What is the point of 18k WHITE gold?

[Miss Sparkly]

My grandmother in SoCal recently moved and sent quite a few family pieces up to me - as I''m the only granddaughter. One of the pieces is a 3mm 18k white gold band that belonged to my grandfather. I took it into the jeweler to have it polished and redipped and now it looks exactly like my 14k gold ering. So, what is the point of having high karat gold if it''s being covered with rhodium?

 

[stone-cold11]

more gold content?

 

[Laila619]

18k is heavier and has more gold content than 14k. 18k is 75% gold, 25% alloy(s). 14k is only 58% gold, while the other 42% is alloy. Some people care about this, some don't.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

Sorry if this seems like a silly question, as I only have two WG pieces now

- but will it need rhodium plated more often being a higher gold karat? Also, one of our vendors once told me that the local, maul type, stores use low quality rhodium to keep you comming back in. Is this true? What would I ask to find good rhodium plating?

 

[Laila619]

18k is theoretically yellower than 14k because of the higher gold content, so it may need to be rhodium plated a bit more often, yes. Instead of a mall chain, try to find a good and knowledgable family owned jewelry store to get rhodium plating.

 

[stone-cold11]

Date: 4/8/2010 9:42:33 AM
Author: Sparkly Blonde
Sorry if this seems like a silly question, as I only have two WG pieces now

- but will it need rhodium plated more often being a higher gold karat? Also, one of our vendors once told me that the local, maul type, stores use low quality rhodium to keep you comming back in. Is this true? What would I ask to find good rhodium plating?

Depends on how you wear the ring, you body chemistry and what kind of metal is used for the alloying with the gold, as it is the metal that oxidizes, once the rhodium has wear off, that reveals the gold color.

Since you have 2, do the experiment for us? Polish and replate both at the same time, wear them side by side and see how it goes?

Quality of rhodium is not the problem, rhodium is rhodium, I think the problem is how often they change the plating solution.

 

[RaiKai]

More gold content and a bit heavier. Often considered better for fine jewelery. Also 14k white can be more brittle depending on alloys used.

And not everyone plates their white gold.I prefer it unplated buth do have plated pieces too. 14k and 18k can appear very different and depending on alloys.Also feels different and wears different.

It is all a matter of preference. I wear both. And a lot for me depends on the alloys used more than the gold content due to different colour, wear, durability and so on.

 

[RaiKai]

Date: 4/8/2010 9:42:33 AM
Author: Sparkly Blonde
Sorry if this seems like a silly question, as I only have two WG pieces now

- but will it need rhodium plated more often being a higher gold karat? Also, one of our vendors once told me that the local, maul type, stores use low quality rhodium to keep you comming back in. Is this true? What would I ask to find good rhodium plating?

Depends on skin chemistry (acidity), what it is exposed to on a daily basis, the "quality" of the plating and so on. Rhodium is rhodium, but there is a difference in how well the plating is done.

Also depends on how "yellow" the gold is underneath. While theoretically 18K white is yellower than 14k white...this is not always the case. Some excellent quality 18K white gold can be whiter than some poor quality 14k white gold. There aren't any formal regulations in the US on what white gold should "look like" and so many makers may make gold alloys that look rather yellow knowing it is going to be plated anyway. This leads to a variety in how one white gold alloy looks to another, even if both are 18k, or both are 14k.

You can find examples of old estate or antique jewelery that is 18k white gold and was never plated...and is VERY white. You can also find modern examples of white gold alloys that are very white (Stuller X1, some of the high-palladium gold alloys, etc)

And some maul jewelers just plate yellow gold which is VERY apparent when the plating wears.

I have some white gold that was formerly plated, and once it wore (after more than 2-3 years) I left it as I prefer the look.

 

[simonwiser]

18kt gold has more gold content than 14kt, so purer gold and mixed with fewer alloys. It is also slightly heavier. There''s not a huge difference between the two to be honest. 14kt and 22kt are the standards of gold used in jewelry in the US, whilst in the UK it is 9kt and 18kt.

