Does White Gold Tarnish? Does it Go Yellow and Green and How to Prevent it? Info Included for 9k, 10k, 14k and 18k White Gold Variants!

White gold doesn’t technically tarnish, but it does discolor over time with wear.

The rhodium plating that gives white gold its bright white appearance gradually wears away, revealing the natural pale yellowish white gold alloy underneath.

This discoloration happens in patches as the rhodium coating flakes off unevenly. Both plated and unplated white gold (in 10k, 14k, and 18k variants) eventually turn from white to a mild yellow color. Unplated white gold changes uniformly, while rhodium-plated pieces develop yellow patches where the plating has worn off.

White gold itself doesn’t turn skin green, but white gold vermeil can when the plating wears through to the sterling silver base. To clean white gold, use warm water with mild dish soap and a soft brush, avoiding bleach, baking soda on heavily plated pieces, or chlorine.

Professional re-plating restores the original bright white appearance.

• Does White Gold Tarnish, Yes or No?
• Does 18k White Gold Tarnish?
• Does 14k White Gold Tarnish?
• Does 10k White Gold Tarnish?
• Does White Gold Turn Human Skin Green?
• Does White Gold Eventually Turn Yellow?
• How to Clean Tarnish off White Gold?

Does White Gold Tarnish, Yes or No?

No, white gold doesn’t tarnish.

However, white gold over time and with regular wear and tear loses its sheen and luster and fades to a natural pale yellow color.

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

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

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

Substance	Tarnish (Yes/No)
Water	White gold doesn't tarnish in water. Water has zero effect on white gold and can't tarnish or corrode it. Saltwater negatively affects white gold jewelry items, especially if the rhodium plating is damaged. Saltwater will then speed up the plate's degradation process.
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.
Chlorine	Chlorine tarnishes and corrodes white gold. Chlorine can 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 to happen. Or you'd need to shower daily while wearing your white gold jewelry.
Bleach	Bleach both tarnishes and corrodes white gold. This effect is minimal when the plating is intact. And it's pronounced and quick when the rhodium plating is damaged or loosened up.
Baking soda	White gold doesn't tarnish when exposed to baking soda. In fact, baking soda is commonly used as a gentle cleaning agent for white gold jewelry to remove dirt and restore shine.
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 its rhodium plate intact. However, vinegar's acetic acid accelerates the degradation of already damaged rhodium plating.
Hydrogen peroxide	White gold doesn't tarnish and corrode when exposed to hydrogen peroxide. You can 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, 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.

Does 18k White Gold Tarnish?

No, 18k white gold doesn’t tarnish. This is true for both rhodium plated and unplated 18k white gold variants.

However, both types discolor with time and sufficient wear and tear.

Rhodium-plated white gold over time loses its plating which exposes the white gold underneath.

Areas that are the exposed to Earth’s elements and anything else your jewelry comes in contact with (chemicals, perfumes, sweat…) will adopt an unpleasant yellow color that will noticeably stand out from the bright white luster of undamaged rhodium.

Unplated 18k white gold also over time starts to turn from white to mild yellow. In this case the change is uniform as the entire white gold object changes color evenly.

Some people like this change on their 18k white gold jewelry, most don’t.

Does 14k White Gold Tarnish?

No, 14k white gold doesn’t tarnish. This is true for both rhodium plated and unplated 14k white gold variants.

However, both types discolor with time and sufficient wear and tear.

Unplated 14k white gold over time starts to turn from white to mild yellow. This discoloration is uniform as the entire white gold object changes color evenly.

Rhodium-plated white gold over time loses its plating which exposes the white gold underneath.

Areas that are then exposed to Earth’s elements and anything else your jewelry comes in contact with (chemicals, perfumes, sweat…) will adopt an unpleasant yellow color that will noticeably stand out from the bright white luster of undamaged rhodium.

Does 10k White Gold Tarnish?

No, 10k white gold doesn’t tarnish. This is true for both rhodium plated and unplated 10k white gold variants.

However, both types discolor with time and sufficient wear and tear.

Unplated 10k white gold over time starts to turn from white to mild yellow. This discoloration is uniform as the entire white gold object changes color evenly.

Some people like this, most don’t.

Rhodium-plated white gold over time loses its plating which exposes the white gold underneath.

Areas that are exposed to Earth’s elements and anything else your jewelry comes in contact with (chemicals, perfumes, sweat…) adopt an unpleasant yellow color that noticeably stands out from the bright white luster of undamaged rhodium.

Rhodium plated 10k white gold with yellow patches drags the value and aesthetics of the entire piece down and savvy jewelry owners prevent this with regular maintenance and replating.

Does White Gold Turn Human Skin Green?

No, white gold doesn’t turn human skin green.

Sterling silver turns human skin green upon prolonged contact but white gold contains no sterling silver at all.

However, white gold vermeil does turn skin green when the white gold plating is damaged or severely worn out.

It’s because because under that white gold plating is real sterling silver which gives a pronounced greenish hue to susceptible human skin.

This is one of the reason why you need to replate white gold vermeil as soon as you start seeing the underlying sterling silver base.

Here’s an example of what a damaged white gold vermeil ring can do to your skin if you’re not careful.

Does White Gold Eventually Turn Yellow?

Yes, white gold does turn yellow over time. This happens to both unplated white gold and rhodium-plated white gold.

Unplated white gold over time loses its bright, silvery luster and adopts a warmer, slightly yellowish or champagne hue. This effect is more pronounced in higher karatage white gold (for example 18k white gold) compared to a lower karatage alloy like 10k white gold.

Rhodium-plated white gold also  turns yellow as the plating flakes of in chunks. The difference is that only the exposed area turns yellow while the parts under the plating keep their original color.

Replating white gold is the best (and cheapest) solution here.

How to Clean Tarnish off White Gold?

To clean tarnish or discoloration off white gold, soak it for 20-30 minutes in a solution of warm water and mild, fragrance-free dish soap.

Next, gently scrub with a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove grime, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and dry with a soft cloth.

Don’t use bleach, baking soda (if it’s heavily plated), or chlorine, as these can strip the rhodium plating.

Finally, the rhodium plating has worn off if the white gold has turned yellow or black despite cleaning, and requires professional re-plating.

Does White Gold Tarnish? Does it Go Yellow and Green and How to Prevent it? Conclusion

White gold doesn’t technically tarnish, but it discolors over time as the bright rhodium plating wears away, exposing the natural pale yellowish-white gold alloy underneath.

This results in yellow patches on plated pieces, while unplated white gold develops a uniform mild yellow hue.

White gold vermeil can turn skin green if the plating wears down to the sterling silver base.

Clean white gold with warm water and mild dish soap, and remember that professional re-plating restores its original color.

References:

• Ring Turned Finger Green- https://www.reddit.com/r/jewelry/comments/1d5cfpd/ring_turned_finger_green/
• 10k white gold ring never worn, kept in box until engagement is rusting- https://www.reddit.com/r/jewelry/comments/1d6jcu6/10k_white_gold_ring_never_worn_kept_in_box_until/
• What are these dark spots on my new 14k white gold ring?- https://www.reddit.com/r/jewelry/comments/1dcs3hb/what_are_these_dark_spots_on_my_new_14k_white/
• 14k gold but has this tarnish or something?- https://www.reddit.com/r/jewelry/comments/1he7wk4/14k_gold_but_has_this_tarnish_or_something/
• How long does white gold typically last until you need to get it re-plated?- https://www.reddit.com/r/EngagementRings/comments/1nd3xif/how_long_does_white_gold_typically_last_until_you/