James Allen ring needs recoating after 8 months

[Laila619]

I'm sorry, Matt. However, you DO NOT look like a fool! It's nothing you did wrong.

In the future, a good FYI is that 18k white gold has a lot more gold content than 14k or 10k. It is yellower than 14k or 10k because, well, gold is yellow, and it it 75% pure gold. I would try 14k or platinum next time, or even palladium. Glad that James Allen will take care of you!

 

[tammy77]

That's some seriously good customer service! As a side note, my rings have to be replated every 3 months and I purposefully bought the settings from a local B&M that does them for free because I knew that daily wear turns them yellow. It's just the way things are with white gold.

My local jeweler told me (though this may be untrue, I tend to believe him though) that of all things, handling a lot of paper (office, school, etc.) will yellow them fast because it's constant abrasion.

 

[maplefemme]

JA's site calls this ring "White Gold" when in fact it isn't.. its Rhodium plated yellow gold

Matt,

This statement is untrue. Your CSR and the forum here at Pricescope have been trying to explain to you that white gold (especially white gold that is 18kt) will turn yellow over time. Whether that be six weeks or six years will depend on wear and body chemistry, but eventually it's going to happen.

We would be more than happy to take back the rings and exchange them for the same designs in platinum. I can even authorize 100% credit. All you need to do is pay the difference between your original purchase amount and the current price of the set in platinum.

Hope this helps.

This is excellent customer service, great to see.
My skin really eats white gold and rhodium in no time, 6 months or less.
Also, she might be wearing her engagement ring much more than the other rings and you'd be amazed the wear and tear from the simple daily activities, opening doors, holding items, other rings rubbing, etc.
I assure you, you do not look a fool...

 

[Dreamer_D]

Matt you are being very dramatic in talking about these rings my friend The reality is that rhodium wears off, in fact it is recommended to redip every 6 months. 18k white gold is warm, and has a yellowish tone. I suspect the other rings your fiance wears are lower karat, which is why they don't look as yellow. ETA: Or they may be a different alloy mix for the white gold, which also changes its true color tone under the rhodium. Or she wears them differently/uses the hand those rings are worn on differently. I don't believe this is some evil plan on the part of JA. Work it into the budget to get them dipped locally every 3 months if you want them looking pristine. Or take up Jim's very generous offer to exchange them for you.

 

[makemepretty]

My Whiteflash setting did the same thing in a short amount of time. I've owned lots of white gold and it's the only one that did that. I don't really buy the whole "body chemistry" theory, I believe it's the ring itself. I've never heard of anyones white gold earrings doing that, have you?

 

[Dreamer_D]

My Whiteflash setting did the same thing in a short amount of time. I've owned lots of white gold and it's the only one that did that. I don't really buy the whole "body chemistry" theory, I believe it's the ring itself. I've never heard of anyones white gold earrings doing that, have you?

Body chemistry might interact with wear to create the issue. In other words, it is not liek sweat melts the phrodium off but rather acidic skin makes the rhodium more prone to wear off when rubbed or skuffed against other materials. So earrings won't wear -- no abrasion even though the body oils are present. Both must be present to lead to the phenomenon.

But alloy differences can explain it.

 

[0-0-0]

Ditto Lula.

IMO the wear on the bottom of the prongs and the heavier wear on the shank suggest that rubbing with another ring is a contributing issue. The plating may last longer if the rings are worn separately.

 

[JulieN]

It didn't turn to yellow gold; the extremely white rhodium wore off, leaving the less white gold visible. I suggest not re-plating, and leaving it its natural color. Then you need not have to worry about re-plating.

 

[kenny]

I love Pricescope and this thread is a great example why.
You can call vendors onto the carpet and they can respond, as the world watches.

This is why buying from a PS vendor gives me more peace of mind than buying from a B&M down the street.

 

[arcticcatmatt]

Thanks for the replies including the one from JA. I am not trying to call anyone out with this thread or point fingers just trying to figure it out. I have my wife telling me to do enough things and these rings looking bad gets brought up daily and that adds to my honey do list
I see todays prices for the platinum rings are much higher than when I bought these a year or so ago..about 50%. The offer I got via email was for me to pay $1,417 (todays price). So offer is to give these rings back at the old much lower price and buy new rings at today's much higher price.

 

[pixies]

I own a few rings in 14kt white gold. I've had rings in rose gold as well. My latest ring was my first piece in 18kt white gold. I have never had my 14kt pieces redipped but they still look nice and white. I was shocked how fast the rhodium wore off my 18kt piece but after thinking about it I realized it is of reasonable for this to happen due to the higher gold content. It's only on the bottom/palm side of the shank. If the wear were more even, I think I'd really enjoy the soft buttery color. I don't have pave on my ring though so I can see how that would be a bother with that particular style.

