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Dear Jeweller

My husband gave me a diamond white gold ring five years ago. It was on the occasion of our 25th year wedding anniversary. When I got the ring, the colour of the white gold was very white and shiny. Now it has become dull and yellow-greyish. Could it be that the ring was not made with genuine gold? What is wrong?

Carmen Vachon, Anjou Quebec.

Hello Carmen.

It is unlikely that your husband got “taken for a ride”, if the ring was purchased from a bona-fide jeweller. The fact is that gold is not white. Everyone knows that gold is yellow. White gold is a man-made product. In other words, it is gold made to look like platinum. The white colour is achieved by a careful choice of the alloying metals which bleach the deep yellow of pure gold. This alloy mixing achieves a greyish-yellow finish. After this mixing process, the gold is worked and crafted into a jewelry item , and polished. Then, a special plating process called Rhodium is done, giving the ornament a final platinum white finish. This white Rhodium finish usually last about 5 years depending upon the level of your skin’s acidity.

White gold for jewellery were developed in the 1920's as an affordable substitute for platinum. Nowadays, with the exorbitant price of Platinum, it has become a jewellery metal in its own right, becoming a popular gold of choice, the world over.

Bijouterie Guru provides the Rhodium service for your convenience. It is recommended that you have the Rhodium re-done every 5 years and/or each time that you have the ring size changed. The Rhodium finish wears off during the process of welding due the high heat involved in the sizing process.

Care of Rhodium Plated Jewellery

A rhodium finish is not impervious to the effects of wear and abrasion that may occur in everyday use.

To limit wear, one should avoid household cleansers, gardening and other activities that can quickly destroy the Rhodium plating, thus exposing the original greyish-yellow tint.

Products such as talc, which is found in many cosmetics, is known to have an abrasive effect on jewelry items. White gold may lose its bright shine if exposed to these products. In the case of earrings, hair sprays can also damage the Rhodium finish.

The plating on earrings lasts longer than rings since they are not exposed to a much friction.

Tips to keep your Rhodium Plated jewelry looking its best:

Do not use any abrasive cloths for polishing
Do not use chemical cleaners
Clean only with mild soap and water.
Remove earrings before using Hair fixative products.