Discolored gold?

[BlingBlingLova]

Hello PSers! I'm hoping someone who has a vast knowledge of gold can help me out. This is kinda embarrassing given that this is PS but I have no shame lol. Last year, i bought 4 diamond bow rings from the home shopping network. I kept one as a ring, the other 2 I made into earrings and the last one I made into a necklace. Adorable set and i thoroughly enjoy wearing them to work and in get so many compliments and yadda yadda. But, I can't help but notice a huge color difference in the 14 karat white gold ring vs the other pieces. No worries, pics follow but it may be hard to see the difference on camera. The reason why it bothers me is because the diamonds look so much whiter in the ring as opposed to the other pieces. I took them to a jeweler who did the rhodium plated them but no difference in color. Which begs the question: did the heat from the Jeweler`s torch when converting from a ring to earrings/pendant permanently discolor the gold? If so, can it be fixed or do I just have to live with it? Any input will be greatly appreciated!

 

[BlingBlingLova]

Pic above: the ring is the middle one and on either end are the earrings. Again, please note the difference in gold color.


Above: pendant on the left, ring on the right.

 

[BlingBlingLova]

I swear I’m not being nit picky but in real life, there is a clear difference in the gold. Please advise.

 

[marymm]

I can't perceive a difference in the pieces in these photos. Even if the jeweler's torch did affect the metal, the rhodium dip should have plated over it in even white gold color. Did you rhodium dip all 3 pieces or only the earrings? Did you loupe the diamonds in the earrings? Maybe they were burned during the conversion and are contributing to the overall off-color of the earrings?

 

[Joey_mhaske]

I think I can see the difference. Are the 3 other pieces (earrings & pendant) a little bit darker than the ring?

The ring is in 14kt White Gold right? How about the other 3?

 

[stracci2000]

Rhodium will discolor after heating, becoming grayish, and sometimes can even burn off.
I'm sure that's the reason for the color change.
But you said you had them re-plated with rhodium? They should be brighter now.
It has been my experience that heat may change the color of yellow gold, but we are talking about white gold here.

 

[BlingBlingLova]

I can't perceive a difference in the pieces in these photos. Even if the jeweler's torch did affect the metal, the rhodium dip should have plated over it in even white gold color. Did you rhodium dip all 3 pieces or only the earrings? Did you loupe the diamonds in the earrings? Maybe they were burned during the conversion and are contributing to the overall off-color of the earrings?

I plated all 3 pieces, not the ring. I did loupe the diamonds and they are fine.

 

[BlingBlingLova]

I think I can see the difference. Are the 3 other pieces (earrings & pendant) a little bit darker than the ring?

The ring is in 14kt White Gold right? How about the other 3?

Yes the other 3 pieces are darker than the ring. All are 14 kt white gold

 

[BlingBlingLova]

Rhodium will discolor after heating, becoming grayish, and sometimes can even burn off.
I'm sure that's the reason for the color change.
But you said you had them re-plated with rhodium? They should be brighter now.
It has been my experience that heat may change the color of yellow gold, but we are talking about white gold here.

Yes I rhodium heated all 3 pieces and they still came out that color

 

[stracci2000]

Yes I rhodium heated all 3 pieces and they still came out that color

Hmmmmm, very mysterious. Your pieces should now be super white.
Was the re-plating done recently? Maybe take them back to the jeweler and show the color difference. Maybe they didn't do it properly.

 

[BlingBlingLova]

Hmmmmm, very mysterious. Your pieces should now be super white.
Was the re-plating done recently? Maybe take them back to the jeweler and show the color difference. Maybe they didn't do it properly.

Honestly I’m thinking of shipping to Yekutiel at IDJ. I paid so much money to have them replated and I’m still not convinced!

 

[stracci2000]

Honestly I’m thinking of shipping to Yekutiel at IDJ. I paid so much money to have them replated and I’m still not convinced!

If you are not happy, definitely complain to the jeweler that supposedly re-plated these pieces.
Here is a video that I just watched that explains the process. It's a little blurry at times, but the guy explains it real well, and you can see the difference.

 

[Luce]

I had a piece that did not plate well in the past and had a jeweler tell me that the quality of the rhodium plating depends on the cleanliness and polish of the original gold surface.

 

[Luce]

Great video @stracci2000

 

[BlingBlingLova]

I had a piece that did not plate well in the past and had a jeweler tell me that the quality of the rhodium plating depends on the cleanliness and polish of the original gold surface.

Ok that actually makes sense.

 

[BlingBlingLova]

If you are not happy, definitely complain to the jeweler that supposedly re-plated these pieces.
Here is a video that I just watched that explains the process. It's a little blurry at times, but the guy explains it real well, and you can see the difference.

Interesting! Thank you!

 

[Karl_K]

Until they are steamed cleaned you cant really compare because there is no way of telling what is on them.
A heavy dose of some hairspray can change the color of anything.

 

[BlingBlingLova]

Until they are steamed cleaned you cant really compare because there is no way of telling what is on them.
A heavy dose of some hairspray can change the color of anything.

I have steam cleaned them, USed them, heck I even placed them in the heated US plus a steamer. Nada.