To be fair though, both white gold and platinum have little quirks that require maintenance. Platinum develops a patina. Yssie posted awesome pictures documented this. Some love patina, others loathe it. The ring needs to be polished in order to remove the patina. I just thought a warning was in order so that you won't be in this same position again with a different metal.

edit to add link to patina pictures:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/platinum-vs-white-gold.147732/

 

[kenny]

Thanks for the replies including the one from JA. I am not trying to call anyone out with this thread or point fingers just trying to figure it out. I have my wife telling me to do enough things and these rings looking bad gets brought up daily and that adds to my honey do list
I see todays prices for the platinum rings are much higher than when I bought these a year or so ago..about 50%. The offer I got via email was for me to pay $1,417 (todays price). So offer is to give these rings back at the old much lower price and buy new rings at today's much higher price.

That was a very generous offer that JA did NOT have to give you.

Don't be greedy.
Be thankful and gracious and stop whining!

 

[hoofbeats95]

I think the offer is nothing to sneeze at. It's more than most vendors would offer up I think. All you are doing is paying the price difference in metals. Which is a darn fine offer IMO. But yes, as others have pointed out, some people like Platinum even less. The grass isn't always greener . . .

 

[arcticcatmatt]

Thanks for the replies including the one from JA. I am not trying to call anyone out with this thread or point fingers just trying to figure it out. I have my wife telling me to do enough things and these rings looking bad gets brought up daily and that adds to my honey do list
I see todays prices for the platinum rings are much higher than when I bought these a year or so ago..about 50%. The offer I got via email was for me to pay $1,417 (todays price). So offer is to give these rings back at the old much lower price and buy new rings at today's much higher price.

That was a very generous offer that JA did NOT have to give you.

Don't be greedy.
Be thankful and gracious and stop whining!

Hey no need for that pal.. I havn't been rude to ANYONE and I don't expect it to me.
When I bought the rings I was told they might need replated every few years.. not every 3 months-6 months. Also when I bought them to get the platinum it would have cost me about 600ish dollars total additional. Their offer is to pay them over $1,400.. not $600 so sorry to those that think that is a hell of an offer because to me it isn't. Prices have gone up 50% in the year or so so selling them back to them at the low price and buying new at the high price is what it actually is.. again 1400 not 600... price difference was 600 now its 1400.. I don't know how else to explain it.

 

[Lula]

Thanks for the replies including the one from JA. I am not trying to call anyone out with this thread or point fingers just trying to figure it out. I have my wife telling me to do enough things and these rings looking bad gets brought up daily and that adds to my honey do list
I see todays prices for the platinum rings are much higher than when I bought these a year or so ago..about 50%. The offer I got via email was for me to pay $1,417 (todays price). So offer is to give these rings back at the old much lower price and buy new rings at today's much higher price.

Yes, metals prices have increased enormously since you bought these rings. So $1417 is a great price to have the rings remade in platinum, but, even so, that price may be a budget breaker for you, so it might not feel like a good deal to you.

I suspect, as others do, that your wife's other rings are 14 kt. white gold and that's why they do not look as yellow as fast. It could also be the combination of alloys that JA uses in their 18 kt. settings. Another option -- you may want to talk to JA about having the rings remade in 14 kt. white gold with a palladium alloy versus a new set in platinum. But, just FYI, gold is significantly more expensive than it was when you bought these rings, and so are melee (small diamonds) stones, so a new setting will be costly no matter what metal you choose.

As others have mentioned, no metal is maintenance-free, even platinum. Unfortunately, many people have become very used to the "chrome-white" of rhodium plating, which is, in my experience, a very high-maintenance, and, frankly, sort of unnatural finish for jewelry. I do think jewelers tend to downplay how much maintenance rhodium plating involves, and that it does not wear the same on everyone, and some pieces may wear different than others. I also think that there are differences in the thickness of rhodium plating and there have been some threads about jewelers not changing their rhodium "bath" often enough, and how fresh rhodium plates different than older rhodium.

That's why I'm not sure switching to platinum, or even switching to 14 kt. white gold, will solve your problems if what your wife loves is the chrome white of rhodium plating. You may want to just shop around for a local jeweler who can replate them for you every six months. Make it a routine (have lunch with your wife while you wait for them to replate the rings and check the prongs). It may be less hassle and certainly less expensive in the long run than any remake of the rings.

 

[stone-cold11]

Plat price is rising too.

White gold is still going to be slightly yellow. Depends on what the alloy metal used and purity of the WG, they have different unplated color, as others noted, your wife's other set might be lower purity WG that has a whiter unplated color. Just a fact of life.

These might be useful for color.

