Nowadays, are most of the 18k WG settings non plated?

[Dancing Fire]

any of the common brand offers non plated 18K WG settings? please don't recommend the big 3, b/c I can't afford custom made.

 

[Sunstorm]

I personally prefer and use non plated I think the look is more natural and to me rhodium plating can look cheap reminding me of costume jewelry but this is subjective. A non plated palladium WG alloy looks sort of rugged if You know what I mean and that works great for mens jewelry as well. Others may prefer plating for a flashier look.

 

[thecat]

I think all wg settings are rhodium at the last stage. So if you don't want rhodium, then they will just skip the last stage. But they tend to forget and might still rhodium yours anyway since the standard procedure is to rhodium. I had that happen to me despite repeatedly telling them unplated wg.

 

[Niel]

I personally prefer and use non plated I think the look is more natural and to me rhodium plating can look cheap reminding me of costume jewelry but this is subjective. A non plated palladium WG alloy looks sort of rugged if You know what I mean and that works great for mens jewelry as well. Others may prefer plating for a flashier look.

I agree I find rhodium plating cheapens the look of gold I think. Why pay for gold if you're coving it up . most places I've worked with, if I ask then to forgo the plating usually they will

 

[cflutist]

Stuller has 14K X1 (15% Ni) and 18K X1 (12% Ni) alloys that do not require Rhodium Plating per the World Gold Council/MJSA White Gold Task Force guidelines for grading the color of white gold alloys.

I have not personally seen the 18k X1, but do have a number of rings made of the 14K X1 material.

Here is a picture comparing white metals:

From left to right:

Platinum then 14K X1 (not plated) then 18K White Gold (slightly tinted)

The 14K X1 is whiter than the 18K X1.

 

[OECsareforLovers]

I'm also in the non-plating camp. Honestly, I had a hard time finding a B&M that was even aware it was an option. One store associate told me "no one leaves WG unplated". ERD made my ring in the end and I'm in love with the alloy!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Stuller has 14K X1 (15% Ni) and 18K X1 (12% Ni) alloys that do not require Rhodium Plating per the World Gold Council/MJSA White Gold Task Force guidelines for grading the color of white gold alloys.

I have not personally seen the 18k X1, but do have a number of rings made of the 14K X1 material.

Here is a picture comparing white metals:

From left to right:

Platinum then 14K X1 (not plated) then 18K White Gold (slightly tinted)

The 14K X1 is whiter than the 18K X1.

Cf...are the non plated rings a lot more expensive?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

DF, I think you mean to ask if 14k X1 is a lot more than regular 14k? My answer is that it would be WELL worth the cost because it is whiter than unplated regular white gold. It's not going to be as much as platinum because platinum is 90-95% platinum whereas 14k gold is just a little over half gold. So maybe you can order a setting from Stuller and get the kind of gold you want.

 

[Dancing Fire]

DF, I think you mean to ask if 14k X1 is a lot more than regular 14k? My answer is that it would be WELL worth the cost because it is whiter than unplated regular white gold. It's not going to be as much as platinum because platinum is 90-95% platinum whereas 14k gold is just a little over half gold.

Yes, any idea of the price difference b/t 14K X1 vs PT for the same style ring?

 

[Sunstorm]

Hmm, I do not know this particular alloy but the palladium WG alloy I use costs about the same as any WG alloy. Once we made a ring for myself and we left it un plated because of the emerald and the 24 k crown for it, I fell in love with the look and the rest is history. I do not plate customer jewelry unless they specifically ask for it.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Hmm, I do not know this particular alloy but the palladium WG alloy I use costs about the same as any WG alloy. Once we made a ring for myself and we left it un plated because of the emerald and the 24 k crown for it, I fell in love with the look and the rest is history. I do not plate customer jewelry unless they specifically ask for it.

Does the ring look yellow tinted?

 

[Sunstorm]

Whew, that is like asking if a G diamond is yellow tinted or not, to some yes to others no. I personally am very color sensitive and I see a very slight yellow tinge but mostly I would liken the color more to that of plat; it is duller and more grayish Than other WG alloys. I personally love the color and if customers do not like it I will plate it but so far not one person has chosen that but then I have only started using it less than a year ago.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

DF, 14K X1 is going to be a LOT less than 95% platinum. But you are probably going to have to choose a Stuller setting and have Lynda at GOG check the price of 14k X1 and platinum so you can know the difference.

