White Gold Rings: Attractive And Affordable

White gold rings are a stylish choice for those who want a piece of jewelry that is both attractive and affordable.

Pure gold is of course yellow in color, but by combining other metals with it, different colors of gold can be created. Using copper as one of the alloyed elements will create a redder color, for example, while the inclusion of 'white elements' will lighten the color. Silver and palladium are examples of white metals that nowadays are often used when creating white gold. Traditionally, nickel was often used as one of the metals, as it is very hard and therefore strong. However, over time it was discovered that roughly 12 per cent of the population have a mild allergic reaction to it. People with this allergy can develop a slight skin rash with prolonged exposure, so for that reason it is less likely to be used now.

Even with the addition of these whiteners, white gold in its natural state is still not the brilliant white you may be familiar with. In fact, it has more of a grayish hue. The 'final' white of white gold is actually produced by plating the ring with another metal, rhodium. What people think of as the distinctive coloring of white gold, then, is actually the coloring of the rhodium plating. Rhodium is a hard and resilient metal, but it will wear off over a period of time, probably one to two years. This means the ring will have to be re-plated with Rhodium to return it to its desired color. The cost of re-plating will be about sixty dollars.

White gold is not to be confused with the other valuable white-colored element, platinum. Platinum is usually found in an almost pure state in rings, which is to say it is not alloyed with other metals. White gold is much less dense than platinum, and therefore lighter. However, the main difference between the two is price. There is a reason why many ask an affordable version of platinum value white gold: an 18-karat white gold ring will be approximately half the cost of a platinum equivalent.

The 'rich man's silver', as it has been called, is a popular choice because its dazzling whiteness will offer a beautiful setting in which gemstones will stand out brilliantly. White gold rings on the hand of a man or a woman will be worn with pride and viewed with admiration.


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