What is better - white or yellow gold, what are the differences and which color is more expensive + reviews

What is white and yellow gold

White and yellow are Au-based alloys and master alloys. The combination of silver and copper guarantees that the product will receive a yellow color. To change the shade of the alloy to a lighter one, jewelry manufacturers use nickel and zinc.

What is the difference

The differences between the alloys are not only in color schemes. The strength characteristics of the two metals are also different.

Composition and strength

The ligature of precious metals of different colors has its own differences.

For white gold, the following elements are used as additives:

• platinum;
• silver;
• palladium;
• zinc;
• nickel.

And although the last two metals are non-precious, their presence enhances the cold shine of jewelry.

For classic yellow gold, the alloy is smaller in the number of elements it contains. The main metals are silver and copper. Occasionally, other additives may be added to achieve a specific shade.

Precious metals 585 and 750 samples of both colors have similar strength and wear resistance parameters. However, high grades of yellow gold are more ductile and at the same time more susceptible to deformation.

Appearance and features of the brand

Jewelry made from white precious metal differs little in the nature of the shade. Only the level of gloss can vary when nickel and zinc are added to the composition.

If we talk about yellow jewelry, the range of colors is much wider and depends on the proportions of the elements included in the ligature. On sale you can find bright lemon decorations and those with a slight red tint.

When marking jewelry, its color does not matter. The amount of Au in the composition plays a role. As a result, two rings with different ligatures and 75% gold content will have the same hallmark and hallmark.

Difference between different purity grades

The percentage composition of pure Au in a precious alloy determines its fineness. However, within one sample there may be several variants of compositions regulated by GOST.

You can see them in the table below.

Differences in GOST standards and quality

The composition and proportions of the master alloy of both alloys are regulated by GOST 30649-99 “Alloys based on precious metals for jewelry.”

It states:

• approved grades and samples of gold;
• its composition;
• alloy color.

Price and demand

The cost of yellow and white gold products varies depending on the content of the ligature and the purity. With the same amount of Au in the alloy, the price of jewelry will be the same. Exceptions include products containing platinum. Precious metal makes a product more expensive.

Every year the demand for white gold products increases. The light shade of metal looks noble and expensive. However, yellow gold still reigns supreme.

Jewelry made from it is suitable for daily wear, while white precious metal is suitable for special occasions and holidays.

What stones are suitable

White gold pairs best with the following gemstones:

• diamonds;
• sapphires;
• amethysts;
• aquamarines;
• Labradors.

Yellow gold is combined with jewelry stones, regardless of the number of carats, and looks harmonious with different shapes and color variations.

What determines the price of jewelry?

In addition to various additives, the price of the finished product will depend on several other factors. First of all, this is a sample of gold. In our country, the following samples have been established: 385, 333, 500, 585, 750 and 958.

The most expensive gold is 958 samples. The most popular of them is 585 gold. The latter indicates how many thousandths of pure gold are in the alloy. The price of the metal is proportional to the amount of gold.

The cost will also depend on the complexity of the work and the presence of stones in the decoration. If, for example, it is a ring with diamonds, then the cost of the stone will be much higher than the cost of gold.

Advantages and disadvantages of white and yellow gold

The main advantage of both alloys is their attractive appearance. Plasticity allows you to create unusual jewelry. However, both white and yellow gold also have disadvantages.

White gold:

• if it contains nickel, it may cause an allergic reaction;
• if the white color is achieved by rhodium plating, the coating must be periodically renewed;
• When platinum is added to the ligature, the cost of the decoration increases.

Yellow gold has one significant drawback: high-grade jewelry is fragile and easily deformed under external loads

White gold composition

Contrary to popular belief that the whitish color is always achieved by the addition of a precious metal such as platinum, the creation of white gold usually involves a completely different alloy or impurity in the form of copper, silver, nickel, zinc or palladium combined with 58.5 % natural gold.

Ligature is a concept that characterizes an alloy of precious metal and impurities that are designed to increase its strength.

Unlike silver, white gold has a lighter, colder tint and has special strength characteristics that the above elements give it. The combination of gold and silver to produce a whitish alloy is completely unacceptable; it makes the material soft, reducing its strength characteristics. If you come across such a product, you should refuse to buy it.

What color decoration is better to choose?

The choice of jewelry color depends on the buyer's preferences. If during fitting there is a feeling of harmony with the chosen jewelry and metal, then this is exactly what you need.

When choosing jewelry for a special occasion, you should make sure that the color of the item matches the shade of the chosen outfit. Much depends on the shape and design of the decoration.

Gold must be matched to your skin color. For example, dark-skinned people rarely wear white jewelry.

Which gold is more expensive?

Jewelry store workers hear this question. Qualified sales consultants must know the difference between types of gold and minor components.

The price depends on the product sample. The higher the standard, the more expensive the jewelry. The product has a certain ratio of all components, which affects the sample.

You may be interested in: What can be profitable to sell to a pawnshop?

