White Gold or Sterling Silver?

[classy.stylish.chic]

Hi everyone!

I''m brand new here and the ladies at the Purse Forum highly recommended this forum for jewelry so I made my way here. Anyway, I''m thinking of getting a 30" chain either in White Gold or Sterling Silver to wear costume jewelry pendants with. I am frustrated that I have to keep throwing out my costume jewelry as it tarnishes overtime although granted I paid peanuts for them but I am now looking to invest in a chain that would hold up. I understand that Sterling Silver does tarnish but it can be polished/cleaned so that isn''t a prob with me. If I were to pick up a Sterling Silver chain I was thinking of getting a Tiffany. I would like to hear some feedback/comments on which would serve a better purpose in the long run? Many thanks in advance!

 

[innerkitten]

I own both. If you already have sterling why not go with white gold this time. It should hold up well.

 

[classy.stylish.chic]

I do not have a White Gold or Sterling Silver chain at this point in time.

 

[Circe]

Hm ... both have their downsides, and their upsides: silver will tarnish, but white gold will yellow. You can polish silver with a cloth at home, but you'll need to visit the jeweler periodically to refresh the WG. Decisions, decisions.

Me, I'd go for the silver chain, and rhodium plate it if you wanted that shine (and much costume jewelry is plated w/rhodium these days, anyway), but I don't think I'd go Tiff's with something like this: one chain is much like the next, and the markup for the chain is ... near offensive. Just went and checked the site, and they want $75 bucks for a 30 inch chain?!? Youch! I'm a amateur silversmith, and I just bought 40 inches of cable chain and a ton of other stuff as well for less than that will cost with tax. Try looking up a place called Metalliferous and order direct ... you can spend the difference on more delightful things to hang from the new chain!

ETA: More importantly, welcome!

 

[Circe]

Oh, don''t get me wrong - I love white gold (and even more so, actually, when it is slightly yellowed - seems more true to the substance), but for wearing with fun pendants, it seems like more of an investment. Did not mean to slight!

 

[MonkeyPie]

I''d go with rhodium plated sterling, myself. I want shiny, and that is easy to upkeep.

 

[glitterata]

I would want one of each, or maybe several of each in different lengths, so I could use the silver ones with the silver pendants and the gold with the gold. Sterling and white gold have different looks. But if you''re only buying one, I would say gold, so you don''t have to worry about it tarnishing.

 

[classy.stylish.chic]

Thank you all for your input by far!

Would anyone have suggestions as to who/where to look up if I decide on white gold? Also, is it okay to wear a silver pendant with White Gold? I''m not concerned as far as appearance but more on the chemical reaction part of it. I appreciate your kind comments!

 

[krisvrn]

I would just invest in White Gold. I have never been a fan of Sterling Silver. To me they are like costume jewelry. I don''t like my jewelry tarnishing.

 

[Elmorton]

Even Tiffany tarnishes...I'm constantly polishing my Tiffany silver pieces. My white gold chains, even the cheapies, require a lot less work to keep them shiny. I think it's worth the investment for a nice, wg chain. I think a silver pendant would be fine on a wg chain - I do the reverse on one of my fav pendants (wanted a thick chain for it and it was much more cost effective to go silver in that respect). The metals will rub against each other over time, but if you wear pendants like I do (switch them up, don't wear a pendant or the same pendant every day), I don't see this as being a problem. For a nice chain, why not support a local B&M jeweler? I bought a nice quality, nice weight chain for about $90-95 from my local jeweler.

 

[HollyS]

All of my white metal chains are sterling, except for two diamond necklaces where pendant and chain were sold together.

I wear sterling nearly every day, and have the polishing clothes for quick buffing in case of tarnish. Sterling is a bunch cheaper; and if it has a polished finish, rather than oxidized, it will look fine with any white metal pendant.

 

[RxTechRN2b]

Necklaces/pendants are something I gave up on a long time ago. I always somehow break the chain and even lose the whole thing, including the pendant. But if I had to choose, I''d go with sterling for costume jewelry, and gold for fine jewelry. I just wouldn''t spend a lot of money because I know I''d lose it for sure! Sterling won''t tarnish as long as you wear it -- it tarnishes when you take it off and store it. I have a DY toggle link bracelet with tiffany round lock charm in sterling that I only take off when I''m in the hospital on clinicals, and I have never had to polish them -- absolutely no tarnish ever in the two or three years since I bought them!

 

[gracioso]

i wuld choose white gold