The modern market is replete with a variety of gold jewelry of the most incredible shades. In order to interest an already sophisticated buyer, jewelers come up with more and more interesting alloys in terms of color palette, which then turn into exquisite products. It is not always clear to an ordinary person how gold can be red or black, which one is better to buy, and will such a little thing be worn for a long time? Today we will deal with you what is white in color, but still a gold alloy.
What is white gold? This is a metal consisting of pure gold (Au) and additional metals (ligatures) of different shades. Usually these are manganese (Mn), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pl), nickel (Ni), silver (Ag), bronze, etc. Nickel was used by craftsmen in jewelry for many years, until medical studies showed that it causes allergies in people when it comes into contact with the skin, so in some European countries the use of nickel for jewelry was banned.
What are the samples of white gold
The quality and cost of jewelry is usually estimated by sample. alloy from which it is made. However, not all consumers understand what exactly is meant by the term "test". So, a test (or it is also called a brand) is a set of numbers on a product that shows what is the content of pure aurum in the alloy.
There are a large number of samples of white gold, but we get acquainted with the most famous, which can be easily found on sale in any jewelry store:
- 375;
- 500;
- 585;
- 750 (also called 18 carats).
The most common is white gold 585, which contains 58,5% gold metal. 585th is considered the best test. It has become so widespread due to the successful combination of the pleasant appearance of the metal and the possibility of long-term operation of jewelry.
However, a logical question arises why bother with the composition of the alloy jewelry, why can't a product be made from pure Au? The answer is very simple: pure gold is too soft and pliable, due to which it is easily deformed even in normal household conditions. Therefore, 100% composition jewelry would be excessively brittle, brittle and short-lived. And a modern buyer will not forgive such a thing, since the cost of a gram of gold is quite high, and therefore the requirements for jewelry are very strict.
Please note that if the jewelry is stamped 925, then keep in mind that you are offered to buy not gold, but silver. There is no such gold
Usually confusion with samples and alloys arises when silver jewelry is sold in gilding. It is on such products that there is a 925 stamp. And a lot of people fall for this trick. It seems to be a gold jewelry for sale, and after some time of wearing (when the gilding wears off) it turns out that it is silver. If a person is at least a little versed in jewelry, then it will not be difficult for him to understand that he is offered to buy not what he wants. We hope that no one falls for this bait.
The composition of white gold depending on the sample
The chemical composition of white gold 750 samples. The most common alloy contains:
- 75% pure gold;
- 7% silver
- 14% palladium;
- 4% nickel.
This material is the purest, and, accordingly, the most expensive. Pure aurum, as you can see, it contains as much as 75%, which makes such products particularly fragile and vulnerable to any external influences. But there are buyers for this product too. It must be remembered that very careful care is required for the 750 sample. Due to its high cost, this alloy is found in the collections of the most famous jewelry manufacturers.
Composition of 585 karat white gold as a percentage, according to the international standard, 4 grades of 585 tests are distinguished in white:
- ZlSrPd 585-255-160 (58,5 ... 59% - Au, 25 ... 26 - Ag, the rest Pl);
- ZlSrPdTs 585-287-100 (58,5 ... 59% - Au, 28,2 ... 29,2 - Ag, 9,5 ... 10,5 - Pl, the rest is Zn (zinc));
- ZlSrPdKd 585-280-100 (58,5 ... 59% - Au, 27,5 ... 28,5 - Ag, 9,5 ... 10,5 - Pl, the rest Cd - cadmium);
- ZlNTsM 585-12,5-4 (58,5 ... 59% - Au, 4% - Zn, 12,5% - Ni, the rest Cu - copper).
Why is white gold white? It is the ligature of silver, palladium, nickel, etc. imparts a white color to the gold alloy. But besides this, alloying metals significantly improve the performance of jewelry, making them durable and wear-resistant.
What it consists of gold 500? This type of alloy is considered very rare. In it, the aurum is exactly half. 500 is rarely used for several reasons:
- The high proportions of silver and copper included in the composition give the alloy shades that are not very pleasing to the eye.
- The structure of the material is such that it becomes very difficult to work with it. Casting something worthy from the composition is quite rare.
Alloy 500 is known in Russia becausethat it is used as a standard for checking jewelry and therefore is in demand in assay supervision services.
