Does all white gold contain nickel?

[Fsmu]

Is it possible to get WG without nickel?

What’s the best metal to securely hold a 4.6 carat EC stone?

Plz answer!!!!!

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

Palladium white gold has no nickel, is super white and needs no rhodium plating--- ever. Also is very strong metal.

 

[distracts]

There are white gold alloys that you can get without nickel but not everyone is willing to get them or to work with them.

For a diamond that big, I'd go platinum, because it would seem weird to me to want a white metal and not get the most expensive for a 4.6 ct diamond.

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

+1 for preferring platinum, but some say they don't like the heft of platinum. (For me, it's a plus.)

 

[Fsmu]

There are white gold alloys that you can get without nickel but not everyone is willing to get them or to work with them.

For a diamond that big, I'd go platinum, because it would seem weird to me to want a white metal and not get the most expensive for a 4.6 ct diamond.

My old ER and Band was platinum. The place where we are getting the new stone and band strongly advising against platinum. Says it’s not as strong as gold? It’s not a cost thing since it’s literally the difference of a $100 or so. It was a security thing since when I brought the other rings in they said the stone was loose - it was a ring from Blue Nile and was our 4th setting and I didn’t notice that one as loose—- thenother 3 yes, and all platinum. I just always thought platinum was the strongest. I’m just not sure how to deal with the jeweler as they aren’t a fan (but definitely use it) but they say it won’t be delicate like I want (I just a plain solitaire band. Thin)

 

[distracts]

My old ER and Band was platinum. The place where we are getting the new stone and band strongly advising against platinum. Says it’s not as strong as gold? It’s not a cost thing since it’s literally the difference of a $100 or so. It was a security thing since when I brought the other rings in they said the stone was loose - it was a ring from Blue Nile and was our 4th setting and I didn’t notice that one as loose—- thenother 3 yes, and all platinum. I just always thought platinum was the strongest. I’m just not sure how to deal with the jeweler as they aren’t a fan (but definitely use it) but they say it won’t be delicate like I want (I just a plain solitaire band. Thin)

Platinum is softer but white gold is more brittle. Platinum scratches more easily so over time will develop a soft patina, whereas white gold will remain shiny longer. With platinum, prongs are slightly more likely to loosen up over time (ie, bend a bit) and need to be re-tightened (you should ideally either take your ring in every six months to year to check, or learn how to check at home and then take it in if it needs to be tightened - with white gold too, which usually needs prong tightening less often but still needs it). But if you whack your hand hard enough to do damage you may just bend the prongs out of shape with a hit that might entirely break white gold prongs. So what your jeweler probably meant by "strong" is "less likely to scratch or bend" but in that case "strong" also translates as "more likely to break."

As well, you shouldn't wear white gold (or any gold) in highly chlorinated water like pools and especially hot tubs because the alloys can leech out, which will make the ring even more brittle. So if you'd like to wear your ring swimming (??? I guess people do this???) get platinum.

Also, yes, platinum is significantly heavier than white gold and I personally like to "feel" the ring on my finger. White gold feels comparatively insubstantial.

If you've been going through delicate settings for a fairly large stone, I would be remiss not to ask if you are bumping your hand on things a lot, sleeping in your ring, exercising in it, etc?

 

[Fsmu]

Platinum is softer but white gold is more brittle. Platinum scratches more easily so over time will develop a soft patina, whereas white gold will remain shiny longer. With platinum, prongs are slightly more likely to loosen up over time (ie, bend a bit) and need to be re-tightened (you should ideally either take your ring in every six months to year to check, or learn how to check at home and then take it in if it needs to be tightened - with white gold too, which usually needs prong tightening less often but still needs it). But if you whack your hand hard enough to do damage you may just bend the prongs out of shape with a hit that might entirely break white gold prongs. So what your jeweler probably meant by "strong" is "less likely to scratch or bend" but in that case "strong" also translates as "more likely to break."

As well, you shouldn't wear white gold (or any gold) in highly chlorinated water like pools and especially hot tubs because the alloys can leech out, which will make the ring even more brittle. So if you'd like to wear your ring swimming (??? I guess people do this???) get platinum.

Also, yes, platinum is significantly heavier than white gold and I personally like to "feel" the ring on my finger. White gold feels comparatively insubstantial.

If you've been going through delicate settings for a fairly large stone, I would be remiss not to ask if you are bumping your hand on things a lot, sleeping in your ring, exercising in it, etc?

So funny story- my other ring I HATED because it was set high and was always in the way - I have 2 toddlers. And yaaa. It was a RB 3.5 carat with graduated side stones. It was always caught on sweaters etc. so it sat in the safe. Right now I just wear a plain platinum band and THAT never comes off. I probably wouldn’t wear it to the beach or pool or shower or gym or anything like that really. I just don’t want to lose the stone while walking around somewhere.

