AboutThomas Expertise Have a question about jewelry repair or working with gold or silver jewelry and gemstones? I am a working professional bench jeweler, involved everyday with setting stones in mountings, designing and making jewelry, repairing and some custom manufacture. Over 30 years experience. If you work with jewelry as a hobby or as a profession, I might be able to help. I deal with the retail business, not mass production. Ask privately if you wish. See the box for that: It keeps your question between us. Please DO NOT ask MAKER'S MARKS, but metal quality marks are fine to ask. Please DO NOT ask diamond prices. See a gemologist for that.
Experience Education is English/Physics!Started in human resources, to advertising, to jewelry...wow, what a road. Now a jeweler for many years. I have had formal training in jewelry work and many shared experiences with top grade jewelers. We just never know were we will go or be. Follow your best, your dreams, with some discretion!
Expert: Thomas Date: 5/9/2008 Subject: Can white gold turn yellow because of my skin?
Question Hi Thomas.
I have my 18k white gold engagement ring for the last 9 months and I am having serious issues with it turning yellow. This only happens at the back part of the ring (the bit that gets most wear and tear). I take the ring off at night, when I am cleaning the house, when I am at work or doing any other activity where it could get damaged. I have had the ring rhodium plated 3 times so far (the last time I was told that the did it twice to make it last longer). Within weeks it had turned yellow again. The shop have offered me a replacement but I would prefer to buy a different ring elsewhere as I am afraid the ring itself is bad quality and the same thing will happen to the next one and I would hope to have this ring for the rest of my life. The manager of the shop has told me that there is nothing wrong with the ring and it is my skin that is causing this issue. I find this very hard to believe. The ring gets worn very little and I have never had a problem with any other white gold jewelery. I have no rash or discoloration on my finger from the ring either. The discoloration only happens on the outside of the ring and not on the inside where it is touching my skin all the time. If it is possible for a chemical reaction to occur do you know exactly what qualities my skin would need to have to cause this? I tested the PH of my skin after these excuses and it was 6 (a very neutral PH).
Any information you could provide would be much appreciated.
Louise
Answer Hi,Louise.Thanks for the question and the wealth of information.
You have eliminated many of the possible reasons for the yellowing and you notation that the yellow tint was on the outside bottom of the ring and not on the inside of the ring is revealing. Thanks so very much for an extensive description of the situation.
Please keep in mind, anytime we try to isolate the single reason for yellowing on white gold the trip is generally a rabbit chase, down the trail the rabbit knows well and we do not. We can gather some ideas along the path but the rabbit eventually vanishes and we are left on the path with our small bag of thoughts. All that is to say, there is not one simple answer for the yellowing.
GOLD ALLOYS
Before trying to be a ring detective, I want you to understand what white gold really is. The metal is an alloy (mix) of pure richly yellow gold and other metals. The other metals in white gold are mostly silver, copper and nickel. Some more recent alloys do not contain nickel and that metal is replaced with palladium. Other newer alloys do contain nickel but the metal is locked into the alloy in a special manner so the nickel will not leach out and will not react to the skin of those sensitive to nickel. In any regard, alloys of white gold are trying the very best to be white and that is a difficult effort considering the yellow coloring ability of pure gold.
Alloys are needed to provide the strength for jewelry and allow manufacturers different colors of gold, such as white, rose, green and shades of yellow.
YOUR SITUATION
I stake my thoughts firmly that your skin is not the reason for the yellowing. Of course, some prescription medicines, etc., can bring this about but that will happen on the inside of the ring. That is, unless the rhodium on the inside is still thick enough to protect the gold surface. With wear on the outside, rhodium can be removed and still remain on the inside, allowing reactions only on the outside of the ring. Still, since most yellowing is on the bottom outside makes me believe it is not your skin oils, perspiration or medicine substances causing the problem.
We are on a real twisty rabbit trail with this one since your information has eliminated many of the general reasons for yellowing. So, let’s look at something else to start and you can eliminate that or find it is part of your life: We are assuming the rhodium is most worn at the bottom of the ring (but not really that likely after only a few weeks unless you move cinder blocks for a living); this leads me to hand cleansers. The hand cleansers most responsible are strong one as used in medical facilities. Some of the medical varieties contain chemicals which will lead to yellowing of the ring surface. The yellowing is a result of the natural tarnish of gold alloys which is a yellowish tint, caused by chemicals in the cleansers. Household chemicals will do the same. One culprit is Clorox™ wipes. While ladies will avoid bleaches as they should with jewelry, the wipes are picked up, used and disposed. There is perhaps little thought of the chemicals contacting the ring, on the outside essentially. Other than these substances, I do not see any obvious reasons for the yellowing. The only culprit reasonably left is a sloppy rhodium job which wears off too, too quickly and allows the yellowish original tint of the gold to show. A buffing will show the true color of the white gold; how white is white is what you are looking for. Yellow beyond that is caused by externals of some unknown sort. The rabbit wins this one.
SUGGESTIONS
You are open to a new ring and that really might be the best course. Will the ring yellow is the question. The answer is in the alloy used in the ring. There are three white gold alloys I suggest. The first is palladium white gold. The metal contains palladium and no nickel. The color tends to be more subdued than nickel white gold with perhaps a bluer tint seen only if held side by side. This alloy holds color much better than nickel white gold alloys, even if not as pure white to start with(but not yellowish).
The other suggestions are two relatively new white gold alloys. One is called Precise White and is made by W. R. Cobb. The copy and paste website is below. This alloy does contain nickel but the metal is tricked into being a locked and intricate member of the alloy, eliminating nickel sensitivity reactions. The advantage to you is the metal is very white and needs no rhodium plating. We have sold many rings with Precise White gold and none have shown a yellowing.
The other alloy appears similar but the makers are keeping tight lids on recipes for the metals. The other alloy is called X1, made by Stuller Findings in Lafayette, Louisiana.
This site tells a little about the metal:
An informed jeweler will be aware of these new alloys and the palladium white gold alloys. The problem with the Precise White is presently a limited number of styles in the metal. Stuller will special make most of their products (extensive line, by the way) in the X1 gold for a slight premium of perhaps 10%.
Whew, this is the answer with no solid answer to the yellowing but with advice on a ring which should not cause the problems you have encountered so far.
Louise, I certainly hope this will help you. Feel free to use the follow-up option if you need to get back to me on this question.