From https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/cia-scale-for-different-metals-and-alloys.64079/


From http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=115382#top


From http://www.pricescope.com/journal/overview_common_alloys_used_jewelry

1. 18K yellow gold
2. 18K white gold, rhodium plated
3. 18K palladium white gold, not plated


A. Platinum-iridium
B. Platinum-ruthenium
C. Platinum-cobalt

 

[chicam]

So I hear it is wise to avoid ammonia because it strip the rhodium off. Is that true then? Mine rhodium is wearing off regardless.

 

[ms.halo]

I say try getting them dipped somewhere locally. The rhodium "mix" is slightly different from jeweler to jeweler and you may just need to find one that doesn't react as much for your wife.

 

[Lula]

Thanks for the replies including the one from JA. I am not trying to call anyone out with this thread or point fingers just trying to figure it out. I have my wife telling me to do enough things and these rings looking bad gets brought up daily and that adds to my honey do list
I see todays prices for the platinum rings are much higher than when I bought these a year or so ago..about 50%. The offer I got via email was for me to pay $1,417 (todays price). So offer is to give these rings back at the old much lower price and buy new rings at today's much higher price.

That was a very generous offer that JA did NOT have to give you.

Don't be greedy.
Be thankful and gracious and stop whining!

Hey no need for that pal.. I havn't been rude to ANYONE and I don't expect it to me.
When I bought the rings I was told they might need replated every few years.. not every 3 months-6 months. Also when I bought them to get the platinum it would have cost me about 600ish dollars total additional. Their offer is to pay them over $1,400.. not $600 so sorry to those that think that is a hell of an offer because to me it isn't. Prices have gone up 50% in the year or so so selling them back to them at the low price and buying new at the high price is what it actually is.. again 1400 not 600... price difference was 600 now its 1400.. I don't know how else to explain it.

Matt, I'd be upset, too, if I'd asked about the rhodium plating and been told that it would need to be replated every few years. I don't think you're being unreasonable if that's what you were told. You may have made a different choice if JA had said something along the lines of "Typically, rhodium plating needs to be done every few years. However, it is a plated finish and it will wear. Some people are more sensitive to the appearance of the wear than others and may want to have their rings replated more often. Other people may need replating more often because they wear through the rhodium plating faster."

 

[AmandaLeigh]

Ditto Lula.

IMO the wear on the bottom of the prongs and the heavier wear on the shank suggest that rubbing with another ring is a contributing issue. The plating may last longer if the rings are worn separately.

This is Amanda, the wife. Thanks for the input but I don't think I should have to decide if I want to wear either my engagement ring or my wedding ring, they were purchased as a matching set which means they are meant to be worn together. They shouldn't look like crap after less than 3 months. We got married in the middle of October and by Christmas my rings looked like crap. I never shower or wash dishes with my rings on, I use organic products with no harsh chemicals and I work a desk job where my rings don't bang on anything.

I understand where people are coming and respect your right to say what you want but understand this is my WEDDING set that I shouldn't have to go without for weeks every 3 months because they have to be sent back for re plating. It's just frustrating.

 

[cookies]

When I bought the rings I was told they might need replated every few years.. not every 3 months-6 months. Also when I bought them to get the platinum it would have cost me about 600ish dollars total additional. Their offer is to pay them over $1,400.. not $600 so sorry to those that think that is a hell of an offer because to me it isn't. Prices have gone up 50% in the year or so so selling them back to them at the low price and buying new at the high price is what it actually is.. again 1400 not 600... price difference was 600 now its 1400.. I don't know how else to explain it.

The white gold in your ring cannot really be re-used in other rings or jewelry. The scrap value of white gold is not great. It is only fair to JA if you think their offer this way: you are getting a full refund for the 18K WG ring you bought a year ago (which most vendors wouldn't even consider doing), and purchasing the platinum ring from the same vendor at the current price.

That being said, I still wish you didn't have to deal with this problem.

 

[AmandaLeigh]

Matt, I'd be upset, too, if I'd asked about the rhodium plating and been told that it would need to be replated every few years. I don't think you're being unreasonable if that's what you were told. You may have made a different choice if JA had said something along the lines of "Typically, rhodium plating needs to be done every few years. However, it is a plated finish and it will wear. Some people are more sensitive to the appearance of the wear than others and may want to have their rings replated more often. Other people may need replating more often because they wear through the rhodium plating faster."

Thanks for understanding Lula. When Matt inquired he was told every few years not once was it mentioned that it was a possibility of every 3 months, otherwise we would have gone with a different metal.

 

[stone-cold11]

I say try getting them dipped somewhere locally. The rhodium "mix" is slightly different from jeweler to jeweler and you may just need to find one that doesn't react as much for your wife.

Rhodium is rhodium, there is no mix. The solution might be different but the electroplating process, only the pure metal rhodium is deposited onto the ring.

