Today, many people prefer to wear gold jewelry. One of the most popular and expensive metals used for making jewelry is white gold alloy. When buying jewelry, many cannot understand what is the difference between white and yellow metals? After all, the sample of white gold is no different from the sample of yellow gold.
A few words about metal
Gold jewelry has always been considered an indicator of wealth. Wealthy citizens often choose jewelry made from the colorless variety of this precious metal. Today, the composition of gold has undergone changes. Gold without impurities is not used, as it is too soft a metal.
In order for its properties to become hard, a part of another metal is added to the composition of gold. Impurities such as silver and nickel are added to colorless metal alloys, and for yellow gold, an admixture of copper and silver is used. Some options may use palladium and platinum, but the addition of these metals significantly increases the price of jewelry.
When purchasing gold jewelry, it is worth considering the fact that the hallmark number of white gold cannot be higher than 750. In order for this metal to acquire a white tint, it is necessary to add at least 18% of an admixture of the same white metal. After adding a ligature to a common precious alloy, it acquires the necessary hardness for creating jewelry masterpieces. The white variety has a unique shine similar to that of diamonds or platinum.
What is the price of jewelry products
Several important factors influence the cost:
- what additional metals are included in the composition;
- what percentage of pure gold does it contain;
- What is the fineness of white gold?
- Product parameters (weight, execution technique, etc.)
If we take the average parameters, then the price of this precious alloy is per 1 gram. ranges from 2100 to 3500 rubles.
Whatever jewelry you choose, it is important to treat it with care and, if necessary, polish it in a jewelry workshop no more than once a year. A new layer of metal can be applied to items coated with rhodium if it has worn off, and then your favorite rings, earrings, bracelets and pendants will continue to delight themselves with their “lunar” noble radiance.
How did this alloy come about?
In the first half of the 20th century, many European jewelry lovers fell in love with this metal for its color, which looked ideal in combination with pearls and diamonds.
At that time, silver alloys were often used, but silver was not of very good quality, so high society chose jewelry products made from white precious metal with the addition of nickel. But it turned out that the latter causes allergic reactions and is not suitable for jewelry making. In our country, an admixture of copper was added to the composition, which gave the jewelry a reddish tint and did not look decent. This type of precious metal in Russia is still produced today with low-quality silver alloys. Such products, which have a purity of 375 and 500, should be treated with caution .
Properties of white gold
The distinctive features of this metal are of several types and differ in that one or another component included in the alloy determines the individual quality of white gold, which is used in hard, soft or molten states.
The solid consistency is ideal for jewelry work; the base of the future jewelry is created from soft gold, and the process is completed with a finishing coating of a liquid substance.
Ideally combined with diamonds, white gold in jewelry is very popular and in demand. First of all, this is due to the fact that a light frame does not drown out the shine of the stones, but, on the contrary, favorably emphasizes their natural beauty. For this quality, white gold is widely used in the manufacture of wedding rings.
The white color of gold goes perfectly with other shades of this metal. A wonderful tandem is white and pink shades in one product. And the juxtaposition of yellow gold with white will not leave anyone indifferent.
The original design of jewelry and the creation of masterpieces of jewelry art include in the cost of the finished product not only the price of the material, but also the services of master jewelers and development designers.
Strengths and advantages
With the admixture of high-quality metals, a more noble composition is obtained, suitable for making jewelry. This metal is easy to process and retains its shape for a long time. Not only the beauty of the white appearance of the precious metal helps to make a product unique, but also the fact that many types of precious stones can be set in it very easily. It is in combination with colorless gold that products with stones are most often found. The noble metal harmoniously sets off the jewelry stone with its light. Several types of metal give gold an attractive white hue:
- silver;
- platinum;
- palladium;
- zinc;
- nickel.
The importance of caring for, cleaning and carefully storing fine white metal at home
Basic recommendations:
- You should not wear jewelry during physical work;
- they need to be removed before going to the sauna;
- jewelry should not come into contact with chemicals (detergents and cosmetics);
- For storage, a box with compartments and a soft covering inside is provided.
You should also periodically clean the products, for which the following products are used: “Flyurin”, “Talisman”. Mellerud paste is used for polishing, and special devices are used for jewelry with stones.
