White gold

[Pebbilita]

I just wondered if there was a way of preventing my white gold ring from reverting back to its yellow gold colour. I vaguely remember in my chemistry lessons at school learning about how steel ship had some copper(?) slabs stuck to it so that the copper would erode instead of the steel rusting. Something to do with the copper needing the electrons more than the iron.

So I was wondering if the same could be applied to my ring. Is there a piece of metal that could be used to prevent my ring from tarnishing in the same way?

Thank you!

[heathfield]

This is a common problem. Ships, oil rigs, and other metallic structures can have 'sacrificial anodes' attached. But note that these are used where the structures are in contact with water - unlike your hand - so they aren't the answer. There's lots of links to this problem on Google. Have a browse here...

http://www.google.co....e+gold+turning+yellow

[jake-the-peg]

White gold is actually an alloy of gold and nickel or palladium.

It is rhodium plated to give it the right colour, unfortunately that rhodium plating wears over time and has to be redone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colored_gold

It's a different principle from that of using a sacrificial metal like copper or zinc to protect steel as it's effectively physical wear that is erroding the coating.

[Pebbilita]

I see! Ok, Thanks for your help guys!

[Old_Geezer]

That is the first I've heard of it. A metal should be the same all the way through. Sounds a bit of a con to me. Call it white due to the impurities, and yet it's only really white because of a plating, and is yellow underneath ? How come the advertising standards authority isn't up in arms about this, how come jewellers are not being sued on a daily basis for mis-representation/selling ? Is it yet another swindle allowed to be played on the public ?

[jake-the-peg]

A metal should be the same all the way through?

the word alloy springs to mind!

Gold is sold in a number of different purities - 9 carat gold is only 37%

White gold is just specific about the impurities to give the colour.

Nobody is "up in arms" because it is hallmarked appropriately

[heathfield]

Well, OG, a 9 ct gold ring is only 9/24ths gold, yet it's still legally described as a gold ring. A ''white gold'' ring doesn't have to be plated, but instead can get its near-white colour solely from the nickel and/or palladium with which the gold is alloyed. And if the result is a ring that's 9/24ths pure gold, what's the difference?

[Old_Geezer]

The carat value isn't the issue. Being told you are buying one thing only to find it is another, is. I don't accept an explanation that 'impurities' can all be in a thin coating on the surface, so that makes it ok. If you buy an alloy then the distribution of the various constituent materials should be the same throughout the item, as far as is practically possible. Otherwise the fact it is not should be clearly indicated. I'm appalled this sort of pulling the wool over the consumer is apparently allowed. But I'm not really surprised.

[jake-the-peg]

I think the carat value is precisely the issue

I don't see any difference between someone selling something as 18 carat white gold or 18 carat gold

The gold content is exactly the same and it is certified by the hallmark

[bushbaby_de]

white gold always needs replating over time... platinum doesn't - hence the huge price difference!

[Muppit]

I bought a white car a while back. Turns out that it wasn't all car, the outside was made of white paint. Grrrr....

That'll teach me for buying a white car I suppose! :)

[rojash]

I bought a white loaf the other day. Turns out it wasn't white loaf all the way through, there was a dead rat in it. Grrr that'll teach me for buying a white loaf I suppose.

[boxtops]

I've had a white gold ring 39 years and it's not changing colour?