Why Does Gold Yellow?
Ever notice how, like silver tarnishes and fake jewelry will turn greenish, white gold seems to yellow or fade over time? It’s not a trick of your eyes, and this “change” can be avoided.
Most of the white gold jewelry out there is plated with a fine layer of rhodium, which is a pure white metal. This creates a pure white brilliance to the gold, however the rhodium will wear over time, no longer protecting and coating the gold. No matter what gem manufacturers use to combine with the gold, gold will always retain a yellowy hue.
If you have white gold jewelry that has “yellowed” or “faded,” and you want to get that pure white brilliance back, you can ask your jeweler to replate it with rhodium. Because rhodium is not an expensive metal, the cost will probably be less than you would expect. For people who look at their jewelry and yearn to return it to the original state, this would be a real easy fix.
If you want a more permanent fix to your yellowy gold, you could get your jewelry plated with palladium or platinum. While these metals will be a bit more expensive, they will also last much longer with regular jewelry care.
