Why Is My White Gold Turning Yellow? Rhodium Plating Explained

White gold turns yellow when its rhodium plating wears thin, and the natural color of the gold alloy underneath starts to show. Rhodium plating is a thin coating of rhodium, a bright white metal in the platinum family, applied to the surface of white gold jewelry. It gives white gold its crisp, mirror white finish. It is not permanent. On a ring worn every day, the plating wears first on the underside of the band and the edges, and a warm yellowish tint appears there.

Nothing is wrong with the ring when this happens. White gold is yellow gold that has been alloyed with white metals, usually nickel or palladium, which bleach the color toward white without fully removing it. Metal finishing references describe unplated white gold as ranging from grayish white to faintly yellow depending on the alloy, and note that most white gold jewelry sold today is rhodium plated for that reason. A 14K white gold ring is still 58.3 percent gold, the same as a 14K yellow gold ring, and it is worth the same by gold weight.

What Is Rhodium Plating?

Rhodium plating is an electroplating process. The jeweler cleans and polishes the piece, places it in a rhodium solution and runs a current through it so a thin layer of rhodium bonds to the surface. The result is brighter and whiter than the gold alloy alone, and it resists tarnish.

How Long Does Rhodium Plating Last?

It depends on how the piece is worn. There is no fixed number. These factors shorten the life of the plating:

• Daily wear on the hands. Rings wear faster than earrings or pendants because they rub against everything you touch.

• Friction. Rings stacked against other rings wear at the contact points.

• Chemicals. Chlorine, cleaning products and hand sanitizer are hard on plating.

• The alloy underneath. If the white gold itself is a good white, thin plating is hard to notice. If it is more yellow, wear shows sooner.

How Do You Fix White Gold That Has Turned Yellow?

Replating restores the white finish. A typical service goes like this:

1. The jeweler inspects the piece, including prongs and stones, since plating is a good time to catch other problems.

2. The piece is cleaned and polished to remove scratches. Rhodium does not hide them.

3. The piece is plated, rinsed and dried.

4. The finish and the stone settings are checked before it goes back to you.

Cost depends on the size of the piece and how much polishing it needs first. Ask for a quote before work begins.

Can You Avoid Replating?

You can slow the wear, and you have alternatives:

• Take rings off for swimming, cleaning and gym sessions.

• Put jewelry on after lotion and sanitizer have dried.

• Consider platinum for a ring you will wear daily for decades. Platinum is white all the way through and needs no plating.

• Ask about palladium white gold alloys, which tend to be whiter than nickel alloys before plating.

Is the Yellow Tint a Sign the Ring Is Fake?

No. It is how real white gold behaves. A karat stamp inside the band, such as 14K or 585, tells you the gold content, and a jeweler can confirm it with a test. If a ring marked as white gold shows a completely different metal under the surface, such as copper red or gray steel, that points to a plated base metal piece and is a different issue.

What If Your Skin Reacts to a White Gold Ring?

Some white gold alloys contain nickel, and nickel is a common skin irritant. While the rhodium layer is intact it sits between your skin and the alloy. As it wears, a nickel sensitive person may start to notice redness or itching. Replating can help, and so can choosing a nickel free alloy or platinum for your next piece.

FAQ

Is white gold worth less than yellow gold?

No. At the same karat and weight, the gold content and gold value are the same.

Can yellow gold be rhodium plated to look white?

It can, but the yellow shows through quickly as the plating wears, so it needs frequent replating.

Does rhodium plating hurt diamonds?

No. Jewelers plate rings with diamonds in place. Some softer or porous gems need to be protected or removed, so tell the jeweler what stones you have.

Can a ring be resized after plating?

Yes, but resizing involves heat and polishing, so the ring is usually replated afterward. See ring resizing explained.

Ask Our Jeweler About Your White Gold

The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange has served Greensburg since 2005, and our jeweler works on site, so your jewelry never leaves the building. Bring your ring to 206 E. Pittsburgh St. and ask our jeweler to look at the finish, check the prongs and quote the work it needs. Our jewelry repair services include polishing and cleaning, ring resizing and prong retipping.

Visit The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange or call (724) 836-7296 today. Contact us for more information.