One of the first few days I received my engagement ring I was looking at the inscriptions on the inside and said out loud to my fiancé was that my ring was 14k gold and he said it is white gold but then went on to say what really is the difference between white gold and yellow gold to which I realized I didn’t really have a real answer. Obviously, the coloring is different but why and is one better than the other? So today let me take you through the difference between white gold, yellow gold and rose gold.
White gold is made up of a combination of gold and a white metal — usually nickel, silver, or palladium. And although a huge part of the variation in color comes from the metal mixture and the types of metal used, white gold is usually also plated with rhodium — a silver/white metal that adds a shiny color and a bit more durability to white gold rings.
When you think of pure gold you think of yellow which is absolutely correct. Pure gold is yellow so when you have yellow gold jewelry you don’t need additional elements added. However, you wouldn’t want a 24k gold ring because it would be too fragile to wear, but by adding alloys to the mix it makes it more durable. (See Karats section for more details.)
Rose gold is an alloy made from a combination of pure gold and copper. The blend of the two metals changes the color of the final product and its karat. The most common alloy of rose gold is 75 percent pure gold to 25 percent copper, which makes 18k rose gold.
It depends on your skin tone; however, yellow gold is often said to go best with all skin tones, it gives off a warm and inviting tone. White gold gives off a cooler tone that stands out on all skin tones. Rose gold is one of the warmest tones of metal and looks best on skin tones with olive and pink undertones.
Gold and gold alloys are measure by the percentage of pure gold per other elements. 24k gold is the purest of golds because it has 24 of 24 parts gold with no other metals present. 18k has 18 out of 24 parts old and following down the line with 14k and 10k.
All metals will be priced pretty equally since they contain the same amount of gold. The only difference is which type of gold karat it is. 24k will have a different price tag compared to 14k, and so on.
What is the majority of gold in your jewelry box? Let us know, we would love to hear from you!
White Gold
White gold is made up of a combination of gold and a white metal — usually nickel, silver, or palladium. And although a huge part of the variation in color comes from the metal mixture and the types of metal used, white gold is usually also plated with rhodium — a silver/white metal that adds a shiny color and a bit more durability to white gold rings.
Yellow Gold
When you think of pure gold you think of yellow which is absolutely correct. Pure gold is yellow so when you have yellow gold jewelry you don’t need additional elements added. However, you wouldn’t want a 24k gold ring because it would be too fragile to wear, but by adding alloys to the mix it makes it more durable. (See Karats section for more details.)
Rose Gold
Rose gold is an alloy made from a combination of pure gold and copper. The blend of the two metals changes the color of the final product and its karat. The most common alloy of rose gold is 75 percent pure gold to 25 percent copper, which makes 18k rose gold.
Which looks better for your skin tone?
It depends on your skin tone; however, yellow gold is often said to go best with all skin tones, it gives off a warm and inviting tone. White gold gives off a cooler tone that stands out on all skin tones. Rose gold is one of the warmest tones of metal and looks best on skin tones with olive and pink undertones.
Karats in Gold
Gold and gold alloys are measure by the percentage of pure gold per other elements. 24k gold is the purest of golds because it has 24 of 24 parts gold with no other metals present. 18k has 18 out of 24 parts old and following down the line with 14k and 10k.
Price Difference
All metals will be priced pretty equally since they contain the same amount of gold. The only difference is which type of gold karat it is. 24k will have a different price tag compared to 14k, and so on.
What is the majority of gold in your jewelry box? Let us know, we would love to hear from you!