White gold turning dark grey why?

[katebar]

I have just had my white gold pinky ring replated as it had gone very dark grey. But lo and behold 3 weeks later its back to being dark horrible grey. I know it must be me but what can I do. The funny thing is I wear a lot of silver jewellery and I am fine with this but it must be something in the white gold. The iring was made by Garry Holloway and I had it replated by a reputable jeweller here so if anyone can help

 

[kcoursolle]

Did it turn grey after it was rhodium plated? If so, it might be old rhodium and I think this happened to Ellen once.

 

[katebar]

kcoursolle right from the get go I seemed to turn it grey. I had to send it down to Garry after about 2 months but it quickly looked grey again and just lived with it. Th last month I got it replated and it happend much quicker.

 

[MikeRato1]

did you ask mr holloway what might be causing this?

 

[katebar]

Well yes I asked Bec his sales person. She said that its wear and tear.

 

[MikeRato1]

interesting, do you have any pics of it?

 

[LegacyGirl]

That sounds funny. I''ve heard they turn a bit yellow but grey?

 

[katebar]

Thanks Mikerato1 I'll post a comparson shot! It looks scratched but its not

 

[katebar]

when first got the ring

 

[arjunajane]

Wow Kate, that does admittedly look kinda bad

I know you mentioned you already asked garry''s assistant, but I would really take it into them and explain how this is causing you hassle, see if they can''t help.?
Is it still under warranty ?
And do you wear any other WG jewellery, as in has this happened to you before, or just this ring..?
I''m sorry you''re not happy, i can see how it would be irritating.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Hi Katebar,
White gold is not ''white'' unfortunately. 18K is 75% orange gold with 25% white metals melted in to change the colour.

There are various alloys of white gold that we use.
This one is called MMP and is a ''multi purpose'' made white with paladium rather than nickel which tends to go a little yellowish and can give people an allergy. the paladium alloy is both durable and also maleable enough for us to use as a setting medium = multi purpose.
It is normal that most of the rhodium will wear off on a ring like that in around 3 months because the ring wears all the way around. I hear that many firms are developing ways to apply less rhodium because it is unbelievably expensive.
http://www.kitco.com/charts/historicalrhodium.html note it is currently around US$9000 which is way off that chart!

I would prefer we made everything in platinum, but that is very expensive.
And people have in their minds that they should use 18K, which is best for yellow gold, but 9K (or 10K in USA) is actually a better white white metal because we can add more white metals.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 3/30/2008 5:11:49 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
Hi Katebar,
White gold is not ''white'' unfortunately. 18K is 75% orange gold with 25% white metals melted in to change the colour.

There are various alloys of white gold that we use.
This one is called MMP and is a ''multi purpose'' made white with paladium rather than nickel which tends to go a little yellowish and can give people an allergy. the paladium alloy is both durable and also maleable enough for us to use as a setting medium = multi purpose.
It is normal that most of the rhodium will wear off on a ring like that in around 3 months because the ring wears all the way around. I hear that many firms are developing ways to apply less rhodium because it is unbelievably expensive.
http://www.kitco.com/charts/historicalrhodium.html note it is currently around US$9000 which is way off that chart!

I would prefer we made everything in platinum, but that is very expensive.
And people have in their minds that they should use 18K, which is best for yellow gold, but 9K (or 10K in USA) is actually a better white white metal because we can add more white metals.

Garry, If I may ask you a question on this topic - as I read very often that both here and in the US, people advise to have their WG replated every 3months or so. However i purchased my ering over 3years ago (18kWG) and only had it re plated for the first time this week due to minimal yellowing on the underside (palm side) of shank. I wear my ring every day 9not to bed or in water).
Does this mean I''ve "gotten lucky" and they''ve used a different alloy?
thanku!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 3/30/2008 5:20:57 AM
Author: arjunajane

Garry, If I may ask you a question on this topic - as I read very often that both here and in the US, people advise to have their WG replated every 3months or so. However i purchased my ering over 3years ago (18kWG) and only had it re plated for the first time this week due to minimal yellowing on the underside (palm side) of shank. I wear my ring every day 9not to bed or in water).
Does this mean I''ve ''gotten lucky'' and they''ve used a different alloy?
thanku!

We use several different alloys for different purposes. some of the cast alloys have a better colour, but are not suitable for setting diamonds into - just for shanks etc sometimes the setting is one alloy and the band another.

 

[Maisie]

My husband has been wearing his 14k white gold weddng ring (from Whiteflash) for nearly a year now. He never takes it off. It hasn''t gone yellowish at all, or grey. It has slightly changed colour but its lovely - it has lost its high shine and now its sort of a soft white if that makes sense!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

My white gold ring is still white and shiny after a year as well. Two months is very fast for rhodium to wear off. I''m also not sure I like palladium if that is the color it turns.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 3/30/2008 5:11:49 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
Hi Katebar,
White gold is not ''white'' unfortunately. 18K is 75% orange gold with 25% white metals melted in to change the colour.

There are various alloys of white gold that we use.
This one is called MMP and is a ''multi purpose'' made white with paladium rather than nickel which tends to go a little yellowish and can give people an allergy. the paladium alloy is both durable and also maleable enough for us to use as a setting medium = multi purpose.
It is normal that most of the rhodium will wear off on a ring like that in around 3 months because the ring wears all the way around. I hear that many firms are developing ways to apply less rhodium because it is unbelievably expensive.
http://www.kitco.com/charts/historicalrhodium.html note it is currently around US$9000 which is way off that chart!