I requested a low profile setting so it doesn’t get in the way. I like finger coverage but not height. I have yet to see the ring- waiting for it to come.


That was all super helpful so I appreciate it!!!

 

[Bron357]

My preference is 18ct white gold, rhodium plated annually. I don’t like the colour of Platinum, I find it too grey and flat. I do have a strong nickel allergy but have not had any problems with reactions. This is from the cheap eBay eternity ring I bought to try the style. Not 925 silver! That’s the result of overnight wear!

 

[distracts]

So funny story- my other ring I HATED because it was set high and was always in the way - I have 2 toddlers. And yaaa. It was a RB 3.5 carat with graduated side stones. It was always caught on sweaters etc. so it sat in the safe. Right now I just wear a plain platinum band and THAT never comes off. I probably wouldn’t wear it to the beach or pool or shower or gym or anything like that really. I just don’t want to lose the stone while walking around somewhere.

I requested a low profile setting so it doesn’t get in the way. I like finger coverage but not height. I have yet to see the ring- waiting for it to come.


That was all super helpful so I appreciate it!!!

Set high and bumping it on things a lot/with prongs that catch on sweaters sounds like a probable cause for loose prongs. Sometimes it is the style that is the problem and not the metal. Since you are getting an emerald cut, have you thought of things like having tab prongs, or a bezel or semi-bezel? While a different look than delicate prongs, tab prongs are quite sturdy, and then of course with a bezel or semi-bezel you wouldn't have to worry about prong-loosening at all. Just a thought, in case you're still worried that setting it lower won't be enough. I've seen other PSers get resets to bezels or semi-bezels when they have young kids so they can wear their rings without worry.

 

[quaddio]

I need confirmation, but I believe nickel is not used in Australian jewellery and the white gold is less white than nickel white gold. Also 9kt is more popular than 14kt in Australia

 

[sledge]

Yikes @Bron357! I'd advise you to find a metal you do like without nickel. My wife's setting from DK is the palladium WG and as @CHRISTY-DANIELLE noted, its nickel free!

Keep in mind, we call these allergies but you are poisoning your body with nickel. The rhodium plating is essentially acting as a protective layer (similar to a condum). The problem is rhodium plating isn't always applied perfectly even. So you can have miniature areas of leakage. And of course you realize it wears down over time as well and it doesn't necessarily wear even.

FWIW, I believe by law the UK bans nickel in their jewelry.

 

[quaddio]

Maybe order from UK or Australia?

 

[headlight]

There are white gold alloys that you can get without nickel but not everyone is willing to get them or to work with them.

For a diamond that big, I'd go platinum, because it would seem weird to me to want a white metal and not get the most expensive for a 4.6 ct diamond.

I’ve had a few platinum mountings in the past and just didn’t care for the weight or the feel or the patina. Now I have white gold and love the luster, the color, and its lightweight. I was primarily drawn to it because I have hand issues and didn’t want the weight of plat anymore but I was surprised to find myself liking the other attributes I mentioned because I, too, thought plat was the way to go. The cost difference has been nominal for quite some time so I don’t think it’s about the most expensive or the best... it’s just preference.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

My preference is 18ct white gold, rhodium plated annually. I don’t like the colour of Platinum, I find it too grey and flat. I do have a strong nickel allergy but have not had any problems with reactions. This is from the cheap eBay eternity ring I bought to try the style. Not 925 silver! That’s the result of overnight wear!

oh my goodness poor you
that's horrible
does it hurt ?
did you heal up ok ?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I need confirmation, but I believe nickel is not used in Australian jewellery and the white gold is less white than nickel white gold. Also 9kt is more popular than 14kt in Australia

im.in NZ and the only problem ive had was years ago wearing cheap and cheerful fashion earings making my ears go green

 

[Fsmu]

My preference is 18ct white gold, rhodium plated annually. I don’t like the colour of Platinum, I find it too grey and flat. I do have a strong nickel allergy but have not had any problems with reactions. This is from the cheap eBay eternity ring I bought to try the style. Not 925 silver! That’s the result of overnight wear!

Omg —ouch— this is totally what happens to my ears when I wear my diamond studs!!! I just thought it was bc he upgraded them and they were just too big to wear daily like I had been doing (they’re 3.98 ctw) and in a martini glass setting so not huge. But maybe too big to always wear. He didn’t want to do basket cuz he didn’t want it to droop. But now it happens all the time- even if i wear it for a few hours. Funnily enough I never connected it to theWG. But I bought some small EC studs- to wear as a replacement for everyday — cuz i thought it was actually the setting poking my ear more than anything. And got the new ones in YG and Haven’t had an issue.