Pure gold is never used for jewelry trinkets; it is soft and impractical, so various precious metals are added to it to obtain a high-quality finished product.

The value of jewelry is influenced by the amount of additives in pure gold: copper, silver, nickel, platinum or palladium. All gold and silver samples are controlled within the framework of the law.

Customer Reviews

Anastasia:

“I don’t wear yellow gold as a matter of principle. It’s better to buy one normal white ring than to look like a gypsy.”

Veronica:

“Among the decorations there are both colors. I wear it depending on my mood or a specific outfit. I clean everything periodically and everything is fine.”

Julia:

“I like the color of white gold, but I can’t wear it because of the nickel content in it. But I haven’t found any options without it yet.”

More expensive impurity - softer alloy

Interestingly, as the standard decreases, the product acquires additional strength characteristics, which is why the production of white gold wedding rings uses material of 500 or even 375 standard.

18k white gold, an alloy with platinum, is used to create filigree works of art that are not intended for everyday use. Interestingly, such white gold does not darken, does not corrode, and retains its excellent appearance for years.

It is platinum or palladium that gives the product such a high price characteristic, but not only due to its high cost, but also due to the labor-intensive process of creating the alloy itself.

White gold comes in two types: noble - with admixtures of especially expensive metals, and ordinary - with admixtures of copper and nickel.

Alloys of other metals can be expensive due to the skillful work and skill of the jeweler who took on the creation of the work of art. Products made of white gold that do not have a very refined ligature and belong to consumer jewelry, such as stamped rings, earrings or simple piercings, have a much lower cost, despite the color of the gold used.

How to buy quality jewelry?

When purchasing jewelry you should consider some recommendations:

1. Pay attention to the sample, which is indicated on the jewelry itself and on the tag. Compare the values.
2. Each product must have the manufacturer's trademark. This speaks of authenticity, and therefore quality.
3. Examine the tag carefully. It must contain information about the manufacturer, sample, weight, composition and cost of the product.
4. Pay attention to external characteristics. All fastenings and soldering areas must be strong and of high quality. The duration of use of the jewelry depends on this.

It is interesting that in European countries yellow and rose gold were not considered high-grade metals.

Most experts are confident that such metals cannot be combined with the bulk of precious stones. Although many designers are still actively introducing yellow gold into the fashion industry.

Other colors

About 10 different types can be found on sale. Some consider all these metals to be of low quality, preferring exclusively white gold and yellow gold. Others are happy to buy unique pieces to add to their jewelry collection, without thinking at all about their cost. In reality, noble metal of any color has impurities, and the price of the product depends on the percentage of the alloy, and not on the color.

Red

Connection of Cu and Au. Previously, it was called “Russian” and was considered low quality in Europe.

Despite all the positive properties of copper, jewelry made from this alloy can react with acids.

Pink

Cu-Au-Ag alloy with a predominance of copper. Recently it has been very popularized by Western jewelers because of its delicate shade.

Red-yellow or dark yellow. Made by adding zinc to rose gold.

Green

You can often find its second name – electrum. The combination of gold and silver, which gives a pleasant yellow-green tint to the noble metal, was known to the Lydians. Some time ago, cadmium was added to the alloy until its negative effect on human health was discovered.

Purple

Sometimes it is also called purple or amethyst. Aluminum connection, usually 18 karat. Refers to intermetallic compounds. Until recently, it was considered very fragile and susceptible to corrosion. In 1999, a Singaporean metallurgist discovered a method to create a 19-karat violet gold alloy that can be forged.

Blue

Can be in two forms:

• as an intermetallic compound of gold with indium. The percentage of precious metal is about 46%, which corresponds to 12 carats. The shade is more of a gray-blue,
• as an oxide layer of an alloy of gold, iron, nickel, ruthenium and rhodium. It has a rich sapphire color.

Black

A rich dark color is obtained by applying an oxide layer to ordinary gold. Various methods are used:

• electroplating (rhodium or ruthenium),
• patina (sulfur and its oxygen-containing compounds),
• chemical deposition (amorphous carbon),
• oxidation (chromium or cobalt).

Gray

A new connection in the jewelry industry. The beautiful color is achieved by adding 2 parts steel and 8 silver to 30 parts gold. Sometimes a more economical option is used: 4 parts gold to 1 part steel.

Red and rose gold

A good alloy of pink color is due to the predominant quantitative content of copper in its composition. For example, sample 585 contains about 10% silver and more than 30% copper. For sample 750, the composition of the alloy is determined by equal shares of silver and copper.

Red and yellow gold do not differ in price per gram. Rose gold is an alternative to red and is a modern material used to make luxury jewelry and wedding rings. 375 rose gold, which is equivalent to 9 carats, is used to make inexpensive jewelry.

The purest is the red alloy, which contains 90% of the noble metal. It is practically not used in jewelry due to the tendency of products to deform. The red alloy, characterized by its softness, was once used as a material for making rings. Their massiveness and weight compensated for the fragility and softness of the metal.