White gold 375 - the most budget option for jewelry. What is included in these products? 37,5% pure aurum, the remaining 62,5% is silver. In Russia, a low-grade alloy was called 9K, i.e. ninefold gold. It is mainly used for wedding rings and individual decorative elements of large jewelry, as well as places for attaching inserts. This test was widely used in the manufacture of: bracelets, watches and cigarette cases. Products made of 375 material are characterized by sufficient strength, hardness and lightness.
In Russia, the 375th test is not very popularHowever, in Europe and America, gold of this sample is often used to make jewelry. Even much more often than our usual high 575 gold. In Germany, for example, there are even 333 samples in use.
How is this alloy obtained?
White gold is made by adding platinum, without the use of allergenic nickel. In industrial conditions, the process is carried out as follows:
- Pure gold is melted down, which happens quickly, because its melting point is low.
- Then a ligature is being prepared. All necessary metals are carefully weighed so that their content strictly meets the standards.
- Next impurities melt.
- Then comes the most difficult last stage. Everything the components are poured into one container and thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous mass is formed. At the same time, it is necessary to comply with all the necessary technical conditions and remember the nuances, otherwise you will get a low-quality product, and the manufacturer will simply lose money.
It is clear that no one can tell you all the subtleties of the technology, since each manufacturer's plant has its own secrets that no one will make public. But the general picture is exactly as described above.
Is it possible to turn ordinary gold into white
Sometimes you want to get a decoration on your finger from a ring made of red gold, but already from white metal. Masters say that technically such a transformation is possible. You just need to seek help from an experienced specialist.
Most likely you will be offered to cover the ring with a layer of rhodium. If the shape of the product allows. Rhodium is a white, steel-colored metal that is used in jewelry to protect the surface of items from cracks, scratches, abrasions, and corrosion.
The biggest problem with rhodium plating lies in the fact that it is not always clear whether the coating will adhere to the surface of the product. Whether a precious item can be plated with rhodium is 95% dependent on the exact content of the jewelry alloy used in the manufacture of the item. Handicraft jewelry manufacturers are often “wiser” with the composition of their jewelry, so we encourage you to buy products only from trusted suppliers.
There may be problems with openwork jewelry. It is not always possible to manually cover the entire surface of the pattern with rhodium without the use of special tools. In this case, the product must be plated several times, which may affect the design of the product.
And one moment. If you decide to experiment with your home decoration, then we want to dissuade you. At home, without the use of high-quality equipment and special skills, you can easily spoil any, even the most durable product. So before you start, think a few times.
Please note that the composition of the jewelry as a result of such manipulations will not change anyway. I.e. red gold will not turn into white gold. You are just wearing a white coating.
How to identify white gold
If you have purchased or found jewelry in a distant drawer and cannot understand what it consists of, then a few simple tricks will help you. So, how to check white gold for authenticity at home.
- Sample. Examine the product carefully. If 925 is written, then you have silver in your hands, and if 750, 575 or even 375, then gold.
- Visual inspection. White gold can be distinguished from silver by its color. In order to conduct your experiment cleanly, it is better to put two products in front of you for comparison, the composition of which you have no doubt. One must be of silver and the other of white aurum. Silver jewelry has a matte finish and a darker grey, while white gold is glossy and easily reflects light.
- The use of iodine. You can go even further and experiment with a solution of iodine. To do this, clean a small area of the product to be tested with an alcohol solution. Next, soak a cotton swab in a bottle of iodine and gently drip the solution onto the cleaned surface of the jewelry. If there are no traces left, then you have a real piece of gold in front of you. And if the trail starts to darken, then you can be sure that you have silver in front of you.
It is important to remember that iodine is poorly removed from the surface of jewelry. Therefore, it is recommended to use this method only in extreme cases. And immediately after you evaluate the result of the reaction, the drop should be washed off with running water or an alcohol solution.
- Imprints. To distinguish a silver alloy from gold, you can conduct another experiment. Swipe the decoration across a piece of clean paper. If the trace remains, you have silver, no - gold. Everything is very simple here. The gold white alloy is much harder than silver, so it should not leave any marks behind.
