What white gold is made of
White gold is yellow gold mixed with white metals, usually with a thin rhodium coating on top. The carat stamp means the same as it does on any other gold.
What white gold is
White gold is not a separate kind of gold found in nature. It is made by mixing pure gold with white metals such as palladium, silver or nickel, which lighten gold's natural yellow. Most white gold jewellery is also given a last layer of rhodium plating. Rhodium is a bright, hard-wearing metal that gives the crisp, silvery shine.
So a white gold ring or bracelet is still gold. Its colour comes from the mix of metals, just as rose gold takes its pink from the copper added to it.
How white gold is made
White gold uses the same carat system as yellow gold. The carat tells you how much of the metal is pure gold. The difference is in which metals make up the rest.
Palladium-based white gold is pure gold mixed with palladium and a little silver. It is increasingly common in modern jewellery, partly because it suits sensitive skin better.
Nickel-based white gold is pure gold mixed with nickel, zinc and sometimes copper. It was more typical in older pieces and can sometimes irritate skin in people with a nickel allergy.
Either way, the carat stamp means what it would on yellow gold. An 18ct white gold ring is 75 per cent pure gold, just as an 18ct yellow gold ring is. The remaining quarter is made up of other metals to give a different colour.
Why white gold needs rhodium plating
On its own, a mix of gold and white metals tends to come out soft grey or pale champagne, not bright white. To get the polished, silvery look, jewellers coat the surface with a thin layer of rhodium.
Rhodium is very hard and reflective, but the layer is thin and wears down with daily contact. A white gold ring worn for years can turn warmer, slightly yellow or grey where the plating has thinned, especially round the band. The gold underneath has not changed. The rhodium just needs to be put on again to restore the shine.
Bear this in mind with older white gold. A duller finish is often down to worn plating, not to the gold itself.
White gold, platinum and silver
These three are often mixed up because they look alike at a glance, but they are different underneath.
Scroll sideways to see every column
| Metal | What it is |
|---|---|
| White gold | A gold alloy, usually rhodium plated, stamped with the usual gold marks such as 375, 585 or 750. |
| Platinum | A naturally white metal in its own right, not a type of gold. It is denser than gold, it needs no rhodium because its colour is natural, and it is usually marked 950. |
| Silver | A separate metal, lighter than gold or platinum and prone to tarnish. Sterling silver is usually marked 925. |
If you are unsure which you have, the hallmark stamp is usually the clearest clue, even when the colour looks the same.
Is white gold worth the same as yellow gold?
Generally, yes. At the same carat and the same weight, white and yellow gold hold the same amount of pure gold, and that mainly drives value. The white metals used to change the colour do not usually add or take away much, although palladium-based mixes can cost a little differently to make than nickel-based ones.
Other items also count, including design, maker, age and any stones. That is true of white, yellow and rose gold alike, so pieces are best looked at one by one and not judged on colour.
Spotting white gold in an old jewellery box
White gold in inherited or vintage jewellery does not always look white, especially if the plating has worn thin. Three items help. Look for a carat stamp such as 375, 585, 750 or 916, which shows it is gold whatever its colour. Do not rule a piece out because it looks dull, yellowish or grey, as that is often worn plating. And set aside pieces with unclear or worn marks rather than guessing, since a proper check can confirm the metal.
The World Gold Council has more background on how gold alloys and colours are made, if you want to read further.
If you are thinking of selling
Whether a piece is white, yellow or rose gold, we look at each item for its actual gold content, however worn the rhodium is. If you have white gold pieces you no longer wear because the shine has faded, the gold itself has not gone anywhere. Ask for a free postage pack and send it all together in a box of your own. We make one offer for the whole box within seven days of arrival. We hold your offer for 14 days. Your offer tells you the date. If you need longer, just ask. Say yes on a working day and we send your payment the same day, once we have your details.
Have something in mind to send?
Get your free packHow it works
Step 1: Pack your box
Everything in, nothing cleaned.
Step 2: Post it free
Stick the Parcelforce label from your pack on your box and send it to us.
Step 3: Wait for your offer
One offer for the lot, within seven days of arrival.
Questions
Is white gold real gold?
Yes. It is gold mixed with white metals such as palladium, silver or nickel, and usually coated with rhodium. The carat stamp tells you how much is gold.
Why has my white gold ring turned yellow?
The thin rhodium coating has probably worn down, showing the warmer alloy underneath. The gold has not changed, and the coating can be reapplied.
Ready to clear a drawer?
Get your free pack
Protected on its way to us
Our parcel cover, up to £300, on evidence of what was in the box.
One offer for the whole box
We value everything in it and make one offer for the lot.
Carefully valued
We carefully value each box and pay a fair price for it.
Free postage both ways
A free postage label to us, and free postage back if you decline.
White gold is still gold, and the stamp tells you how much.
Prefer to talk? Call us free on 0800 048 8777