White Gold JewelryBy:Ardamun
Summary: White gold is the alloy of pure gold, and nickel, silver or palladium
- the white metals. The alloy with these metals is in fact grayish and is plated with rhodium to give it a whiter look.
White Gold Jewelry - The Jewelry for the 21st Century!
Gold is one of the most common types of metal used in jewelry. It has a
place of pride among all the other metals and is the most coveted. Since
3000 BC, from the times of the Sumerian Civilization, it has inspired
craftsmen to create unmatched jewelry. Pure gold is 24K (Karat) gold and is
too soft and malleable to be used for jewelry. An ounce of pure gold can be
beaten to make a 300 square feet sheet! A proportion of other metals is
mixed with 24K gold for jewelry. 14k gold refers to 14 parts out of 24 of
pure gold and the rest some other metal. Similarly, 18k gold is 18 parts out
of 24 of pure gold plus some other metal.
Gold jewelry is an alloy of gold and other metals, such as silver, copper,
nickel and zinc. Pure gold is yellow in color and the metal used in the
alloy determines the color of the gold. White gold is the alloy of pure
gold, and nickel, silver or palladium - the white metals. The alloy with
these metals is in fact grayish and is plated with rhodium to give it a
whiter look. Due to its allergic reactions, many do not prefer the alloy of
gold and nickel. The color of white gold is determined by:
* The type of metals used in it - silver, palladium, or nickel
* The percentage of each metal in the alloy
History of White Gold Jewelry
In the beginning of the 20th century, jewelers were using platinum with
diamonds to turn out jewelry. Platinum was then relatively unknown and very
expensive. In the 1920s, white gold alloys were developed as a substitute to
platinum. To meet the demand for white jewelry, many combinations of
gold-palladium-nickel were used for jewelry. By the World War II, palladium
based white gold was the only choice, as nickel and platinum were prohibited
for non-war use. Palladium based white gold was expensive and after the war,
the less expensive nickel based white gold once again became a popular
choice.
Once started as a substitute for platinum based jewelry, white gold jewelry,
today, has earned its own niche. It is a fashionable and desirable choice
for all, especially the younger age group. White gold jewelry is available
up to 21K and is often used to enhance diamonds and other precious
gemstones. Bridal jewelry, in the form of white gold jewelry is fast
becoming popular.
The Making of White Gold Jewelry
The addition of any metal, other than copper, to a gold alloy tends to
whiten it. Nickel and palladium are strong 'bleachers' of gold and are
widely used for making white gold jewelry. This has given rise to two basic
types of white gold jewelry: the Nickel whites and the Palladium whites. The
nickel whites have a colder white color, whereas the palladium whites tend
to have a warmer white. The normal Karat age of white gold jewelry is 14K,
18K and 21K. 21K white gold jewelry is available in palladium based white
gold. You cannot get 22K white gold jewelry.
There is no legal way to define 'white' for white gold jewelry and many
white golds for commercial use are not 'good' whites. To improve the
whiteness in the white gold jewelry, the normal practice is to provide a
plating of Rhodium to the white gold, to enhance its whiteness. Rhodium
belongs to the platinum family of metals and has a good metallic white color
with high reflectivity. It is hard and has good wear properties, and so is
durable. To improve the whiteness of the nickel or palladium white gold, a
thin coating of rhodium is electroplated onto the alloy.
Rhodium electroplating on white gold jewelry is legally allowed. This
coating has a life of around three years, before it wears out to reveal the
original white gold underneath. The white gold jewelry is electroplated
again to bring it back to its pristine condition. Many users consider the
color of rhodium as the normal color of white gold jewelry, as they are used
to seeing this.
Buying White Gold Jewelry
You need to take care while buying white gold jewelry. Many women, around
12% to 15%, are allergic to nickel in their white gold jewelry. It causes
skin rash and irritation. Rhodium plating may help avoid allergic reactions
to some extent, but the plating does wear away after time. While buying
white gold jewelry, ask your jeweler if the white gold contains nickel.
Nickel free white gold jewelry is becoming more and more popular and people
are turning towards palladium based white gold jewelry.
In many European countries, nickel based white gold jewelry is being
replaced by palladium based jewelry. The United States is taking a different
approach and requires jewelers to label nickel based white gold jewelry as
'nickel containing'. White gold jewelry is now advertised and sold as
'non-allergenic' or 'nickel-free'. This makes sense as some palladium based
white gold jewelry may contain a percentage of nickel in it. A typical
palladium based 18K white gold jewelry may contain nickel from 0.9% to 7%.
The higher content of nickel in the white gold increases the hardness of the
metal.
In many countries, jewelers are not legally required to tell if the jewelry
is rhodium plated or not. You will not know how white is the gold alloy
underneath. Though good quality white gold jewelry may not require rhodium
plating, many jewelers do so to meet consumers' expectations of the
whiteness!
Alternative White Gold Jewelry
Palladium based white gold jewelry being expensive, there is a demand for
less expensive alternatives that are nickel free. White gold alloys with
magnesium addition as a main whitener is fast catching up. These magnesium
based white gold jewelry are palladium free or have very low palladium
content. Some white gold jewelry has chromium and iron as whiteners, though
they tend to be hard. Even so, these alloys need to be rhodium plated to
enhance whiteness.
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