- Acid test. Ordinary table vinegar will help you understand the difference between one and another alloy. For example, if you hold a piece of silver jewelry in a container with vinegar for a while, the product will change color. You will see how the chemical reaction takes place. You can't miss this. Jewelry made of white gold is not afraid of an acidic environment if there are no extra impurities in the alloy.
- jeweler's advice. And the very last way is to contact a jewelry workshop or a pawnshop, where, using special equipment, you will quickly hear the result. An examination is not so expensive, but you will be 100% sure and, in addition, you will receive a written opinion from an expert.
What about rhodium plating
We have already introduced you a little to what rhodium plating is. However, let's take a closer look at why the rhodium process has become so widely used in jewelry today.
If you decide to rhodium-plated your wedding ring, then believe that this is the right decision: the product will serve you for a very, very long time, and will wear out less.
So, today almost all jewelry made of silver or gold is covered with rhodium. These alloys themselves are very soft and, as you know, they can be easily scratched even with careful wear. And rhodium is used because this coating perfectly protects jewelry from deformation, so by wearing such a ring, you can safely engage in any activity.
Rhodium especially helps rings, which are always “in sight” and, accordingly, are scratched and oxidized. Such decoration will not rust, darken, turn green, turn yellow.
However, remember that although rhodium is durable, the plating wears off over time and needs to be renewed. Therefore, if you wear a ring all the time (for example, an engagement ring), then once every five years you should contact the workshop to restore the rhodium plating.
What is another name for white gold?
A separate special name for the gold alloy of the shade of steel was not invented. So, both in jewelry and in the usual everyday language of buyers, this metal is called “white gold”.
Does white gold exist in nature?
Answer: yes, such a unique exists. This material is called natural white gold or scientifically electrum.
Electrum - a variety of native gold of natural origin, which is an alloy of silver with aurum (Ag + Au). The silver content ranges from 15 to 50%. This material is usually mined in the form of dendrites or liquid and malleable lamellar formations. The palette changes from silver white to golden yellow. This natural alloy is mined along with other varieties of gold, but today its artificial production has also been established.
White gold or platinum
Many buyers confusing white gold with platinum. What is the difference? Platinum is a 95% pure metal. It is included in the periodic table under the number 78 and the symbol Pt. The natural color of platinum is silver or, as they say, steel. But white gold, as you already understood, is an alloy with a large percentage of alloys made of silver, palladium, zinc, nickel, copper, cadmium.
Why does white gold turn yellow or darken?
If your white gold jewelry turns yellow, it means that the protective rhodium coating has worn off. Why can this happen?
Long term use. Human sweat gradually breaks down the rhodium layer, so over time, a ring, chain or bracelet may turn yellow, even if you take care of the products regularly.
Friction force. With prolonged and constant wear, the jewelry constantly rubs against the skin and clothes of its owner. Therefore, rhodium gradually disappears from the surface of the accessory and the jewelry begins to turn yellow.
Aggressive brushing. Concentrated acids and chemicals that we constantly use when washing dishes cause white gold to turn yellow.
Mechanical damage. Despite the fact that the rhodium layer is quite hard, the rings are still very scratched. This leads to the destruction of the protective layer of rhodium and the products turn yellow.
How and how to clean white gold at home
Now let's deal with the most important question: what to do with white gold jewelry if it is dirty or coated.
Remember that only unrhodium-plated gold can be given for polishing. Products covered with a protective layer cannot be mechanically processed.
RџSЂRё minor pollution you can clean the jewelry yourself using the folk cleaning method:
- Pour 1 ml of dishwashing liquid into 10 liter of water.
- Thoroughly mix the ingredients to get a homogeneous mixture. Place a white gold accessory in the solution for 10-15 minutes.
- If dirt remains, the soak time can be increased by another 5 minutes.
- Rinse jewelry in clean drinking water.
- Dry the product gently with a soft cloth.
If solution didn't help. to get rid of damage, you can add another teaspoon of ordinary table soda to the water with the product. Remember that in no case should you clean gold with hard brushes or a cloth: they adversely affect the protective layer of rhodium.
Different diamond jewelry is also better to soak in the specified solution. If the dirt has not been removed from under the stones, you should not pick it out with a needle or awl. You can damage the fastening of the stone in this way, and it will be lost.