 

[PumpkinPie]

Thank you all for your explanations - I didn''t realise there was such a percentage (gold vs. alloy) difference between 14 and 18k gold.. interesting!

 

[RaiKai]

Date: 4/8/2010 10:13:23 AM
Author: simonwiser
18kt gold has more gold content than 14kt, so purer gold and mixed with fewer alloys. It is also slightly heavier. There's not a huge difference between the two to be honest. 14kt and 22kt are the standards of gold used in jewelry in the US, whilst in the UK it is 9kt and 18kt.

I think the standards in the US and Canada are more like 14k and 18k. 14k being the most commonly purchased and worn. Engagement rings and "fine jewelery" are more often marketed or sold in 18k. Wedding bands and other daily wear jewelery are usually marketed and sold in 14k (though many go with 18k to match engagement ring if they wear them together etc).

You can find higher (i.e. 19k, 22k) but I would not call them standards in the US or Canada. I rarely see 22k even offered at all, so I am quite sure it is not a standard! Available, but not a standard.

10k here is for more costume jewelery or more affordable pieces so you will find it a lot, but it is not really used in daily wear or fine jewelery.

I believe in some European countries (such as Italy) 18k is the common standard, and higher gold contents (22k etc) are considered for finer items.

 

[kenny]

To some people the "point" of white gold is it looks more like platinum than yellow gold, but costs less than platinum.

 

[karpouzi]

For that matter, why isn''t rhodium-plated silver seen more often? Is it that silver is too soft, or is it a stigma against a "cheap" metal?

 

[Tuckins1]

Date: 4/8/2010 10:29:12 AM
Author: karpouzi
For that matter, why isn't rhodium-plated silver seen more often? Is it that silver is too soft, or is it a stigma against a 'cheap' metal?

I think the reason you don't often see silver in fine jewelry is because it is so soft. I have some gem stone rings that are silver, but I would not feel comfortable mounting a diamond or an expensive gem stone in silver, as a prong could easily get bent and the stone could fall out. I personally love the look of silver jewelry!

 

[Lula]

To me, nothing says "maul jewelry" like 14 kt. gold with rhodium plating -- done to imitate platinum, I guess. But it makes it look like the chrome used in bathroom fixtures, to my eye.

18kt. yellow and white gold have a distinct look to them that is richer, warmer, and because it''s more expensive due to the gold content, jewelry pieces cast in higher carat gold tend to look substantial -- like fine jewelry as compared to costume/casual jewelry, as another poster said. They also have a more "vintage" look to them that some people prefer.

Some people (me included) have tried platinum and just don''t like the way the metal wears. But I don''t like the look of 14 kt. gold either, so 18 kt. white and yellow gold is what works best for me, and also looks best with my skin color.

 

[Hest88]

I have palladium white gold as my wedding set. They don''t need to be plated and, when we were purchasing them, the price difference b/t white gold and platinum was indeed a huge factor. Now I probably would go for plat, but as long as I don''t have to maintain them I don''t care all that much. My sister has a (probably) silver-alloyed white gold ring from the 1920s which looks gorgeous---nearly as silvery as the day it was made.

My beef, though, is that jewelers rarely seem to inform people about the whole rhodium plating thing. I would find it really annoying to have a white gold ring "turn yellow" and then find out all about the upkeep I didn''t realize had to be done.

 

[rhbgirl24]

My Ering is two toned, yellow and white, both 14K. White is not plated specifically for that reason - much softer feel.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/8/2010 10:22:18 AM
Author: kenny
To some people the ''point'' of white gold is it looks more like platinum than yellow gold, but costs less than platinum.

believe it or not...there was 1 day within the last 25 yrs (forgot the date

) YG closed 1 dollar higher than Plat.

 

[Amethyste]

Date: 4/8/2010 11:37:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/8/2010 10:22:18 AM

Author: kenny

To some people the ''point'' of white gold is it looks more like platinum than yellow gold, but costs less than platinum.

believe it or not...there was 1 day within the last 25 yrs (forgot the date

) YG closed 1 dollar higher than Plat.