Main differences between precious metals
The white appearance of the precious metal in comparison with platinum can be distinguished by paying attention not only to the color, but also to the chemical composition. Colorless gold contains additives of other metals, but platinum does not contain them. So, the manufacturer can make inclusions of nickel, and this, in turn, quite often provokes allergic reactions. If platinum is added to the main material, then you don’t have to worry about allergies - it doesn’t cause them.
There are practically no small parts in platinum products, since this natural material is very durable and difficult to process. Jewelry made from pure platinum is very expensive and often has its own hallmark. It will be difficult for a non-professional person to distinguish platinum from colorless gold. When purchasing, you should always ask for documents for the product, and also look at the hallmark.
Use Cases
White metal is so popular precisely because it has virtually no restrictions on its use. Jewelry made from it can be of any size and shape and still look great.
Earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces, chains and other accessories of any complexity are made from it. It goes well with any precious stones, but diamonds or moonstone look especially elegant when framed with it.
Both men and women of any age can wear such jewelry. It is also suitable for small children who are just beginning to form their preferences. And if some more traditional options - for example, gold in the usual yellow shade - may become outdated over time , then the stylish white color will never go out of fashion.
Sample determination methods
A very important criterion for determining the quality of a colorless precious metal is the sample. And it is very important to be able to determine what standard is on white gold.
Fineness is the ratio of the precious metal to the amount of impurities in the composition. There are only two types of sample systems: carat and metric systems. As a rule, in Europe and Russia they use the metric system. Colorless gold is the main metal used in jewelery making and its hallmarks are used in accordance with international standards. In the domestic production of white gold products, strict GOST standards are adhered to. It is important to know what types of white gold there are. 5 types of samples are used:
- 375 sample. This sample contains only 37.5% gold, and the remaining 62.5% is impurities from zinc, silver or nickel. Products with this hallmark are not of very high quality and tend to fade over time.
- 500 sample. Here the ratio of gold is 50% and impurities are 50%. The alloy contains silver and copper. This composition is quite difficult to process, so jewelers try to avoid this composition in their work.
- 585 sample. A frequently used sample. The composition includes 58.5% gold, and the rest is impurities from silver, palladium or copper. This alloy is considered quite durable and hard and is widely used by jewelers in production. Products made from 585 standard are very wear-resistant and do not fade over time.
- 750 sample. Very high quality composition, it includes 75% gold. This alloy is mainly used for the manufacture of elite, expensive, filigree products. Products of this sample are not suitable for daily wear, as they are prone to damage.
- 958 sample. It is very rarely used in production, since the main part 95.8% consists of gold. Such proportions produce a soft alloy, and are used mainly for making parts on jewelry, but not as a base material.
In Russia, only these types of samples are used . Other countries may use different samples. For example, in Turkey they can supply any sample to order. Unlike domestic producers, where everything is controlled by law, no one monitors this.
How to spot a fake
Due to the high demand for white gold, a very common type of fraud has emerged. Interested buyers are offered to purchase jewelry at a low price with a quality mark of 925. People, without thinking, purchase jewelry, rejoicing that they bought an expensive product at a low price.
However, it later turns out that 925 is a silver standard. To avoid such situations, you need to contact only large jewelry stores with a quality certificate for all products. In an attempt to save money by buying gold secondhand or at a pawnshop, you may encounter scammers and give your money for a low-quality product.
How not to be confused with silver
This problem will be relevant for those who have not fully gotten used to trusting even the samples that are indicated on the products. From the outside, the metals are literally indistinguishable, but even an amateur can distinguish a fake. Knowledge of such subtleties will help reduce the influx of counterfeit items that are presented as particularly precious items, but in fact they are made of silver, the cost of which is an order of magnitude lower.
Basic testing methods: visual examination of the sample, the shine of the product, as well as chemical data on strength, hardness, survivability in acidic and alkaline environments, monitoring the response to iodine.
White gold, without exaggeration, is the most popular precious metal in our country; it is always affordable and is a fairly wear-resistant material.
Such jewelry can be worn by people of any age, gender and social status. The best gift for any occasion would be a piece of white gold jewelry.
Durability
This gold alloy can be quite durable, but you should keep in mind that its hardness also depends on the purity of the material (i.e. its karat).
Alloys that contain a higher percentage of gold metal (i.e., higher karat) tend to be softer than those that have a higher percentage of additional metals.
Rhodium protects the base compound from scratches. However, this coating itself will scratch and wear off over time depending on how often the jewelry is worn, and the only way to restore the rhodium layer is to re-plate the piece.
