White Gold Engagement Rings
White gold is the most popular white metal for engagement rings and the one most often bought without the buyer being told how it works. Gold is yellow. There is no such thing as naturally white gold — it is yellow gold alloyed with white metals to lighten it, and then almost always plated with rhodium to make it properly white. The plating is what gives a new white gold ring its bright, slightly cool brilliance, and the plating is not permanent.
The rhodium wears off, and that is normal
Rhodium is a hard, very white metal applied as an extremely thin layer over the finished ring. Worn daily it typically lasts somewhere between one and three years before the warmer tone of the gold beneath begins to show through, usually first on the underside of the shank where the ring rubs. This is not a fault and it is not a sign of a cheap ring — every white gold ring does it. Replating is a routine, inexpensive job that takes a jeweller very little time. But you should know it is coming before you buy, not two years afterwards.
What to know about white gold
- What it is actually made of
- 18ct white gold is 75% gold with the remaining quarter made up of white metals — commonly palladium, silver and zinc. Palladium-heavy alloys are whiter and more expensive to start with and stay closer to white as the plating thins. It is worth asking which alloy a ring uses, because it changes how noticeable the regrowth is.
- 9ct or 18ct
- Nine carat is 37.5% gold and 18ct is 75%. Nine carat is harder, more scratch-resistant and considerably cheaper; 18ct is the standard for fine jewellery, holds a better colour under the plating and is what most engagement rings are made in. Both are hallmarked at the assay office with their fineness — 375 and 750 respectively.
- The nickel question
- Some white gold alloys historically used nickel to whiten the metal, and nickel is a common contact allergen. UK and EU rules restrict how much nickel a piece in prolonged skin contact may release, and the alloys we use are nickel-free. If you have reacted to jewellery before, say so — it is the deciding factor between white gold and platinum for a fair number of people.
- Matching a wedding band later
- Two white gold rings made at different times from different alloys can sit side by side and not quite match, and it is far more visible on a hand than on a bench. If a wedding band is likely, having both made from the same alloy — ideally at the same time — is the way to avoid it.
Common questions
How often does a white gold ring need replating?
Typically every one to three years with daily wear, depending on the alloy, the finish and how hard a life the ring has. The first place it shows is usually the underside of the band. It is a quick and inexpensive job — the ring is cleaned, polished and re-plated with rhodium — and it comes back looking new.
Why is my white gold ring turning yellow?
It is not turning yellow; the rhodium plating has worn through and you are seeing the colour of the gold alloy underneath. Every white gold ring does this eventually because gold is naturally yellow and white gold is an alloy plated to look white. Replating restores it. If you would rather never deal with it, platinum is naturally white and never needs plating.
Is white gold or platinum better value?
White gold costs less up front, and platinum costs nothing to maintain. Over a long enough time the replating adds up, but not usually to the difference in purchase price — so white gold is genuinely the cheaper option, provided you are willing to have it replated. Choose platinum if you want to buy it once and forget about it, or if your skin reacts to alloys.
Can white gold be left unplated?
Yes, and some people prefer it. Unplated white gold has a softer, slightly warm grey tone rather than a bright cool white — closer to how it looked before rhodium plating became standard. Say so at the point of ordering and we will finish it that way. Palladium-rich alloys look best unplated.
Compare the other metals
Still deciding? Bring the question to the counter — the difference between platinum and white gold on a hand is obvious in a second and impossible in a photograph. Book a time, or specify a ring yourself and choose the metal as you go.