings but also for other jewelry, valuing its longevity, durability, and modern appearance. The price you pay for natural white gold reflects its quality and durability – it is an investment in a piece of jewelry that will bring you joy for many years.
If you are looking for a ring or other piece of jewelry that is not only beautiful but also long-lasting, natural white gold plated with rhodium is an excellent choice. This metal not only stands out for its elegance but also ensures that your wedding rings or earrings will remain flawless even after many years.
Why is white gold rhodium-plated?
Once white gold is chosen, the next step is to decide whether the white color achieved by the alloy suits you or if you want to additionally plate the white gold with rhodium – or in other words, have it rhodium-plated.
Rhodium is a metal that is even more expensive than gold on the metal exchange. It has an icy, white tint that sparkles exceptionally well; its cool white shade highlights the diamond’s brilliance very effectively and adds whiteness to the diamond. Therefore, a piece of jewelry (usually a wedding or engagement ring) that is additionally rhodium-plated will be even whiter and more radiant. Beautiful? For some, yes; for others, no.
If you compare natural white gold and rhodium-plated white gold side by side, it is visible to the naked eye that the latter is whiter.
One thing to note – only the surface is covered with rhodium, so if the jewelry is worn frequently, the rhodium wears off and loses that icy tint, and the champagne-colored white gold underneath gradually begins to show. This is a natural consequence of wear. Therefore, do not be surprised if you need to re-plate it after a year or two.
FashionGold.lt offers a 50% discount for the re-plating of wedding rings purchased from us, costing 30 euros per ring; however, already worn rings must first be refurbished and only then rhodium-plated, so a refurbishment fee is often added to the rhodium-plating cost.