 

[Fsmu]

I’ve had a few platinum mountings in the past and just didn’t care for the weight or the feel or the patina. Now I have white gold and love the luster, the color, and its lightweight. I was primarily drawn to it because I have hand issues and didn’t want the weight of plat anymore but I was surprised to find myself liking the other attributes I mentioned because I, too, thought plat was the way to go. The cost difference has been nominal for quite some time so I don’t think it’s about the most expensive or the best... it’s just preference.

Right I see this- the jeweler thought I hated my other rings perhaps cuz they were too heavy. And maybe that’s right. Too. Idk. but it appears I’m allergic to nickel probably. So I need to find something else.


I happy to love YG on me and tbink it looks best- I have olive skin- but I remember hated YG ho until the past few years so can’t tell if it’s just trendy or if I will like it later.

 

[distracts]

YFWIW, I believe by law the UK bans nickel in their jewelry.

The UK/EU alloys still usually have a small amount of nickel - not enough to cause a reaction in most sensitive people, but still present. Just like in the US, you still need to inquire as to the exact composition and if it is nickel-free - but with the added wrinkle of many more of them THINKING it is nickel-free when it is in fact not. The EU nickel directive limits the content of nickel that may be released into the skin, but does not ban the use of nickel, or have the content set at zero. I have a nickel allergy and while I CAN wear rings that meet EU standards because my hands react less, I still can’t wear earrings that meet EU standards (actually less than half the amount of nickel release allowed for earrings as rings!) because my ears are more sensitive.

Then nickel-free palladium white gold is a good option if you can find a jeweler who will work with it.

 

[headlight]

Right I see this- the jeweler thought I hated my other rings perhaps cuz they were too heavy. And maybe that’s right. Too. Idk. but it appears I’m allergic to nickel probably. So I need to find something else.


I happy to love YG on me and tbink it looks best- I have olive skin- but I remember hated YG ho until the past few years so can’t tell if it’s just trendy or if I will like it later.

My son is also allergic to nickel but, as the other posters said, there are combos of white metals that don't have nickel... you just have to find a jeweler that can provide this.
I know you mentioned the thing about yellow gold... it definitely was not in vogue for quite sometime but it has made a comeback and I've even bought a couple items in yellow gold which I never thought I would've!

 

[whitewave]

There are white gold alloys that you can get without nickel but not everyone is willing to get them or to work with them.

For a diamond that big, I'd go platinum, because it would seem weird to me to want a white metal and not get the most expensive for a 4.6 ct diamond.

Plat is too soft IMO for that large a stone.

 

[Fsmu]

Plat is too soft IMO for that large a stone.

But is YG too soft??

 

[sledge]

But is YG too soft??

So gold, regardless if WG or YG, is sold by karat weight. There are 24 karats available so if you are looking at 10k gold it has 10 parts gold, so 10/24 gives you the percentage of actual gold. Obviously, the higher the number the more gold content. In the US, 10k is the minimum to be considered "gold".

10k = 41.7% gold
14k = 58.3% gold
18k = 75% gold
24k = 100% gold

Additionally the higher gold content the more yellow the color. So 10k will look more pale than 24k. The exact color and strength depends on the exact alloys that are mixed with the gold. Alloys are specific to the vendor and can vary slightly from vendor to vendor so its possible to end up with two 14k pieces that are slightly different in color and strength; the only certainty is the 58.3% gold purity in this example. FYI, 24k is too soft for jewelry as it has no alloy admixtures.

Another example of how alloys effect color is rose gold. Copper is used as the alloy to give that unique color. So WG is just a result of the alloys used to change the color.

When talking strength there is different ways to define that. As already noted the MOHS scale is a measurement of hardness. Pure 24k is around 2.5 best I recall. As you decrease gold and increase alloys it moves up the scale and varies from around 3-4 depending on specifics.

Platinum is around 3.5 and palladium around 4.5. Although platinum is around 95% pure, it too has allos such as iridium, ruthenium, etc that may slightly alter strength characteristics and exact color.

For reference diamonds are a 10, tungsten is around 7.5 and tungsten carbide is close to 9.

But hardness only tells.us one attribute of strength. Malleability also matters and can be advantageous and preferred.

When designing my own wife's custom e-ring, I wanted platinum for her but she liked the shiny of WG. After lots of conversations, I took the designers advise and used a WG/palladium alloy as that is what they recommended for her design. The palladium alloy gives a slight tint difference than typical WG but gives her the shiny aspect, makes it hypoallergenic and the right blend of strength characteristics.

 

[Fsmu]

Ok that was very helpful thank you!!!