The three types of gold used in jewelry are yellow gold, rose gold, and white gold. Join us in a detailed exploration of yellow gold, rose gold, and white gold, including their characteristics, the processes that give them their colors, and their care/durability.
1. Yellow Gold
Characteristics:
- Color: Yellow gold has a warm and rich yellow tone. This classic yellow tone is the one that is most commonly associated with gold.
- Composition: Yellow gold is usually made from a combination of pure gold and other metals such as copper and silver. It is combined with other metals to increase the strength of the metal especially when used for jewelry pieces. However, since the proportion of gold remains the highest, the yellow color remains.
- Purity: The most common purity for yellow gold is 10K, 14K, 18K, or 22K. The higher the purity and, in turn, the higher the percentage of gold, the warmer the appearance of the gold.
Process:
- Yellow gold doesn’t require much alteration since that is the natural color of the metal. It is mixed with metals like copper and silver to enhance strength while maintaining its natural hue.
Care & Durability:
- Durability: Yellow gold is generally durable. However, when it comes to jewelry, because pure gold is softer than alloys, higher-karat yellow gold (22K-24K) may be more prone to scratching.
- Care: Yellow gold can be maintained with standard jewelry care such as cleaning to preserve its luster. Over time, and depending on the care, it can develop scratches.
2. Rose Gold
Characteristics:
- Color: Rose gold has a pinkish, slightly red tone. This is a result of the copper alloy that is mixed into the gold. The more copper in the alloy, the more pronounced the rose color.
- Composition: Rose gold is typically made of gold, copper (for the rose color), and sometimes a little silver or zinc.
- Purity: It comes in similar karat variations as yellow gold—14K, 18K, and 22K.
Process:
- Copper content: The copper mixed with the gold gives rose gold its distinct rosy color. A higher copper content creates a deeper rose hue.
Care/Durability:
- Durability: Rose gold is durable and tends to be more resistant to scratches than yellow gold or white gold due to the higher copper content, which adds strength.
- Care: Like yellow gold, rose gold can be maintained with standard jewelry care and periodic cleaning. Although it is also prone to scratching, it may hold up better over time due to the copper.
3. White Gold
Characteristics:
- Color: White gold has a silvery-white tone, often resembling platinum or silver.
- Composition: White gold is made by alloying yellow gold with metals like palladium, nickel, silver, or platinum, to give it the white color.
- Purity: White gold can come in 14K, 18K, or 22K. A higher purity white gold usually signifies that there is more yellow gold mixed with platinum or palladium.
Process:
- Rhodium plating: White gold is often coated with rhodium, a metal from the platinum family, to enhance its whiteness and glossy finish. The rhodium plating in white gold is usually why white gold can appear shinier and brighter than yellow gold.
Care/Durability:
- Durability: White gold is durable and scratch-resistant, especially when alloyed with metals like palladium or platinum. If the white gold has a rhodium plating on top, it can wear off over time revealing a yellowish tone. To maintain its white appearance, the jewelry may need to be re-plated periodically with rhodium.
- Care: White gold requires regular maintenance to keep the rhodium coating intact. It’s not as prone to tarnishing, but the rhodium layer may need to be reapplied to maintain the shiny, white surface.
| Feature | Yellow Gold | Rose Gold | White Gold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Color | Classic yellow | Warm pinkish-red | Silvery-white |
| Composition | Gold + copper, silver (more gold=more yellow) | Gold + copper (more copper = more red) | Gold + palladium, nickel, platinum |
| Purity | 10K,14K, 18K, 22K | 14K, 18K, 22K | 14K, 18K, 22K |
| Durability | Durable, but softer in high-karat | Durable, more scratch-resistant | Durable, but rhodium plating wears |
| Care | Minimal care, periodic cleaning | Periodic cleaning, but not much maintenance | Requires re-plating occasionally |
| Maintenance | May show scratches with wear | Resists scratches, but clean occasionally | Rhodium plating wears off over time |