Despite the widespread usage of yellow and white gold in jewelry and wedding bands, there are a handful of myths surrounding these similar-yet-different precious metals. We correct these commonly held misconceptions about yellow versus white gold to explain their elemental characteristics and what accounts for their range in cost.
MYTH #1: Gold is yellow when its mined. Therefore, white gold is not really gold.
It’s true gold is usually a reddish yellow when its mined. But that doesn’t mean white gold isn’t genuine gold.
Regardless of its color, gold by itself is a soft metal, meaning it is easily scratched or dented. Therefore, to make it resilient enough for jewelry, which is prone to being bumped throughout the day, gold is combined with another alloying metal.
Herein lies the fundamental difference between yellow and white gold: yellow gold is combined with copper and zinc. White gold, meanwhile, is combined with nickel, manganese or palladium. These different alloy metals give gold its different yellow or white hue.
MYTH # 2: Yellow gold is more expensive than white gold.
Regardless of which metal is added to gold, its purity is measured and valued the same way.
Gold’s purity is measured in karats and is calculated by how many parts out of a possible 24 parts are pure gold. For example, 18-karat yellow gold is made of 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts alloying metal. The higher the karat number, the greater the amount of pure gold and, therefore, the more valuable the item. This holds true for yellow or white gold, so neither gold is purer or more expensive if the karats are the same.
What can account for any price difference between white and yellow gold is usually credited to the rhodium plating typical of white gold. When gold is combined with nickel or palladium, it still has a pale yellow hue. To eliminate that discoloration, white gold jewelry is typically plated in rhodium. Rhodium itself is an expensive precious metal that can increase the final cost of your white gold jewelry.
MYTH #3: A lot of people are allergic to gold.
Although it’s entirely possible to have a gold allergy, most people are actually allergic to nickel, the alloying metal frequently used in white gold.
Commonly referred to as “wedding ring rash,” a red patch may develop around your finger—even after years of wearing your wedding band. Naturally you’d suspect the gold itself as the culprit—it’s the visible metal, after all—but the nickel in the gold may be to blame. Ask your allergist or dermatologist to conduct a patch test to confirm if you’re allergic or sensitive to gold or nickel.