Sellers Ask: What is White Gold and How Can I Tell it from Platinum?

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According to Joe Montes, present, “White gold is an alloy that combines 24K yellow gold with white metals such as platinum, rhodium, palladium or silver. The alloy is also generally plated with rhodium which gives the finished product its brilliant white color. Without this rhodium plating, the finished piece would appear grayish white. Rhodium-plated items usually need to be re-plated every year or so to keep looking brilliantly white, because the rhodium plating tends to wear off with use. In days gone by, some white gold contained nickel, but this is rarely used any longer because a number of people are allergic to nickel and a rash sometimes develops in the area around and under the jewelry”.

How White Gold is Graded

Montes continued,” White gold is graded exactly the same way that yellow gold is-in Karats. Nevertheless, hardness may vary with items containing the highest amount of gold the softest and those with the least, such as 10K pieces, the hardest. Many manufacturers use white gold as an alternative to pure platinum which is considerably more expensive.

It is not easy to tell white gold from platinum except by testing it with acid or one of the newer electronic testers. White gold is also considerably softer than platinum. There is also a test based upon heat. If you heat a platinum band to red hot and then let it cool, you will see very little if any difference. However, if you do this with white gold, it will cool and look smoky or dirty, a coating that easily comes off”.

The manufacturers K grading must, today, be applied to new jewelry items by law. White gold is marked exactly the same as yellow gold i.e. with 10K, 14K, 18K, etc. Platinum usually bears markings that include:

1,000 parts of platinum equals 100%. Any of these marks may be on jewelry items. Some of these indicate a percentage of other metals have been added that slightly reduce the total platinum as indicated by the number shown (e.g. 850Pt = 85% platinum).

Platinum, Plat, Pt, Pt1000, Pt999, 950Pt, 950Plat, Pt950, 900P, 900Plat, Pt900, IRIDPLAT, 10%IridPlatinum, 850Pt, 850Plat, Pt850, 585Plat415Pall, 585Plat365Pall.

Cash for Gold Co buys any type of platinum including jewelry, scrap or bars.

The company pays seller “The highest-possible percentage of actual value as determined by assay and the spot market price at that time”. Sellers payouts are sent within 24-hours of the assay.

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• Selling Precious Metal Jewelry Will Be a Real Problem Solver When Extra Cash is Badly Needed - August 1st, 2011
• High Insurance Coverage for Property in Transit is Important - July 27th, 2011
• Learn to Tell if Your Jewelry is White Gold or Platinum - July 25th, 2011
• Protect Yourself When Selling Precious Metals to Internet Buyers - July 25th, 2011
• Cash For Gold Customers Ask: What is ‘Black Hills’ Gold and is It Valued Differently? - February 4th, 2011