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world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


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Cleaning White Gold

I purchased two pieces of white gold jewelry at a jewelry convention. Both my ring and bracelet have a gold tint to them. The tint is on the back part of the ring and randomly on the bracelet. Does this tint mean that it is not real white gold? Is there anything I can do to clean them? Thank you.

Christina Stropich
- Barrington, Illinois, USA
2003

Hi, I just was looking up how to finish galvanized steel and saw your question. I have lots of white gold and they tell me that after a while they begin to look like that. Its a strong coating in the platinum family. Its gives it that beautiful bright color again. Most of the rings in the stores already have this coating and it does wear off in about a year, depending on how much you wear it. I have even had a 14kt gold ring dipped. Hope this helps.

Carolyn Cochran
- Choctaw, Oklahoma
2006

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Two other factors effect the longevity of rhodium plating also. First, the rhodium can be applied in a relatively heavy coating without discoloring if done by skilled craftsmen at a properly established and properly instrumented electroplating facility . . . or be limited to a very thin and contaminated flash of plating if applied by a hack in a "teacup" in the back of the jewelry store. The other factor is the metal which the plating is applied to. If applied to white gold, the item will still look good, just a little less shiny even if the rhodium has worn off the high points; if applied to yellow gold the contrast will make the piece repeatedly turn ugly each time the plating gets thin in the highest wear spot. Some of us think it's just plain shoddy practice to apply rhodium plating to yellow gold.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006