What is White Gold? Is it Real? Is it Magnetic and Hypoallergenic? Does it Tarnish, Corrode and Rust?

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What is white gold?

Is white gold more valuable than yellow gold? Is white gold real gold or is it some kind of cheap knockoff?

Is white gold magnetic? Does it tarnish, rust and oxidize?

Learn it all and more in my guide below.

What is White Gold? Everything You Need to Know about this Precious Metal!

Table of Contents

What is White Gold (Definition and Meaning)?

White gold is an alloy of yellow gold and white metals such as nickel, palladium, and silver. White gold’s exact metal composition varies, but it’s usually 75% yellow gold and 25% some other white metal.

White gold looks white because yellow gold is alloyed with white metals like nickel, palladium, silver or zinc.

Jewelers add these white metals to yellow gold to give it exclusive look and to increase white gold jewelry’s durability.

Jewelers also use rhodium to coat white gold jewelry items and make them even whiter and more durable and resistant to wear and tear.

Is White Gold Real?

Yes, white gold is real.

It’s an alloy of pure yellow gold and other metals, typically nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium and zinc. White gold is a popular choice for jewelry because it’s durable, versatile, and looks graceful.

White gold jewelry is made with 9k, 10k, 14k and 18k gold and each karat type helps make unique-looking jewelry compared to the other karat types.

There’re white gold rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, broches, chains sold online.

Here’re examples of genuine white gold jewelry being sold online on legitimate online stores.

I mentioned you should buy white gold from legitimate online jewelry stores.

It’s because there’s a lot of fake white gold floating around and you must be aware of it so you don’t get scammed.

Fake white gold jewelry is jewelry that’s made of white gold. But the percentage of yellow gold in the alloy is far less than required by law to be labeled “white gold”.

So you’ll be paying more than what you’d be getting if you were to buy a fake white gold jewelry item.

Fake white gold looks significantly whiter than genuine white gold. Because the percentage of real yellow gold in the alloy is significantly lower, while the percentage of cheaper white metals is significantly higher.

Is White Gold Real Gold ?

Does White Gold Have Nickel in it? And Does it Have Copper?

Yes, white gold has nickel alloyed with yellow gold and zinc. Nickel gives white color to white gold in this particular white gold alloy.

White gold contains copper, but in smaller amounts than yellow gold and metals that give it its distinct white look.

Copper is added to increase alloy malleability and strength and it’s added in small amounts because too much copper would turn the final product red or pink instead of white.

Is White Gold Magnetic?

No, white gold isn’t magnetic.

White gold isn’t magnetic because yellow gold isn’t magnetic and most other metals yellow gold is alloyed with to make white gold also aren’t magnetic.

Yellow gold is commonly alloyed with zinc (not magnetic), silver (not magnetic), platinum (not magnetic), palladium (not magnetic), rhodium (not magnetic) and nickel.

One notable exception is nickel, which is magnetic. But, the amount of nickel in white gold alloy typically isn’t enough to show a strong magnetic effect.

Pro tip: you can use a magnet to test whether white gold is real or fake. Try to attract your white gold jewelry item to a strong neodymium magnet.

You’ve authentic white gold on your hands if the experiment fails.

You can test white gold for fakeness using magnets

Does White Gold Tarnish? Does it Rust, Corrode and Oxidize?

No, white gold doesn’t tarnish. Just like yellow gold doesn’t tarnish. However, white gold changes it’s appearance and loses it’s sheen and luster over time.

White gold fades to a natural pale yellow color with regular wear and tear over time.

This discoloration happens because the rhodium plating that gives white gold its bright white appearance wears away, revealing the natural gold alloy underneath.

The color change usually happens in patches, as rhodium coating falls and flakes off in pieces.

Below are all the potential tarnishing-causing substances and their effect on white gold jewelry items.

Fire. Fire and strong flames don’t tarnish and corrode white gold. However, thin rhodium plates on white gold can get damaged by strong fires and cause the plating to fall off and expose the underlying base metal.
Water. White gold doesn’t tarnish in water. Water has zero effect on white gold and can’t tarnish or corrode it. Saltwater can negatively affect white gold jewelry items, especially if the rhodium plating is damaged. Saltwater will then speed up the plate’s degradation process.
Chlorine. Chlorine tarnishes and corrodes white gold. It can actually leach out some of the metals from the alloy leaving the whole item structurally weakened. However, you’d need to be spending hours every day in a pool of chlorinated water for this effect to happen. Little bit of exposure won’t hurt.
Bleach. Bleach both tarnishes and corrodes rhodium. This effect is minimal when the plating is intact. And it’s pronounced and quick when the rhodium plating is damaged or loosened up.
Toothpaste. Toothpaste doesn’t tarnish and corrode white gold. However, the abrasive particles in toothpaste make tiny, microscopic scratches on the surface of the alloy. Over time this degrades the metal’s surface and causes it to develop a pale yellow color, instead of original white. Don’t use toothpaste to clean your white gold jewelry.
Vinegar. Vinegar neither tarnishes not corrodes white gold with it’s plate intact. However, Vinegar’s acetic acid can accelerate the degradation of already damaged rhodium plating.
Hydrogen peroxide. White gold doesn’t tarnish and corrode when exposed to hydrogen peroxide. You can even use hydrogen peroxide to clean your white gold jewelry. However, damaged rhodium-plated white gold jewelry shouldn’t be exposed to hydrogen peroxide so no further damage is done.
Lemon juice. Lemon juice doesn’t tarnish and rust white gold. It also doesn’t oxidize and corrode it. Lemon juice’s acids are unable to penetrate through rhodium plating on white gold jewelry items.
Makeup. Makeup has no effect on white gold. It doesn’t tarnish, corrode, oxide or rust white gold jewelry items.
Nitric acid. Nitric acid doesn’t tarnish white gold. It also doesn’t oxidize and corrode it. Aqua regia, which is a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid, will dissolve yellow gold within the white gold alloy.
Alcohol. Alcohol doesn’t tarnish or corrode white gold. You can use rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) to clean your white gold jewelry. However, don’t use alcohol to clean your white gold jewelry too often. The rhodium plating of your white gold jewelry will wear off much quicker if you do.

