Some consider white gold necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and pendants to be a kind of middle ground between costume and fine jewelry. This ill-informed reaction is rooted in the use of the word ‘gold’ as the primary descriptor for metal alloys that include the metal. But in fact, many people favor white gold for certain jewelry rather than yellow gold.
Gold holds a special place in the collective psyche. This is reflected in phrases like ‘good as gold’ and ‘gold standard.’ The word ‘dollar’ was the name for a weight measurement for gold that was adopted as the word for the United States currency. The medal given to the first place finisher in competitions from the Olympics to the Cannes Film Festival is gold.
The use of gold vs white gold in particular instances of jewelry design is frequently limited by design elements as well as the intended purpose of the jewelry. This is especially true for items that receive a lot of use. Gold is not well-suited for certain applications due to its comparatively weak structure . In addition, certain gems simply look better against a white backdrop, whereas the gold color would detract from the effect of the gemstone.
White gold is only one of many alloys of gold. White gold mixes gold with a white metal – zinc, nickel or palladium. Green gold is the product of mixing gold and silver, while red gold mixes gold and copper. Pure gold, or 24k gold is not practical to use in jewelry making because of its softness.
Karat is a measurement of the ratio between gold and the alloy. The value of white gold is a function of the amount of gold used in the alloy and the other metal used. This is also the case for red and green gold. Literally hundreds of different alloys are possible using silver, copper or one of the white metals.
The yellow gold color most often seen in gold jewelry is often too brassy looking and can frequently cheapen the look of fine jewelry. White gold creates a more appealing contrast when worn with most clothing. Think of how a yellow gold necklace would look on a wedding dress.
No metal can rival white gold in its chrome-like reflective ability. For this reason white gold jewelry is especially well suited when used as a setting for a colorful gemstone or even white gems such as diamonds and pearls. The use of the yellowish golds would not stand out as well and in fact tends to blend in with the skin of most people.
