Learn · Metals
White gold and rhodium
White gold is gold alloyed white and, usually, plated with rhodium for its bright white finish. The plating wears away gradually and is renewed from time to time, more often on a ring worn every day.
What it is
White gold is gold alloyed with nickel or palladium, plus copper and zinc. It is usually plated with rhodium, which gives it its bright white finish.
The plating wears away gradually, and it is renewed from time to time, more often on a ring worn every day. In the United States, a surface layer of rhodium has to be disclosed. Re-plating is one of the repairs and services Sara offers.
14k white gold
Gold alloyed with nickel or palladium plus copper and zinc, usually rhodium-plated for a bright white.
18k white gold
75% gold with white alloys, usually rhodium-plated.
Why people love it
A bright white finish in gold, lighter than platinum, in 14k or 18k. 14k white gold is the more durable of the two; 18k is somewhat softer and carries more gold.
- 14k white gold: Bright white, and more durable than 18k white.
- 14k white gold: Lighter than platinum.
- 18k white gold: More gold than 14k white.
- 18k white gold: Heavier than 14k white.
Trade-offs
The rhodium needs renewing from time to time. Some white gold alloys contain nickel, which people with a nickel allergy should avoid; palladium white gold is the nickel-free alternative.
- 14k white gold: The rhodium plating wears away gradually and is renewed from time to time.
- 14k white gold: Some alloys contain nickel; palladium white gold is nickel-free.
- 18k white gold: Somewhat softer than 14k white.
- 18k white gold: The rhodium plating is renewed from time to time.
Who it suits
Someone who wants a white ring and is happy to have it re-plated now and then, or who would rather have a lighter ring than platinum. For a nickel allergy, a palladium white gold.
Sizes
White gold bands come in the same widths as yellow and rose; the Design Studio offers 1.5 mm to 6 mm and shows the weight of any design in grams and pennyweights from its real geometry.
By the studio’s densities, 14k white gold is 12.9 g/cm³ and 18k white 15.2, a little under 14k and 18k yellow (13.1 and 15.6).
What affects the cost
The gold weight and purity, as for any gold, plus the rhodium plating at the start and each time it is renewed. 18k white holds more gold than 14k white. The stone and the setting time are separate.
Every custom piece is quoted after a consultation; there are no posted prices for custom work.
Care
Clean it in warm water with a drop of dish soap and a soft brush, rinse, and dry with a lint-free cloth. Pacific Jewel rings come back to Sara for a clean and an inspection whenever you like.
Bring the ring back when the white has worn unevenly, and the rhodium is renewed.
Questions
How often does white gold need re-plating?
From time to time, more often on a ring worn every day. There is no set interval; Sara can tell you when yours is ready.
Is white gold the same as platinum?
No. White gold is gold alloyed white and usually rhodium-plated; platinum is a different metal, with its bright white finish without plating.
Does a jeweler have to say a ring is rhodium-plated?
In the United States, yes: a surface layer of rhodium has to be disclosed.
Can I avoid nickel in white gold?
Yes. Sara can make it in a nickel-free palladium white gold, or suggest platinum, which GIA calls hypoallergenic.