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How to clean white gold

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Hi,

I have both in white gold a fancy chain and a spider pendant, on the chain it is marked 417 and on the pendant 10K. The chain is still white but dull and the pendant is turning off white. What could I do to rejuvenate both articles without plating.

DWANE L [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- ARIMA, TRINIDAD, WEST INDIES

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+ Boil them in water and a few drops of dish washing detergent and dry and rub them gently with a soft cloth. If you wear them regularly and take shower with them they won't turn dull. Anahita [last name deleted for privacy by Editor] - San Diego, California ++++ Is it true that white gold must be dipped in rhodium to be cleaned? Or is it as simple as boiling it in water and soap? Also, I have a black opal set in white gold with tiny diamonds on either side. Will boiling hurt the opal? Eileen M [last name deleted for privacy by Editor] - Cloverdale, California ++++ My engagement ring is white gold with a princess cut diamond in the center and a pink sapphire on each side. What is the best way to clean this ring safely? Ehrin T [last name deleted for privacy by Editor] - West Chester, Pennsylvania ++++++ I have a white gold bracelet with little hearts in it. It got cut off and when I had it repaired, they used gold to connect it. Is it possible to turn the "gold" color into white again? Juliet A [last name deleted for privacy by Editor] - Philippines

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Eileen / Ehrin:
I have read here and there that gemstones are hearty enough that you don't have to worry about chemical attack when ultrasonically cleaning in a jewelry cleaning solution, so that might be better than boiling -- but I have no actual expertise in that and suggest that you contact a jeweler for guidance before risking anything. Plus I've recently seen jewelry with warnings that the stones are "coated"; I won't buy "coated" stones, but others might. At least never drop jewels into boiling water, suspend them in an empty tea bag or from a string in cool water and let them heat slowly.

Eileen again / Juliet:
Rhodium plating must be done by a plating shop or a jeweler. it is an electroplating process, not a simple dip. The rhodium is brilliant "white" and most white gold these days is rhodium plated. It will eventually wear, but if a good job is done and if the repaired isn't truly dark yellow, you could get good enough life to satisfy you I think.

Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

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Hello.

My friend told me that if I burn my white gold chain it will turn black and when I clean it, it will be as good as new (if it is real white gold) but now my chain is black/brown and I can't clean it. I know that it is a real white gold chain (18 caret)

Erfan Danesh
consumer - Copenhagen, Denmark

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I am retired however my knowledge regarding Watches (Antique & Vintage) is thought of as considerable as is Precious Metal Antiques.

Firstly all Gold is Yellow and all precious metals must never be I shudder at the thought of some of the suggestions made here however well meaning. One must never boil , or treat with harsh chemicals , powder or domestic cleaners this only serves to cause and need more attention. Seek the advice of your local watchmaker or jeweler after all they are the experts - better still get them to do the service and cleaning for you - you will find it pays you in the long run to do so.
May you all have good health
regards MAC

Ian Buchan
- Whitchurch Shropshire England

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Thanks for the advice, Ian. Indeed pure 24 karat gold is always yellow; there are no white isotopes. However, much if not most gold jewelry today is white -- white because nickel or palladium has been alloyed with the gold as a bleaching agent to make a 10 to 14 karat alloy that is white in color.

If you would tell us not to call it white gold, as it has been called for decades, what would you have us call it? Thanks.

Readers may wish to see our FAQ: Rhodium Plating and White Gold.

Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

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December 30, 2010

Although you advise using baking soda and water, I have a very elaborate antique style white gold ring with both regular size and tiny pave diamonds; I cannot get at the area underneath the diamonds with a brush...I would be afraid of getting baking soda stuck in there somewhere I cant get it out from. The jeweler who sold me my engagement ring said to clean it with Windex and I said the only kind I saw had ammonia in it and they said yes that's the stuff and that it didn't matter how often I did it my ring would be fine. HOWEVER my friend's husband is a research scientist and he said it reacts with the rhodium plating and I should only use a jewelry cleaner....So back to you - do you still advise the baking soda even for areas I can't get a brush at to get it out? Thanks!

Sandra King
just got engaged - Nashville, Tennessee USA

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December 30, 2010 Hi, Sandra. Nobody suggested baking soda on this particular thread so it's a bit hard to know which thread you are referring to. But there is a technique mentioned for converting tarnish on silver, with baking soda dissolved in warm water, and a sheet of aluminum as reducing agent. It should not lead to baking soda drying and hardening on the ring, but neither is it a proper cleaner. If the jewelers suggestion of ammonia doesn't solve the problem of areas that you can reach, get an ultrasonic jewelry cleaning machine. This vibrates the watery cleaning solution to give a scrubbing action to areas that you can't reach to scrub. Good luck. Regards, Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey