White gold jewelry is one of the best investments we can make, since apart from being beautiful, their value is maintained over the years. Before deciding to buy them, it is well worth knowing some tips to identify white gold jewelry.
White gold jewelry emerged as an alternative to platinum during World War II, when the use of platinum in jewelry was considered wasteful compared to its industrial uses. Since then, the purchase in this type of clothing became commonespecially for special occasions, such as those that require making engagement rings.
When putting into practice the advice to identify white gold garments, it is important to know that this material results from an alloy of gold with nickel or palladium and it is the latter two that give it the silver tone that characterizes it. Since the final product corresponds to a mixture of other materials, we will never find a 24-carat white gold garment, or at least not an original one, as it happens with yellow gold.
When it comes to checking the purity of white gold jewelry, These must be carefully reviewed to look for the “22 K” identification, which is the maximum degree of purity that these pieces can have.. Likewise, 22-carat jewels can be recognized by the numbers “916” or “198”.
Likewise, other common denominations in this type of jewelry are: «18K», which means that the jewel has 75% pure gold or 18 parts of pure gold out of a total of 24 parts. The identification “14K” indicates 53.8% pure gold out of a total of 24 parts.
Other ways to identify white gold jewelry is through its brightness, that being an alloy with other metals is not white, but rather grayish when exposed to light.
Because it is a composite material and not a mineral obtained from nature, white gold is not as resistant as yellow gold or other precious stones. In this sense, white gold jewelry is likely to tarnish more easily, and in the case of scratches or tarnishing, it is likely that these will not be removed with a simple polish.
Identifying white gold jewelry is not a simple task for inexperienced people with the naked eye, since, among other things, it requires careful observation. In any case, and for greater security, it is recommended to consult a professional jeweler.
Given its beauty and value, white gold jewelry is an attractive option over other types of garments made of pure gold or platinum, which are much more expensive. But, once knowing its composition and weak points, the ideal is to be careful in maintaining themand thus preserve its economic and sentimental value.