Why Does My White Gold Turn Yellow?

Having your white gold 'dipped'

Over time, white gold items may begin to discolour and turn a light yellow. Since white gold is the element gold mixed with other compounds to lighten it, it'll never be 100% white. It's like adding white paint to yellow paint, it doesn't matter how much white you add, it'll still always have a slight touch of yellow in there!

To combat this, goldsmiths will plate white gold in rhodium to bring it up to a brilliantly white shine, over time however this thin layer may begin to wear off and need reapplying. This can happen more quickly if you're wearing a piece that experiences a lot of friction, or rubbing against other materials. Ideally, white gold items should be plated every 6-12 months to keep them looking like new.

You may have some white gold items that have begun to yellow over time and may want to have them 'dipped' in rhodium. We perform all our rhodium platings on-site, in our Derry workshop every Friday, so leave your items in Friday morning and they'll be ready to collect by 3pm the same day!*

If you'd like to learn more about rhodium plating, feel free to visit our store, give us a call or message us on our website!

*Terms and conditions apply, waiting times may be longer depending on backlog and availability

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