White gold doesn't tarnish when exposed to water, fire, vinegar, lemon juice, toothpaste, nitric acid, bleach, makeup — White gold doesn’t tarnish when exposed to water, fire, vinegar, lemon juice, toothpaste, nitric acid, bleach, makeup

Is it Possible to Turn White Gold into Yellow Gold?

Yes, it’s possible to turn white gold into yellow gold. However, it’s an intricate process that only a professional jeweler with the right tools can do correctly.

First, the jeweler melts the white gold. Second, they remove the rhodium plating. Third, they remove all non-gold alloys.

Fourth, they re-alloy the gold with different metals to increase the yellow color and to increase the durability as pure gold is a highly malleable and ductile precious metal.

The jeweler then solidifies and reshapes the jewelry.

And that’s how to turn white gold into yellow gold.

Is White Gold Hypoallergenic?

No, white gold isn’t hypoallergenic. It’s allergenic.

White gold is an alloy of yellow gold and white metals such as silver, nickel and palladium. Both silver and nickel are common allergenic metals and they make white gold allergenic and unsuitable for people with sensitive skin and known metal allergies.

However, white gold made with palladium instead of nickel is hypoallergenic. Rhodium is also hypoallergenic and rhodium plating is common on white gold jewelry.

Are you allergic to nickel?

Be careful with white gold if you have a family history of nickel allergies.

You’ll know if you have nickel allergy as symptoms include itching, redness, swelling, or a rash where the white gold touches your skin.

It’s also possible to be allergic to zinc. and zinc is also commonly alloyed with yellow gold to make white gold jewelry.

Is White Gold Natural? Is Raw White Gold Real? And Do White Gold Ores Exist?

No, white gold isn’t natural. Raw white gold isn’t real because it doesn’t exist. White gold is a handmade alloy of yellow gold and white metals such as nickel, rhodium, palladium, and silver.

White gold’s exact metal composition varies, but it’s usually 75% yellow gold and 25% some other white metal.

You can’t mine white gold from a white gold ore as white gold ores don’t exist.

Is White Gold Silver?

No, white gold isn’t silver.

White god is an alloy of yellow gold and white-looking metals like nickel, zinc, palladium, platinum, rhodium and silver.

Silver is a precious, noble metal and the second most famous throughout history after gold.

Which Karats is White Gold Available in?

White gold is most commonly available in 14K and 18K karats, though other karats like 9K are also possible.

14K White Gold contains 58.3% gold, making it more durable than 18K and generally more affordable. It’s also often more scratch-resistant.
18K White Gold contains 75% gold, which gives it a slightly more yellow tone compared to 14K. It’s often rhodium-plated to enhance its white color and prevent yellowing. 18K white gold is stronger than platinum, but also more prone to scratches and nicks.
9K White Gold contains 37.5% gold, making it the most alloyed and thus the whitest in terms of color. 9K white gold is more resistant to scratches than higher karats, but may tarnish and corrode more easily.

Is it Possible to Include White Gold as Part of a Gold IRA Account?

No, It’s not possible to include white gold as part of a gold IRA account. You can only include IRA-eligible precious metal bars and coins as part of your gold IRA account.

Besides IRA-eligible gold, other IRA-approved precious metals are silver, platinum and palladium.

Do White Gold Coins and Bars Exist? Are They Real?

There’re no white gold bars and coins. They don’t exist and aren’t real.

Even if white gold bars and coins existed they wouldn’t be eligible to be included in a gold IRA account.

You can only include authentic-gold, silver, platinum and palladium bars and coins as part of your gold and silver IRA..

Augusta Precious Metals is the place to buy IRA-approved coins and bars. They’re a legitimate and safe gold IRA company from the US that can cater to your every investing need.

Augusta stocks pretty much all IRA-approved coins and bars and you’ll be able to take your pick at your convenience.