Platinum vs White Gold

jodiegearingMetal Knowledge, Rhodium plating6 Comments

I pride myself on remaining unbiased when presenting my clients with options for the precious metal their bespoke jewellery is going to be made from. I have samples of all the different gold and platinum options, so they can try on rings in each colour to see which suits their skin tone best.

But if you asked me which was my favourite of the white precious metals, I would have to say white gold. So buckle yourself in for an impassioned explanation of why I feel this way – its an unusual preference for a jewellery designer!

Why is my white gold tarnishing?

jodiegearingMetal Knowledge, Rhodium plating11 Comments

You’ve got a new beautiful white gold ring you have worn for a few months, but then you notice the metal around the back of the ring and the setting have changed colour. Patches of your ring are a totally different shade of white, and next to the bright silvery areas that remain, these patches almost look yellow. Is your … Read More

Dipping or flashing white gold

jodiegearingMetal Knowledge, Rhodium plating2 Comments

When looking at white gold jewellery in a high street jewellers, the sales assistants will often talk about having it ‘dipped’. Another term sometimes used is ‘rhodium flashing’. Both of these terms conjure images of simple and almost magical processes involving either vats of liquid metal or zapping the piece of jewellery with a special rhodium gun! I don’t blame the sales … Read More

Rhodium Plating Yellow Gold

jodiegearingMetal Knowledge, Rhodium plating2 Comments

Although yellow and rose gold have seen a real resurgence in recent years, I am still finding that majority of the clients I work with are looking for white metal in their commissioned pieces. When it comes to inheriting jewellery, a lot of classic designs were made in yellow gold (perhaps with Platinum settings or design details) which sometimes does … Read More