White gold is one of the most popular metals in fine jewellery, and it comes with one quirk worth understanding before you buy: over time it can look faintly yellow, and every so often it needs refreshed. This guide explains why that happens, what rhodium plating is, and why none of it changes the fact that white gold is solid gold.
White gold is solid gold mixed with pale metals, then coated with a thin layer of rhodium, a bright white metal, to give it its crisp silvery finish. That rhodium slowly wears with everyday use, letting the gold's natural warmth show through, which is why white gold can look faintly yellow over time. It is refreshed by having the piece replated, usually every one to three years, and the solid gold underneath is unchanged.
What is white gold?
White gold is solid gold that has been mixed with pale metals to lighten its colour. Pure gold is yellow, so to make white gold it is alloyed with white metals such as palladium, silver and zinc, and sometimes nickel. On its own, that alloy is not the bright white you see in a jewellery window, it is a soft, slightly warm greyish white. It is still solid gold, with the same karat and the same amount of pure gold as yellow or rose gold of the same grade, just blended with different metals.
One point worth knowing for sensitive skin. Some white gold is alloyed with nickel, which is a common cause of skin reactions, while white gold made with palladium instead is nickel-free and kinder to sensitive skin. If you react to metals, it is worth asking which alloy a piece uses.
What is rhodium plating, and why is white gold plated?
Rhodium is a rare, brilliant white metal from the same family as platinum, and it is both very hard and highly reflective. Because the white gold alloy on its own has a faintly warm tone, jewellers finish white gold with a very thin layer of rhodium, plating it over the surface to give the bright, mirror-white colour that people expect from white gold. The rhodium also adds a hard, protective skin that resists scratches and tarnish. In other words, the rhodium is what makes white gold look properly white, and it does a little protecting while it is there.
An 18K white gold band before and after being rhodium plated.
Why does white gold turn yellow over time?
White gold looks slightly yellow again when its rhodium finish wears away. That thin surface layer is worn down gradually by everyday contact, skin oils, perspiration, cosmetics, cleaning products and simple friction, and as it thins, the naturally warmer colour of the gold alloy beneath begins to show through. It shows first and fastest in the places that rub most, like the inside and underside of a ring band, or a piece worn every single day.
This is completely normal and not a fault or a sign of poor quality, it is simply how white gold works. It is also worth being clear about what it is not. This is not the same as gold plated jewellery wearing through to a cheap base metal, which our guide to solid gold vs plated explains. With white gold, the piece underneath the rhodium is solid gold through and through, so nothing is being lost or exposed. Only the surface tone shifts from bright white towards the warmer white of the gold itself, and a quick replate returns it to bright white.
How often does white gold need replating?
How often depends almost entirely on how much a piece is worn and rubbed, so it varies a lot from one item to the next. As a rough guide, a white gold ring worn daily might be replated every one to two years, while earrings and pendants, which barely rub against anything, can go many years or even a decade before they need it. Skin chemistry and lifestyle play a part too, so some people find theirs lasts longer or shorter than average.
| Piece | Typical replating |
|---|---|
| Ring worn daily | Around every 1 to 2 years, sooner if worn hard. |
| Bracelet | Every few years, as it rubs less than a ring. |
| Necklace or pendant | Many years, it sits still against the skin. |
| Earrings | The longest of all, often a decade or more. |
Replating itself is a simple, inexpensive job for a jeweller. The piece is cleaned, lightly polished, and a fresh layer of rhodium is applied, and it comes back looking brand new. Many jewellers do it as part of a service or clean.
How to make the finish last longer
A little care noticeably slows the wear. Take white gold off before swimming in chlorinated pools, cleaning with harsh chemicals, or applying perfume and cosmetics, since all of these strip rhodium faster. Remove rings for heavy work with your hands, where friction does the most damage. Clean pieces gently with warm water and a little mild dish soap rather than anything abrasive, and store them apart so they do not rub against harder pieces. None of this stops the wear entirely, but it stretches the time between replatings.
White gold or platinum?
If the upkeep gives you pause, platinum is the natural comparison, because it is the one white metal that never needs plating.
White gold is solid gold with a rhodium finish that keeps it bright white and is refreshed every one to three years, most often on rings. Platinum is naturally white all the way through, so it never needs replating, but it costs more. If you love the white look and want the best value, white gold is ideal with a little upkeep. If you want a white metal with no maintenance, platinum is worth the extra.
Our guide to platinum vs gold compares the two in full, and the other gold colours are covered in yellow, white and rose gold, within our wider guide to gold. You will find solid white gold across our rings, necklaces and pendants and earrings.
