White gold

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

White gold is an alloy of gold and at least one white metal, such as silver or palladium. Like yellow gold, white gold is measured in Karats.

Its properties vary depending on the metals and proportions used. As a result, white gold alloys can be used for different purposes; while a nickel alloy is hard, strong and therefore good for rings and pins, white gold-palladium alloys are soft, pliable and good for white gold gemstone settings. The highest quality white gold is usually at least 18 karat, and made up of gold and palladium, and sometimes even trace levels of platinum for weight and durability, although this often requires specialised goldsmiths.

Whilst some higher quality white gold alloys retain their shine and lustre, most will be coated with a very thin layer of rhodium. This will give the naturally more dull white gold a shine comparable to platinum or silver. Often white gold will require cleaning, or re-coating of rhodium at a later date.

1 Skin irritation
2 In Popular Culture
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Skin irritation

About 12.5% of the population is allergic to white gold alloy containing nickel. Reactions are typically mild and usually involve minor skin rashes.^[1] White gold alloys containing other metals, such as palladium, are generally not allergenic. These allergies sometimes start after a woman becomes pregnant.

[edit] In Popular Culture

In the The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever series of novels by Stephen R. Donaldson, white gold is a substance which is used to control magic in The Land, at least partly by virtue of the fact that it is not a naturally occurring substance there. It is also the keystone of The Arch of Time.