Gosh... The fact that you cannot remember the exact date, really shows off your age (I am not even mentionning "the last 25 yrs." part) !!!

 

[kenny]

Date: 4/8/2010 11:37:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/8/2010 10:22:18 AM
Author: kenny
To some people the 'point' of white gold is it looks more like platinum than yellow gold, but costs less than platinum.

believe it or not...there was 1 day within the last 25 yrs (forgot the date

) YG closed 1 dollar higher than Plat.

True dat, but most platinum rings are 95% platinum and most old rings are 18K or 14K, which is 75% and 58% gold.

So even if pure gold and platinum were the same price the typical platinum ring would be a more expensive than the typical gold ring.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/8/2010 11:44:20 PM
Author: Amethyste

Date: 4/8/2010 11:37:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/8/2010 10:22:18 AM

Author: kenny

To some people the ''point'' of white gold is it looks more like platinum than yellow gold, but costs less than platinum.

believe it or not...there was 1 day within the last 25 yrs (forgot the date

) YG closed 1 dollar higher than Plat.

Gosh... The fact that you cannot remember the exact date, really shows off your age (I am not even mentionning ''the last 25 yrs.'' part) !!!

yep, this was when gold and plat was trading for around $265 per oz.

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 4/8/2010 10:13:23 AM
Author: simonwiser
18kt gold has more gold content than 14kt, so purer gold and mixed with fewer alloys. It is also slightly heavier. There's not a huge difference between the two to be honest. 14kt and 22kt are the standards of gold used in jewelry in the US, whilst in the UK it is 9kt and 18kt.

Hi simonwiser.

Actually, 14kt and 18kt, yellow and white, are the most common here in the US (and 10kt).

 

[LGK]

Date: 4/8/2010 11:03:27 AM
Author: Hest88
I have palladium white gold as my wedding set. They don''t need to be plated and, when we were purchasing them, the price difference b/t white gold and platinum was indeed a huge factor. Now I probably would go for plat, but as long as I don''t have to maintain them I don''t care all that much. My sister has a (probably) silver-alloyed white gold ring from the 1920s which looks gorgeous---nearly as silvery as the day it was made.

My beef, though, is that jewelers rarely seem to inform people about the whole rhodium plating thing. I would find it really annoying to have a white gold ring ''turn yellow'' and then find out all about the upkeep I didn''t realize had to be done.

A lot of antique 14K white gold was a lot higher in nickel as part of the alloy- it makes a lovely bright white, white gold. Unfortunately it is a lot harder for many people to wear as nickel can cause skin irritation/allergy. Personally I love the look of the antique white gold alloys with nickel, they''re not the uber-white look that you get from rhodium but are definitely not yellowy at all. (Luckily my hide is tough and I don''t get allergy problems from them

) I haven''t ever heard of a silver-gold alloy used in antique pieces but I''m sure it''s possible!

Actually in Victorian times sterling was used with diamonds- sometimes only sterling, more often mixed with yellow 18K gold. Or 18K yellow underneath and sterling sandwiched on top. I just got some late Victorian/early Edwardian sterling filigree chandelier style earrings with diamonds. They''re all still well set in the sterling. The look is different than platinum or gold filigree- it''s a lot less delicate, more metal. They''re pretty heavy actually. I do really love something about sterling as a metal used in fine jewelry with diamonds- the oxidation. It looks so cool to have dark oxidised metal around diamonds- I think some jewelers imitate that with black rhodium plating if I recall... it is really appealing to me though. My earrings have the main portion, the dangly parts, as sterling and the part that goes through the earlobe (gah I''m sleep deprived, what''s the word for the hooky thing?) in really deep buttery yellow 18K gold.

As far as the difference between modern 18K and 14K white gold with rhodium plating- personally I can''t tell much of a difference. With the plating on, it all looks the same, to me anyway. The weight is a smidge different but the look is the same to my eye. I''m not a huge fan of the rhodium plated look. I kinda prefer unplated modern white gold, the slight cream color is more attractive to me, or the look you get when the plating is just a bit worn. Just my weird taste though I think!