Both white gold and yellow gold are high quality metals for your jewelry. However, they do differ significantly in strength. Thanks to its higher content of alloys, white gold jewelry is more resistant to dents, scratches, and damage than yellow gold. For highly active wearers, white gold might be a safer choice.
Is yellow gold more expensive than white gold? Generally, the answer is no. More often than not, yellow gold and white gold with the same amount of pure gold will cost the exact same. If they're not, it's actually more likely that white gold will be more expensive due to its rhodium plating.
Cooler skin tones or those with fair and rosy skin complement well with white gold. Those with warmer skin tones or people with darker or olive skin match well with yellow gold.
White gold is slightly more durable than yellow gold because of the addition of nickel and other metal alloys. However, it does need just as much, if not more, maintenance than yellow gold to retain its shine.
Many people consider yellow gold as being the 'purest' type of gold. This is because its colour is most closely related to the gold which is mined from the Earth.
Pure gold is notated as 24K – this is the highest karat level for gold meaning it is 100% pure gold. 18K gold is 75% purity level, 14K is 58.3% purity level, and 10K is 41.7% purity level. As you can see, the higher the karat number, the more pure gold comprises the metal.
18k gold is also strong but quite not as durable since it contains 75% pure gold. This makes it a richer yellow color and the more precious (and expensive) option. All colors of gold still contain the same amount of pure gold per karat. Color: All gold starts as pure yellow gold.
Price & Value
So for example, 18K white gold and 18K yellow gold will contain the same percentage of gold. However, white gold jewellery can be slightly more expensive than yellow gold jewellery, because of the manufacturing process it undergoes while being mixed and coated.
White gold jewellery can become scratched, especially when worn on a daily basis. White gold's rhodium plating will wear away over time. You'll need to have it re-plated (called rhodium plating) to keep its 'white' colour however, this is a simple process.
Gold does tarnish and scratch over time. To preserve the luster of your gold jewelry, avoid exposure to household bleach and other cleaning products, which will quickly cause gold to discolor and possibly disintegrate.
Wearing solid gold jewelry, white gold or yellow gold, in the shower will not harm the metal itself, however it can reduce the shine therefore it is not recommended. Showering with gold plated jewelry can eventually cause the gold layer to wear off completely, therefore you should definitely refrain from doing so.
Yellow gold jewellery is still the most popular colour, but today gold is available in a diverse palette. The process of alloying—mixing other metals with pure 24 carat gold—gives malleable gold more durability, but can also be used to change its colour.
Cool skin looks the best with metals that are bright and silvery, like platinum and white gold. The icy tone of these metals will complement the blue undertones of your skin, and can have a lovely brightening effect on your complexion.
It is definitely pawnable, but make sure you're selling it to a respected and well-known dealer. “Cash for Gold” stores are notoriously unscrupulous, so keep your wits about you and make sure to get more than one opinion before you get pennies for your grandma's precious gold.
Yellow gold can wash out some pale skin tones, yet warm up others. It's usually just gorgeous on women with darker tones. Silver and white metals flatter most all skin tones, so platinum, palladium, white gold and silver are great options.
It is a white metal that is much more affordable than platinum and palladium. It is significantly more durable and scratch resistant than platinum and sterling silver, due to the lower gold content. It is an excellent choice for those who are in search of a bargain but who still want a beautiful piece of jewelry.
Solid gold is the best quality of gold there is - it's great to wear everyday, won't fade, and is hypoallergenic.
While white gold may be more affordable to buy at first, keep in mind that it needs to be replated every five to 10 years to keep its color.
It's normal for white gold to fade and sometimes yellow. Most white gold rings are flash plated with a very thin coating of rhodium (a pure white metal) to give them a more brilliant, pure white appearance. This rhodium plating will wear off over time and reveal the white gold ring underneath.
In non-visual differences, yellow gold is more hypoallergenic than white gold and easier to maintain. It needs just regular cleaning and polishing whereas white gold will need to be replated in rhodium every few years to maintain its white, lustrous finish.
White gold differs from regular gold because it has a brighter, more lustrous appearance. White gold is also more durable than standard gold, making it a good choice for jewelry worn often. But, the downside of white gold is that it is more expensive than regular gold.
Its purest form is a bright yellow color, and it is extremely durable, highly malleable, and is usually found in nature in a mostly pure form. Gold forms in the Earth's crust and is widespread (in low concentrations) in most igneous rock.
Yellow gold is described as such because of its yellow colour which is a result of it being alloyed with silver and copper.
The value of gold is determined by its purity. Despite this, the difference in value may lean towards the design of the jewelry. This is relatively true whenever consumers ask why Japan gold is more expensive than Saudi gold. Just the same, the common gold found in a certain location is also a factor.
10-Karat Gold
10k gold is the lowest solid gold alloy used for jewelry. It's composed of 41.7% gold and 58.3% alloy. Appearance: 10k gold is pale yellow in color. It's the least yellow of all the karat types since it contains the least amount of gold.