White Gold Engagement Rings Will Be Soft And Less Durable

It is often difficult to tell the difference between white gold engagement rings and those made of other silver metals, as the weight is easily offset by the amount of gold used in the alloy. White gold is made by mixing it with white metals such as silver and palladium and its softness makes it good for setting for gemstones. Often confused with other metals, white gold can be made by mixing it with nickel for a more durable product such as rings and pins.

In some jewelry platinum is added to the mix to add strength to the material, but in older uses of white gold did not, as it requires special metalsmithing tools to work with this mixture. The weight of the gold is dependent on the amount of gold in the allow and the presence of other metals. In ideal carat weight for white gold engagement rings will be about 17 carats, depending on the size of the ring.

Gold has a tendency to tarnish easily, and white gold often loses its luster and shine quickly. Many white gold engagement rings are coated with rhodium to help preserves is shine. This coating will make the ring as bright and brilliant as one made of platinum or silver and can easily be confused.

Costume Preference Helps Choose Jewelry Color

Just as some individuals prefer gold jewelry along with a gold wedding ring to match their clothing, there are some that prefer white gold engagement rings to match their other style of jewelry. In cases where people own jewelry made of silver or other bright silvery metals, white gold is an obvious choice in their ring color. The softness of the alloyed metal will often give hints as to the age of the piece as stronger ones were only manufactured after the 1930’s.

Working with white gold can usually be accomplished with many of the traditional metal working tools, but if it is mixed with much harder metals such as titanium, more modern methods will be required. Many metal smiths use small torches to heat the metal once it is forged to be able to twist it into the desired shapes.

While white gold engagement rings may not be as easily recognized as gold jewelry, its value will hinge on the amount of pure gold included in the alloy as well as the amounts and types of other silver metal. Most jewelry makers would prefer forging the ring with a mold instead of trying to solder the seam to be undetectable.