I would prefer we made everything in platinum, but that is very expensive.
And people have in their minds that they should use 18K, which is best for yellow gold, but 9K (or 10K in USA) is actually a better white white metal because we can add more white metals.

Gary, if this truly is the case, I think I would educate customers about using WG vs. Platinum. The thought of having to replate my rings every 3 months would definitely make me think twice.

 

[katebar]

Thanks Garry but it must be something in my skin that is making it go this colour so quickly. I NEVER take it off but I am not using harsh chemicals so I have no idea why I am turning it this colour. I had the rhodium plating that you put over my ER polished off and I love the colour. I guess I probably need to not wear WG so that means my new RHR will have to be in platinum

.

 

[MikeRato1]

im very suprised to hear that white gold is to be replated every 3 months, most people i know with it get at least a couple years out of it

 

[Dreamer_D]

I read something about this somewhere... different people have different body chemistries that can affect the wearability of rhodium plating. My jeweler commented that some of his clients need to come in every 2- 3 months, whereas some can go years. I too can wear my yellow gold for a year or more before it starts to look a little "dull" and whiter, but I've never seen my rings turn yellow and certainly not grey. Seems like either this is a palladium thing (ewwww) or it is your skin katbar!!

Or I made it all up...

DD

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 3/30/2008 5:11:32 PM
Author: katebar
Thanks Garry but it must be something in my skin that is making it go this colour so quickly. I NEVER take it off but I am not using harsh chemicals so I have no idea why I am turning it this colour. I had the rhodium plating that you put over my ER polished off and I love the colour. I guess I probably need to not wear WG so that means my new RHR will have to be in platinum

.

Maybe it is that Kate. I spoke to Bec BW and she does not remeber you calling, maybe it was rae or someone else. No big deal. But Bec reminded me of a hairdresser who had a problem like yours. Not sure if it was because she was a hair dresser though, because we have other hairdressers.

I think we did this after your last visit - we made these polished and matt finished boxes that sit in each of our stores customer service desk drawers. It means we sell more platinum. It is very hard to show these differences by camera - but I hope you can all get the idea.

Can you please send your ring addressed to me or Rebecca via platinum Aussie post and let us have a gander Kate?

 

[katebar]

Oh Ok Garry thats great. I sent it down about June last year and I''m sure bec knew cos we emailed each other about it!.
Thanks Garry off to the Post office now!

 

[LegacyGirl]

I hope it gets fixed!

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 3/30/2008 6:50:47 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)

Date: 3/30/2008 5:20:57 AM
Author: arjunajane

Garry, If I may ask you a question on this topic - as I read very often that both here and in the US, people advise to have their WG replated every 3months or so. However i purchased my ering over 3years ago (18kWG) and only had it re plated for the first time this week due to minimal yellowing on the underside (palm side) of shank. I wear my ring every day 9not to bed or in water).
Does this mean I've 'gotten lucky' and they've used a different alloy?
thanku!

We use several different alloys for different purposes. some of the cast alloys have a better colour, but are not suitable for setting diamonds into - just for shanks etc sometimes the setting is one alloy and the band another.

ok, thankyou for the explanation !
katebar, i hope you find out whats up with your ring!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

You will all be pleased to know Kate''s ring made it safely.We are working on quotes to redo it in 9W or platinum.
But for the record, it is not as bad as i first thought when i saw Kate''s photo of after and before.
The rhodium plating is still intact on the inside of the ring - which is not apparent in Kates photo. That made me think there was some wierd chemical reaction as we suspected with our hairdressing client. Not so. The shade is dark, but not that dark.

Wish it were easy to have platinum color and gold prices

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 3/31/2008 7:42:51 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
You will all be pleased to know Kate''s ring made it safely.We are working on quotes to redo it in 9W or platinum.
But for the record, it is not as bad as i first thought when i saw Kate''s photo of after and before.
The rhodium plating is still intact on the inside of the ring - which is not apparent in Kates photo. That made me think there was some wierd chemical reaction as we suspected with our hairdressing client. Not so. The shade is dark, but not that dark.

Wish it were easy to have platinum color and gold prices

No kidding, not that gold is really cheap at the moment, though!

What do you think of palladium, Garry? I''ve read some negative things about the color it turns, but I see people on the forum getting e-rings out of it.

 

[katebar]

Garry thanks for handling the technical stuff!! As usual Garry was so professional and helpful and rang me early this morning. I am relieved to know it not some weirdness in my body sending beautiful metals grey and I also realise that I am colour sensitive to metals big time. Who knew!
I''ll await the quotes but i think I will go platinum for this little pinky ring. For my RHR i just am not sure but i don''t think getting it made in 9ct white gold is an option with this company so...... maybe platinum it is.

. Which will blow the budget somewhat.
Kate off to buy a lottery ticket

 

[katebar]

Righto I have decided to have my new ring made in platinum thanks to Garry''s generosity so that will sort things out I guess.
I am thinking I will have my RHR in 14ct white gold rather than 18 but we shall see what the dollar does if yours goes down it platinum all the way!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Thanks Kate, you are a sweetie.
Palladim is greyish too - that is why our white gold setting alloy is not for you

 

[strmrdr]

hmmm if the inside is still white and the outside grey id say it was a chemical reaction too an external source and where the skin covered it didn''t get in contact with it.

Talking about hairdressers,
Some of the Ladies working at my sisters hair salon have a very hard time with white gold and silver will get eaten up in no time.
They sell silver trinkets and they were stored near the chemical sink and they turned black in 24 hours.
Whats weird is she don''t have a problem with her white gold and uses the same chemicals.
But she is more careful with gloves than some are too.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

storm the metal is grey. but not as bad as Kate''s photo