White Gold no longer as white

I have a white gold diamond ring from Gems TV. I bought it in November last year so it is not quite a year old yet.

Anyway my family bought me a white gold ring for my recent birthday. When I look at my Gems ring now compared to my new one it has quite a yellow tinge to it despite cleaning it.

I have heard people say that the colour of white gold can wear off but is it normal to wear off within a year?

No its not Sazza. I have white gold rings from QVC must be 8 years old and still not yellow showing through.

Mrs Snoop has an 18ct white gold ring i got it her 33 years ago and it's still white.

My white gold rings are still white, some are quite old and one of them I wear all the time - it's 18 ct.

I don't think white gold should wear off, it should be the same all the way through shouldn't it?:33:

donna255 said:

No its not Sazza. I have white gold rings from QVC must be 8 years old and still not yellow showing through.

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Thank you Donna, I have couple of QVC white gold rings too and they are fine as is one I have from TJC.

Snoopy said:

Mrs Snoop has an 18ct white gold ring i got it her 33 years ago and it's still white.

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Thanks Snoops, my mum has white gold engagement, wedding and eternity rings and 38 years on they are still white.

Waterlily said:

My white gold rings are still white, some are quite old and one of them I wear all the time - it's 18 ct.

I don't think white gold should wear off, it should be the same all the way through shouldn't it?:33:

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Thanks!

So does anyone know if there has been an issue with Gems TV white gold doing this?

I had a little white gold bracelet from QVC years ago and the clasp bit turned yellow after a while but the bracelet itself stayed white

Wasn't there a thread about this a while back Sazza - Meeshoo I think mentioned it. Apparently some of their w/g was in fact plated y/g, not sure if this is correct, I might have got this wrong???:33:

:doggie:

My white gold wedding ring did turn slightly yellow and I had it rhodium plated again.

Mad4Gems said:

Wasn't there a thread about this a while back Sazza - Meeshoo I think mentioned it. Apparently some of their w/g was in fact plated y/g, not sure if this is correct, I might have got this wrong???:33:

:doggie:

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Klosblue said:

That's not so good Sazza. It's not a repeat of the recall problem is it or was that something different?

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There was an issue regarding items being recalled, we had a thread on it but I certainly didn't receive a letter about it. So I can only assume my ring wasn't affected by that recall.

Now I can't help wonder if there is more items affected than they said as to lose the whiteness within a year is not good. :hump:

Sorry to hear your ring is giving cause for concern Sazza. Could it be the Rhodium plating wearing off, but it should still stay white underneath? The link here is to the Gemopedia where they say the Rhodium electroplating should last 2 -3 years with normal wear. Look under Gold Colours.

http://www.gemstv.co.uk/Gemopedia/precious-metals.jsp


The problem we had with items sold this time last year was with some Yellow Gold pieces actually being WG underneath. A pendant I bought for my Mum was affected and so I received a letter from Gems CS.

Sacha said:

Sorry to hear your ring is giving cause for concern Sazza. Could it be the Rhodium plating wearing off, but it should still stay white underneath? The link here is to the Gemopedia where they say the Rhodium electroplating should last 2 -3 years with normal wear. Look under Gold Colours.

http://www.gemstv.co.uk/Gemopedia/precious-metals.jsp


The problem we had with items sold this time last year was with some Yellow Gold pieces actually being WG underneath. A pendant I bought for my Mum was affected and so I received a letter from Gems CS.

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Thanks for reminding me what the recall issue was and for the that link.

2-3 years with normal wear, well it is not even a year so I think I have grounds to contact Gems about it.

M4G - that was TJC. Unfortunately some of their white gold was in fact yellow gold just rhodium plated and sold as white gold.

Sazza, the problem with your ring could be one of 3 things:-

1. The ring is yellow gold, rhodium plated with white gold over the top that is now wearing off (i.e. like the product recall). Unlikely but you never know.

2. This is very basic but white gold is made by mixing yellow gold with white alloys. Depending on what alloy is used, it can yellow over time. Sometimes quickly if worn a lot, sometimes not at all. On a lower cost piece, high end alloy mixes aren't normally used so this may be the case so will yellow quicker.

3. It could be the same as number 2 above but then it was rhodium plated over the top to achieve a higher degree of whiteness. Once this wears off (again, this can wear off quickly/slowly) the ring will appear more yellow.

Lastly you can put a couple of coats of rhodium plating over items and it'll be just ok. Then again you can rhodium plate an item over and over and over and it'll take many many years to wear off. Of course this has a cost and it's unlikely that GemsTV will do that. I recently bought a 14k white gold ring shank abroad, had a diamond set into it in the UK by DiamondGeezer and they've rhodiumed the shank into white heaven. I've never seen such a sparkly white gold in all my life.

My suggestion would be to take it into a jeweller because they'll be able to tell fairly easily. If it is yellow with white over it then you should contact Gems.

I thought it was Gems who had the white/yellow gold problem and the recall issue?

jacqualina said:

I thought it was Gems who had the white/yellow gold problem and the recall issue?

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It was, sorry Meesh but those senior moments are starting for you - mind you I've had them since I was about 21! :hyper:

http://shoppingtelly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=675

No ladies not having a senior moment!!!

There was a thread ages ago about TJC rhodium plating yellow gold fairly routinely - I knew somebody who's engagement ring had suddenly developed yellow patches! If you remember Mike came on and confirmed that TJC did do this.

The recall last year WAS by Gems but that was only supposedly for a batch of items that had slipped past QC.

See? Brain cells still working lol!

I contacted Gems about my ring and they said that their warranty they have is for 6 months and my ring is outwith that time.

Hmmmmm so they state the rhodium should be ok for 2-3 years but here I am having had the ring less than a year but longer than 6 months so the problem is mine and not theirs

Actually I had a look on the website and can't find anything about the 6 month warranty, is it on there???

Meeshoo said:

No ladies not having a senior moment!!!

There was a thread ages ago about TJC rhodium plating yellow gold fairly routinely - I knew somebody who's engagement ring had suddenly developed yellow patches! If you remember Mike came on and confirmed that TJC did do this.

The recall last year WAS by Gems but that was only supposedly for a batch of items that had slipped past QC.

See? Brain cells still working lol!

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Soz hon! I only saw the Gemstv one as I very rarely venture into TJC forum, don't really know why, probably 'cos I don't get the channel - although that's not stopped me putting my toe in the water at Rocks&Co :scarper:

Sazza said:

I contacted Gems about my ring and they said that their warranty they have is for 6 months and my ring is outwith that time.

Hmmmmm so they state the rhodium should be ok for 2-3 years but here I am having had the ring less than a year but longer than 6 months so the problem is mine and not theirs

Actually I had a look on the website and can't find anything about the 6 month warranty, is it on there???

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I wrote back to Gems saying I felt their 6 month warranty and statement about the rhodium being ok for 2-3 years contradicted each other.

they replied today saying that the rhodium should last 2-3 years but less if the items is worn everyday. I didn't wear the item everyday and I didn't wear it when using cleaning things etc.... so why it has lost the colour in less than a year I don't know.

Anyway they have agreed that they will have Outwork fix my ring so I am pleased about that.

Good news Sazza! I've not had this problem as I always bought yellow gold from Gems and TJC. Do all the channels do this with their white gold?