Who suits the white alloy in gold jewelry
White gold jewelry are very popular today. Most of all, they liked the youth, who often mix silver and gold in one image. However, older ladies will also not refuse modern and rather elegant steel-colored accessories.
It cannot be said that one suitable white gold, while others do not. Since these decorations are quite universal. However, you can still make a small correction: white gold looks best with white diamonds. Did you know about it?
History of jewelry tells us that white gold was invented precisely in order to set off diamonds. In this metal, the stones look attractive and bright. The color of the alloy allows the rays of light to play in the stones very brightly and saturated. Despite this, tastes differ, and someone, for example, prefers to wear diamonds only in red gold.
With the invention of white gold, men became more and more interested in jewelry. The color of this metal is more strict and goes better with a brutal male look than warm red gold. If you choose a gift for your lover in the form of a ring, bracelet or chain, then it is better to choose a white alloy. This decoration will suit both an office formal suit and just jeans with a jacket.
Magical properties
Golden things are excellent amulets to their owners. If a person wears some kind of amulet from aurum for many years, then this means that the little thing brings success, good luck to its owner, protects from unkind people, envious people.
Gold, in principle, has very strong magical properties. Therefore, with this alloy you need to be extremely careful.
Things that have been passed down from a pure heart or by inheritance have excellent protective energy. Previously, it was believed that if grandchildren received, for example, crosses or icons made of gold from their grandparents, then everything in their life would definitely turn out well.
And if you believe that some things in your family were not obtained in a completely legal way, this means that they must be immediately given to the needy or to the church, so that the descendants do not pay for the actions of their ancestors.
Why dream of white gold
According to the dream book, white gold dreams of a new promising work that will bring a person great success and prosperity in material terms.
However, there is an opinion that clairvoyant Vanga did not prophesy anything good from the gold that came in a dream. She said that small problems, troubles and many worries are approaching a person, most of which a person invents for himself.
They also say that the white alloy dreams of those people who strive for power. It is advised not to joke with this dream. People are advised to be careful, not to trust the rest, as the path to the stars always lies through thorns.
Combination with different stones
Best of all, white gold is combined with light transparent or translucent stones:
- diamonds;
- blue topazes;
- blue and green opals;
- delicate transparent amethyst;
- with sapphires cold tones.
Mother-of-pearl and pearls work best with red or rose gold. In a steel frame, the beads lose their exquisite charm and look rather cheap. Especially if baroque pearls are inserted into the jewelry.
White gold products with marble inlays have gained great popularity today. Such accessories look fresh and interesting, especially for an office bow or a regular casual style.
Emeralds and rubiesRuby: description of the stone, varieties, magical properties also prefer red gold. Although the combination of green and gray colors is very trendy today, however, stylists recommend to refrain from such a tandem in jewelry.
White gold price
It is rather difficult to answer directly the question of how much a gram of white gold costs. The price depends on the form in which you buy the alloy. If it is bank gold bullion, then the cost will be one, if jewelry, then another, and scrap will cost quite differently.
Due to the high content of pure gold 750 samples, the price of 1 gram is significantly higher than the cost of a gram of an alloy of 585 samples. The average market value is 45 euros per 1 gram. But remember that buying points and pawnshops offer their own, somewhat understated purchase price, one gram of 750 gold. Their price usually ranges from 10% to 20% below the fair value.
The price of 1 gram of white gold 375 samples today will be from 15 to 30 euros - depending on the region of Russia where it is sold. Abroad, the cost of such gold will be slightly higher, because. often jewelry made of 9-carat alloy is encrusted with fashionable precious inserts, due to which the cost of jewelry is artificially inflated.
The cost of white gold 585 samples oscillates very strongly. In jewelry stores, the price can reach up to 90 euros per gram, while the market value is only 20-30 euros. This difference is quite understandable. 585 assay is the most purchased today, therefore, in order to maximize profits, jewelry stores often artificially raise prices for the most popular items.
So, we hope that today you have received more information about what types of gold alloys exist in the modern jewelry world and what white gold looks like. Now you know all the pros and cons of these jewelry and you can make the right choice in a jewelry store. And we also urge you to please yourself more with various jewelry delights. Yes, there is always not enough money for such things, but remember that “we only live once”, and if you don’t indulge yourself with small gifts, then there is almost no point in working.