See, if you choose a setting, you can choose between many metals. 14kX1 is on there and so is platinum. Example:

http://www.stuller.com/products/9810/10167206/?groupId=120098&fromProductDetails=True

 

[cflutist]

DF,

Assumming a 2mm band in size 5, here are your relative prices:

14K White - $144
14K X1 - $150
18K White - $204
18K Palladium White - $252
Palladium - $182
Platinum - $406

So 14K X1 is only a little more than 14K White, but less than the others.
I know that 18K X1 is also available but is more yellow on the scale, but still not needing plating.

 

[Dancing Fire]

DF, 14K X1 is going to be a LOT less than 95% platinum. But you are probably going to have to choose a Stuller setting and have Lynda at GOG check the price of 14k X1 and platinum so you can know the difference.

See, if you choose a setting, you can choose between many metals. 14kX1 is on there and so is platinum. Example:

http://www.stuller.com/products/9810/10167206/?groupId=120098&fromProductDetails=True

No not for me. I'm looking for a 14k X1 Vatche "royal crown" style for my wife's ring.

 

[Dancing Fire]

DF,

Assumming a 2mm band in size 5, here are your relative prices:

14K White - $144
14K X1 - $150
18K White - $204
18K Palladium White - $252
Palladium - $182
Platinum - $406

So 14K X1 is only a little more than 14K White, but less than the others.
I know that 18K X1 is also available but is more yellow on the scale, but still not needing plating.

Sounds reasonable to me. The best part of it is that I don't need to worry about re-plating the ring again.

 

[cflutist]

DF, 14K X1 is going to be a LOT less than 95% platinum. But you are probably going to have to choose a Stuller setting and have Lynda at GOG check the price of 14k X1 and platinum so you can know the difference.

See, if you choose a setting, you can choose between many metals. 14kX1 is on there and so is platinum. Example:

http://www.stuller.com/products/9810/10167206/?groupId=120098&fromProductDetails=True

No not for me. I'm looking for a 14k X1 Vatche "royal crown" style for my wife's ring.

14K X-1 is proprietary to Stuller. Perhaps other manufacturers have their own super-white formulations.

http://www.stuller.com/articles/view/x1-white-gold-faqs/

There is a good comparison chart here (this was from 2006 so might be newer info available):
http://www.stuller.com/apps/images/kbpdfs/x1.pdf

 

[diamondseeker2006]

That pricing info is GREAT, cflutist!

Why is your wife resetting her ring?

 

[dk168]

please don't recommend the big 3, b/c I can't afford custom made.

Apology for being cheeky in advance, however, I did have a little giggle when I read that line, as I read this thread no long after reading your Octavia thread.

DK

 

[Dancing Fire]

That pricing info is GREAT, cflutist!

Why is your wife resetting her ring?

b/c her 14k WG ring have had started to turn yellow. I like the Royal Crown design in PT but trying to find a cheaper alternative white metal ..

 

[cflutist]

Just get her the platinum, she's worth it, Besides a new platinum RC mounting I'm sure is less than your Octavia

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Just get her the platinum, she's worth it, Besides a new platinum RC mounting I'm sure is less than your Octavia

+1

DF, you big spender...just pay the 40 bucks to get the ring rhodium plated once a year if you can't get the platinum!!!

 

[rockhoundofficiando]

Curious, why is the palladium band priced higher than the gold band when palladium is valued at so much less per ounce? palladium $866/oz as compared to gold $1,316/oz today..even given that gold is mixed afterward, would still think palladium would be less especially given the issues of finding jewelers that will work with it.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Just get her the platinum, she's worth it, Besides a new platinum RC mounting I'm sure is less than your Octavia

Not if I can find a cheaper way out...

 

[Dancing Fire]

Just get her the platinum, she's worth it, Besides a new platinum RC mounting I'm sure is less than your Octavia

+1

DF, you big spender...just pay the 40 bucks to get the ring rhodium plated once a year if you can't get the platinum!!!

The original plating did lasted for like 6 yrs before I can see the yellow tint.