price of gold

[tommalle]

Is white gold more expensive than yellow gold? The reason why I ask is because I was looking at semi mounts for my diamond. The one I liked was yellow gold so I asked if it was available in white gold and the saleslady said it was but it would cost $150 more. She said it was because it is more in demand. Any truth to any of this?

 

[strmrdr]

no
wg and yg are usually the same price.
When there is a difference often yg is more expensive because it is custom order.

 

[Gypsy]

No YG is not inherently less expensive.

But she's right... white gold is "IN" so they can charge more. And IF the setting is stocked in yellow gold, and the white gold is the 'custom' order then it can be... because the stock item might have been purchased from the designer when gold was at one price, then the price of gold went up, and so did the setting price from the designer... so the stock ring plus markup is less expensive than the custom ring plus markup cause the purchase price from the designer may have been different.

Case in point. Saw a platinum setting at a local jeweler. Designer, gorgeous.-- and it was the last of the jewelers old stock of that designer, because they didn't stock that designer anymore. Old stock but brand new ring. Was qouted a lovely price for it... but decided I'd see if I could get the same setting from one of the PS vendors because I like to reward our vendors with my patronage where I can afford to. PS vendor told me FLAT OUT that they couldn't even touch that price I was offered because of the price of metals going up. Said the price I was offered was LESS than what they would have to buy the ring from the designer for now. I went back to local jeweler-- idly asked how long that ring had been in stock... they looked up, and it had been over 3 years they'd had that one in the store. Told me they wanted it sold as it was a unique ring and not the style their customer's tending to shop (which is why they stopped carrying the line), and offered me an even lower price. *shrug* This also illustrates that value is often set by demand. For the local jeweler, the ring's value was lowered because they couldn't move it. No demand means lower price.

Which takes us right back to the fact that is WG is in right now... they can charge you more. I've seen it in stores I've been into over the holidays. WG version is 50-200-300 more than yellow gold version depending on the price of the object to start with.

At least she was honest to tell you the truth. You shoudl hear how other jewelers will try to justify it to you. They start babling about 'rhodium plating' being expensive so WG is more costly to manufacture.

 

[tommalle]

Thanks for the replies. I never thought that it could also be because the one had been sitting at the store for a while and the white gold would have to be ordered. I just didn''t want to be taken.