discolouration.
Proper 'white' gold is actually an alloy of metals, as is 'rose' gold, whether its 9 or 18k. I beleive silver is used with yellow gold to give the 'white' colour, and its copper to give the 'rose' colour, but this is done during the manufacturing when the metals are molten, and should not ever 'wear off' or 'discolour'
Plating is a different process, and just a coating(s) of one metal over another. This can wear off over time, (espcially if the plating was thin or poor quality to begin with, but also just with general wear & tear.)
This can often happen with rhodium, as it is mega expensive to use,(costlier that platinum) and is also quite a soft metal, so cost apart, its also not practical to use in the same way gold or silver is to set 'gems' into, and usually just used to 'enhance' a setting or stone.
Whichever way its done, I beleive a company should make it perfectly clear exactly what you are buying.
Hope this helps. A friend of mine who is mega physics/chemistry boffin at Oxford University explained all this...however....it did take almost 4 hours, 3 bottles of wine and a very thready pulse at times!...so hope all the facts are correct!:22:
Proper 'white' gold is actually an alloy of metals, as is 'rose' gold, whether its 9 or 18k. I beleive silver is used with yellow gold to give the 'white' colour, and its copper to give the 'rose' colour, but this is done during the manufacturing when the metals are molten, and should not ever 'wear off' or 'discolour'
Plating is a different process, and just a coating(s) of one metal over another. This can wear off over time, (espcially if the plating was thin or poor quality to begin with, but also just with general wear & tear.)
This can often happen with rhodium, as it is mega expensive to use,(costlier that platinum) and is also quite a soft metal, so cost apart, its also not practical to use in the same way gold or silver is to set 'gems' into, and usually just used to 'enhance' a setting or stone.
Whichever way its done, I beleive a company should make it perfectly clear exactly what you are buying.
Hope this helps. A friend of mine who is mega physics/chemistry boffin at Oxford University explained all this...however....it did take almost 4 hours, 3 bottles of wine and a very thready pulse at times!...so hope all the facts are correct!:22:
