White gold colour problem!

[sophiem]

Hello,

I'm wondering if anyone can help? I have just made my first pair of 18 carat white gold textured wedding bands, after polishing them they are a horrible dull grey/gunmetal colour. I know white gold isn't white but can anyone suggest ways of making them look lighter or whiter. I'm really not happy with the colour of them and I don't want to give them to my client as they are. I've read about dipping white gold. Would this be the answer? If anyone can help that would be great!

Many thanks,
Sophie

[Dennis]

Sophie, I presume that you are talking about 18ct white gold and sadly yes it is a dull grey, rather like stainless steel. I personally don't like it at all but some people go for this industrial look. ( I have previously read that there is a lighter coloured 18ct white available but I don't remember where from)

I much prefer 9ct white gold, which looks more like silver with a feint yellow cast. It wears well too.

What to do now: show it to your clients and ask what they think. If they agree with you, offer to have it professionally rhodium plated, or remake it in another gold of their choice. Unfortunately I hate Rhodium plating too, because to me it looks like chrome. Also after a year or two it will wear through.

Don't shoot the messenger. Dennis.

[mizgeorge]

Most 18ct white seems to get rhodium plated these days to give it that silvery look. I quite like the slightly grey colour, but do like the warmth of 9ct white.

I'm not sure where you are to recommend a plating service.

[Tabby66]

Rhodium plating is the answer to lighten the colour Sophie.

[Patstone]

I got married eight years ago and my hubby bought my engagement and wedding ring before he asked me to marry him. A bit too self assured, or confident that I would say yes. Either way, doesnt matter, but they were both white gold and rhodium plated, i thought they looked cheap and nasty but it was long before I started making jewellery and |I was told by a jeweller that once the rhodium had worn off they would look nice. I must say he was right, now they are the golden white and \i love them, the design of both are interlocking.

[SteveLAO]

Yes, white gold is usually rhodium plated to make it shiny and white. do NOT be tempted to nickel plate though, as some imported items are coming in with nickel plating! Apart from it being an irritant there are regulations restricting the use of nickel in jewellery!

[ps_bond]

I presume you see the nickel spike on your XRF spectrometer - is that something you'd flag up?

[SteveLAO]

Yes...there are strict regulations over the amount of nickel allowed in a precious metal alloy, and of course if your item is nickel plated it won't get a hallmark anyway.

[caroleallen]

I've got an awkward situation at the moment. I made some 9ct white gold rings with an 18ct yellow wire around them for a wedding later this year. Apparently they've become really discoloured. The matching engagement ring is fine. I think it must be that they're reacting with the foam in the box. Has anyone else had this problem?

[Dennis]

My first thought would be a quick immersion in silver dip followed by scrubbing with soap and water. It is probably a reaction between the metals, which in daily use would be confined to the areas not polished by the fingers.

Of course the customers might not like this antique effect. Dennis.

[SteveLAO]

Is the engagement ring 9 or 18ct? Is the whole of the wedding ring discoloured or just part of it? Could it be that your customer's skin is reacting with the 9ct, which of course is two thirds base metal after all! I had a case where the acidity in the skin of a customer meant she came out in a rash while wearing 9ct and the gold went a yucky colour as she was reacting with the base metal part of the alloy. 18ct and above was fine, which although it was a blow to her husband was good news for our till! ;)
Of course it could also be that the rhodium plating is coming off the white gold part ( assuming you had that bit plated?)

[caroleallen]

Steve, it looks from the photo she sent me that it's just the bit that was inserted into the foam in the box that has discoloured. The engagement ring is also 9ct and that seems to be OK as she's wearing it. The wedding rings are still in the box awaiting the big day. I had a silver ring that was left in the box for a long time that was badly discoloured, so I may have to change boxes or at least the inserts.

I don't get things rhodium plated as I don't like the look of it. I wish this craze for white gold would hurry up and end.

[caroleallen]

Do you think it's the black colour of the foam? I'm wondering whether white foam inserts would also be a problem?

[ps_bond]

That does sound like the foam is offgassing; I don't suppose an anti-tarnish tab or two will combat that?
I have a box (from EBay) for storage that does that to everything that goes in it - even with the tabs inside.
Ren Wax is a possibility for storage.

[caroleallen]

That's odd. I replied to your post Peter, yet mine is listed before yours?

[ps_bond]

A timestamps mixup somewhere, I'll flag it.

I would doubt that it's the colour - it's more likely to be the composition. I've seen it particularly with MDF & similar - and in the case of my dodgy storage box, I don't know if it's the wood, the glue or the felt covering.

[pearlescence]

White gold is v popular in the USA, and with purchases taxes usually at a very few % as against our VAT at 20% they can afford gold.