White gold is a popular material for jewelry, often chosen for its bright, silvery appearance that provides a neutral setting for diamonds and gemstones. The term “raw” is misleading when applied to white gold because this material is not an element found naturally in the earth. Instead, white gold is a manufactured alloy, meaning it is a mixture of pure yellow gold and other metals specifically combined to alter its color and strength. Understanding the true appearance of white gold requires looking past the finished product seen in stores to examine the underlying metal composition.
Why White Gold Is Not Found in Nature
Gold in its purest form, 24-karat gold, is naturally a soft, intensely yellow metal. This elemental gold is too malleable for daily wear in fine jewelry, making it necessary to combine it with other metals to increase its durability. The resulting mixture is an alloy, created through a controlled metallurgical process.
White gold is specifically designed to counteract the natural yellow hue of pure gold. To achieve this color change, gold is blended with white-colored metals that effectively “bleach” the yellow. This process fundamentally changes the metal’s atomic structure and physical properties. The precise blend of metals determines the final characteristics of the alloy, including its color before any final treatments are applied.
The Metals That Create White Gold
White gold is alloyed with specific metals to achieve the desired white color and strength. Common white metal additives include nickel, palladium, silver, and zinc, which are melted together in precise proportions. Nickel is a cost-effective whitener, but its use is restricted in some regions due to potential allergic reactions.
Palladium, a member of the platinum group metals, is a hypoallergenic alternative that produces a richer, more uniform white color, though it is more expensive. The ratio of pure gold to these alloying metals is indicated by the karat weight. For instance, 18-karat white gold contains 75% pure gold, while 14-karat white gold contains 58.3% pure gold. The higher proportion of gold in 18K white gold results in an alloy with a slightly warmer, more yellowish undertone compared to 14K white gold.
The True Appearance of Unplated White Gold
The appearance of white gold before its final finishing treatment is often surprising to those who expect a brilliant, bright white. Instead, the color of the raw alloy is determined by the specific blend of gold and the whitening metals.
Many white gold alloys, particularly those containing nickel, exhibit a pale, warm yellowish-gray tint. Alloys using palladium tend to be closer to a light grayish-white. This intrinsic color is a direct result of the pure yellow gold content not being completely masked by the alloying agents.
The unplated metal also lacks the high reflective luster of the finished product, often presenting with a duller or more matte surface texture. This subtle, off-white appearance is the natural state of the manufactured alloy before it undergoes the final cosmetic enhancement.
Achieving the Final Bright Finish
To transform the pale, grayish-white alloy into the bright, highly reflective metal associated with white gold, a process called rhodium plating is used. Rhodium is a naturally white metal known for its exceptional brightness and high reflectivity. This metal is applied to the white gold through electroplating, which uses an electric current to bond a very thin layer of rhodium onto the surface of the jewelry.
The rhodium layer creates a brilliant, silvery-white finish that effectively covers the underlying alloy’s faint yellow or gray tones. This plating also adds a measure of hardness, providing a protective barrier against scratches and wear.
Because this layer is extremely thin, it will gradually wear away over time, especially on frequently worn items like rings. When the plating wears off, the original, slightly warmer hue of the unplated white gold alloy becomes visible, necessitating professional re-plating to restore the bright white color.