Have you ever wondered why your white gold engagement ring seems to be turning yellow? That is because your white gold ring is rhodium plated. Your ring is made of gold which starts out as a yellow metal. Pure gold is 24 karat which is too soft to be made into jewelry for everyday wear. So the gold has alloy metals added into the gold to make it stronger. You may notice that your ring has a stamp on it that says 14K or 18K. The higher the number, the higher the gold content. All white gold is alloyed with other white metals, such as nickel or palladium to give it the white color. After white gold is made into jewelry, it is rhodium plated to give it a nice bright white finish.  

Rhodium is a member of the platinum family and is resistant to corrosion and is very reflective. The rhodium is applied by a plating process. This process involves thorough cleaning and using an electroplating machine to plate the rhodium onto the jewelry.  This process is not harmful to gemstones or diamonds. Over time the plating will wear off and your ring will begin to get a yellowish tint to it. This can easily be resolved by having your ring rhodium plated or “dipped” as it is sometimes referred to. This can be done as many times as you like over the life of your ring to keep it looking as bright and shiny as the day you got them! 

If you would like to have your ring Rhodium Plated you are in luck because, Parker Jewelers in Carlisle has three jewelers on site to assist you! 

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for checking out our blog. We will be posting to this regularly about different jewelry topics. We have noticed recently that people have not been getting their rings cleaned and checked every six months. So we thought we would make my first post about the importance of keeping your rings in good health.

Once you purchase that special and often expensive engagement ring; don’t you want to protect your investment? After all you did spend three months salary on it! The easiest and most effective way to protect your ring is to have it cleaned and checked every six months. By doing this you will almost guarantee that your diamond will stay safe and secure on your finger. If you have trouble remembering to do this try having it done around thanksgiving and again at Easter, or having them checked shortly after christmas and again near the 4th of july. The important thing is to pick two dates approximately six months apart that you will be able to easily remember. 

There are a few other ways to protect and extend the life of your rings. Take your ring off before gardening, putting on hand lotion, and getting in the pool. Keeping your ring away from the dirt and out of chemicals like chlorine and bleach will extend the life of your gold and keep it strong enough to hold your diamonds securely in place. Also when you do take your ring off make sure you always put it in a safe place that you will remember. Don’t put it near a sink or in your pocket.

Another way to protect your investment is to have your ring insured. Jewelry can be added to your renters or homeowners insurance at a very low cost, often just a few dollars per hundred insured. Some policies will even cover the cost of having prongs rebuilt or replaced.

If you have any other questions about this subject please feel free to contact us at parkerjewelers@shopparkerjewelers.com or at 717-249-3531