 

[AmandaLeigh]

Thanks for the replies including the one from JA. I am not trying to call anyone out with this thread or point fingers just trying to figure it out. I have my wife telling me to do enough things and these rings looking bad gets brought up daily and that adds to my honey do list
I see todays prices for the platinum rings are much higher than when I bought these a year or so ago..about 50%. The offer I got via email was for me to pay $1,417 (todays price). So offer is to give these rings back at the old much lower price and buy new rings at today's much higher price.

That was a very generous offer that JA did NOT have to give you.

Don't be greedy.
Be thankful and gracious and stop whining!

Hey Kenny, did you not read the agreement when you signed up for PriceScope? I just did when I signed up it basically said don't be a jerk to others and show respect and well you are being very rude. Guess what the offer was generous but still not a great deal considering we would still have to pay today's prices (which is almost double what they were 2 years ago and we WOULD have purchased had we been told that this would happen EVERY 3 months). He's not whining, I AM. They are my WEDDING rings and they should look great and I should be able to show them off, not be embarrassed because the plating wears off less than every 3 months and they look like crap.

 

[kelpie]

I think James Allen's offer is extremely generous.

Not all alloys seem to be created equal. My anecdotal evidence of this is I have a 18k 75 year old orange blossom band that is bright white and never plated to my knowledge. I have a 18k ring my jeweler made that was never plated that is bright white and I wear and clean it often. I have a pair of earring nuts that were downright yellow after one cleaning in the ultrasonic with some windex. It's a wonder why jewelers wouldn't choose the whitest alloy.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I still think this is a big to-do about a common and typical maintenance issue with white gold rings, especially 18k. Find a local jeweler you trust and just get them dipped every 3 months for a whopping $25 bucks and be done with it.

Or take up JAs very generous offer to switch to platinum. They are eating the cost of your original setting -- scrap will be like $150 for the whole set.

A little research on white gold tells you it needs replating anywhere from every 3 months to every couple years, depending on your wear patterns and body chemistry. Its just the reality of the metal. I have never replated my white gold rings, either the rhodium does not wear off or else I like the warmth of the wear.

Another option is to get a new setting that is 14k or even 10k, or the new white gold alloy that Stuller makes (X something??) that does not need rhodium plating.

 

[stone-cold11]

It's a wonder why jewelers wouldn't choose the whitest alloy.

Strength, cost, ease of mass production, resistance against corrosion, etc, probably many more reasons out there. Depends on which is the priority of the maker of the setting.

 

[Lula]

It's a wonder why jewelers wouldn't choose the whitest alloy.

Strength, cost, ease of mass production, resistance against corrosion, etc, probably many more reasons out there. Depends on which is the priority of the maker of the setting.

And the fact that almost all white gold jewelry is de facto plated with rhodium allows them to use whatever alloy is cheapest because the base metal will be covered up with rhodium, so if the cheapest alloy is the yellowest one, no one is the wiser until the unfortunate consumer discovers the yellow some months or years later.

ETA: This is a consumer awareness issue, because many people simply don't realize that the natural color of white gold is not white at all because you have to get into high-end custom/artisan pieces to even see unplated white gold marketed as a desirable metal color. A friend of mine asked me why my ring (unplated 18 kt. white gold, custom-designed, and unplated by design) was so "yellow." I said, that's the natural color of white gold. She shook her head, held out her rhodium-plated wedding set and said, "No, this is white gold." It took some convincing on my part for her to understand that what she thought was the color of white gold was really the color of the plating.

 

[Dreamer_D]

AmandaLeigh do you expect JA to eat the entire cost of your setting? Would you consider that fair? Should they -- two years after you bought the ring originally -- let you exchange the set for platinum without any additional cost to you the consumer?

 

[Dreamer_D]

It's a wonder why jewelers wouldn't choose the whitest alloy.

Strength, cost, ease of mass production, resistance against corrosion, etc, probably many more reasons out there. Depends on which is the priority of the maker of the setting.

And the fact that almost all white gold jewelry is de facto plated with rhodium allows them to use whatever alloy is cheapest because the base metal will be covered up with rhodium, so if the cheapest alloy is the yellowest one, no one is the wiser until the unfortunate consumer discovers the yellow some months or years later.

ETA: This is a consumer awareness issue, because many people simply don't realize that the natural color of white gold is not white at all because you have to get into high-end custom/artisan pieces to even see unplated white gold marketed as a desirable metal color. A friend of mine asked me why my ring (unplated 18 kt. white gold, custom-designed, and unplated by design) was so "yellow." I said, that's the natural color of white gold. She shook her head, held out her rhodium-plated and said, "No, this is white gold." It took some convincing on my part for her to understand that what she thought was the color of white gold was really the color of the plating.

I wonder if James Allen can come back and tell us what type of allow they use on that ring or on all their rings? Before we assume anything like this bolded?

I agree, this is a consumer awareness issue.