Question on Rhodium plating

[Questionaire.]

There is a ring I saw in a magazine and I was curious because it said it was 14k white gold or 14k yellow gold. And I am not very familiar with anything with gold so please excuse, but this is what it listed:

Choice of Rhodium-accented yellow or rhodium-plated white
Polished finish
Stamped 14K


I am confused as to what exactly on the ring is plated and why and does it lower the value and or does it tarnish and why is it plated with anything if it is already 14k ? and is it pure 14k before the plating? and what does accented yellow mean?

Thanks!

 

[bunniesoup]

Pure gold is a very yellow/orange-y color. White gold is mixed with other metals to A. Make it durable enough for wear. B. Lighten the natural color. Rhodium is plated onto white gold to give it an ever whiter appearance.

Plating it doesn''t decrease the value of the piece.

The Rhodium will most likely be worn away before any tarnishing happens. With rings some women go in to get it re-plated every few months.

It probably is pure 14 k gold before plating.

Accented yellow probably means the majority of the ring is in white gold and small details/accents will be done in yellow gold.

Hope this helps.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would think that rhodium-accented yellow would be a yellow gold ring with some rhodium accents...as in, two-tone.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Most white gold is rhodium plated to make it appear whiter. White gold that is not rhodium plated has a slight warm tint to it. Some peoplr prefer the white appearance of the plated WG, others like the warmth of the unplated WG. I like both

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

This is cheap and cheerful jewels.
Properly made to last rings should have white gold and yellow gold components soldered together.
The plating will wear off a ring and it will look sickly yellowish