Gold, Platinum, and Silver - Oh My! We Demystify Precious Metals

We've heard questions like these many times:
What is white gold and how does it differ from platinum?
Is white gold really gold?
What makes rose gold pink?
What about Sterling Silver?

We can answer all of those questions and more! Read on to learn everything you need to know about precious metals.  

WHAT IS GOLD?

Let’s start with the most cherished fine jewelry metal: gold. Prized for its beauty and versatility, gold is the classic setting material for most jewelry. It's also the most malleable of all metals — so soft it can't be used for jewelry in its purest form. Because of this, 14K or 18K gold is typically used to mount engagement and wedding rings and other fine jewelry. 

Pure gold is 24 karats, meaning 24 out of 24 parts are gold. To increase its strength, gold is combined with other durable metal alloys like nickel, zinc, palladium and copper.

• 24 Karat: 99.9% Pure
• 22 Karat: 91.7% Pure
• 18 Karat: 75% Pure
• 14 Karat: 58.3% Pure
• 10 Karat: 41.6% Pure

Selecting the type of gold for your ring should be based on personal preference, although composition or price could play a small role in your decision.

THREE COLORS OF GOLD

When reviewing most gold jewelry settings, you’ll notice there are three options: white gold, rose gold and yellow gold. While similar, they differ primarily in their color and composition. 

The precious metal, gold, is yellow in color when mined from the earth and is the pure form of the metal. To get different colors of gold, it is alloyed with different metals to enhance or change the color.  Although gold can also come in blue, purple, green and even black, the three most popular colors of gold are yellow, white and rose. 

Let’s explore the three most popular gold colors!

WHITE GOLD

White gold is made of a mixture of pure gold and white metals such as nickel, silver and palladium, usually with a rhodium plating. White gold is alloyed with other metals to make it ‘whiter’ and more durable. 


The pros of white gold:

• More affordable than platinum
• Currently more popular than yellow gold
• Can complement white diamonds better than yellow gold
• Complements fair or rosy skin tones

The cons of white gold:

• Needs to be re-plated with rhodium every few years to retain its color and luster
• Is subject to scratches and dents

YELLOW GOLD

Yellow gold is made of pure gold mixed with alloy metals such as copper and zinc. It’s warm, luxurious hue and classic style make it a timeless choice.

The pros of yellow gold:

• The most hypoallergenic of all the three gold colors
• Historically the most popular metal used for wedding bands and engagement rings
• The purest color of all the golds
• The easiest to maintain out of all three gold color types
• The most malleable and easiest for jewelers to manipulate
• A complement to olive and darker skin tones

The cons of yellow gold:

• Should be polished and cleaned regularly.
• Is subject to dents and scratches

ROSE GOLD 

Rose gold is made of pure gold mixed with copper and silver alloys. The copper and silver help to strengthen the gold and give it its rose color. The more copper used, the deeper pink the gold appears. A common mix—or alloy—for rose gold is 75% gold and 25% copper by mass (18K). Rose gold is a lustrous pinkish metal, like in this rose gold halo engagement ring. 

The pros of rose gold:

• Trending popularity for both men’s and women’s rings
• Considered by many to be the most romantic metal due to its pink color
• A complement to most skin tones

The cons of rose gold:

• Is subject to scratches and dents
• Should be polished, cleaned and checked regularly

WHAT IS PLATINUM?

A naturally white metal, platinum is typically used in a nearly pure form for jewelry—ranging from 95-98% pure. Platinum looks almost identical to white gold and will remain looking the same for many years as long as it is maintained and cared for properly.

The pros of platinum:

• Naturally Hypoallergenic
• Rarer than gold
• Often considered a symbol of prestige 
• Heavier and more dense than gold

The cons of platinum:

• Is significantly more expensive than gold 
• Will get scratched and obtain a frosty patina over time
• Requires cleaning and polishing every few years

PLATINUM VS. WHITE GOLD

The two main differences between platinum and white gold are the composition and price. White gold consists more of a mixture of durable metals like nickel, zinc and copper while platinum is purer with 95-98% platinum composition. More platinum material is needed than gold to make a piece of jewelry, however, causing the price for the same piece to be 40-50% more.  

There is a difference in how these metals wear as well.  Platinum scratches more easily and can require more maintenance. Upkeep for platinum tends to be higher because it must be cleaned and polished regularly, and the material itself costs more when tipping prongs or performing repairs. Generally, white gold will need to be polished and re-plated with rhodium every 5-10 years, depending on how the item is worn. Both 14K and 18K white gold are durable for everyday wear and are a beautiful metal mixture with a classic appearance.  

WHAT ABOUT STERLING SILVER?

Silver is a shiny, precious metal valued for its beauty and electrical conductivity and has been used to create coins, decorative pieces and jewelry for centuries. 

Regarding jewelry, silver is often alloyed with copper to add strength, since it’s a fairly soft metal. When silver is mixed with copper, it is called sterling silver. While shopping for sterling silver, you may notice a “925” stamped on the metal, which means that it contains 92.5% of pure silver and 7.5% of other metals. Jewelry made with sterling silver is often plated with rhodium to give it a bright white finish that is a bit more resistant to scratching.  Our LaFonn jewelry pieces are sterling silver, bonded with platinum so they benefit from the same scratch resistance. 

White Gold vs. Silver 

The type of jewelry you're looking to get will weigh heavily into your decision between white gold and silver. Researching for an engagement ring? Read the differences between the two to help make your decision easier. 

Durability 
When shopping for a piece you'll wear every day, like an engagement ring, white gold is a much better bet for long-standing durability and resistance to wear. However, keep in mind that the hardness of white gold depends on its purity (ie: karats).

Silver is soft and easy to scratch and can change shape slightly with wear and tear, while white gold is resistant to both corrosion and impact.  

Affordability 

Silver is among the most affordable types of metal for jewelry, making it perfect for fashion jewelry that you rotate with your wardrobe. White gold costs more than silver, but less than platinum, making it moderately affordable. 

Nickel Allergy? 

One of the most common metal allergies is Nickel, which can be used in both white gold and silver.   

As mentioned above, sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver alloyed with copper, but in some cases, nickel may be present in the other 7.5% of metals.  Most of our sterling silver jewelry is also rhodium plated or bonded with platinum, both of which are hypoallergenic metals.

Regarding white gold, Nickel is generally used as the alloy, but often white gold is plated with Rhodium, a silvery-white metal in the platinum family. The Rhodium plating will initially protect wearers from any nickel within the gold, but it will eventually wear off, which can leave the skin irritated if allergic. 

Maintenance & Care 

Both white gold and silver require some level of maintenance, as does all jewelry. 

Every few years, your white gold piece will require a reapplication of rhodium plating by your jeweler, which easily restores the white finish. Without the reapplication, your jewelry will “yellow”. 

Silver, on the other hand, requires regular cleaning and polishing to prevent tarnishing. While sterling silver is prone to tarnish; it will never rust, so that's a plus. 

WE CAN HELP!

While the metal you choose for your diamond ring is largely based on personal preference and style, it is helpful to consider the main differences in composition and price.

To put together the perfect ring, reach out to our experts who will help you find the highest quality diamonds along with a setting that will steal hearts and turn heads—all while remaining in your budget.