Will White Gold Turn Yellow? A Myth Explained.

Published: 07 Jan 2025

Hey guys!

You know, white gold is one of the popular choices due to its timeless elegance, durability, and modern look that often suits many people.

But one question that has confused thousands of people is will white gold turn yellow?

However, it’s a myth, but some people become disappointed when they hear this question’s answer “yes”.

So guys, here I shared will white gold turn yellow? If yes then why? and how can we prevent it?

So let’s dive into the deep guide.

Will White Gold Turn Yellow? Or It’s Just a Myth.

The straightforward answer is Yes.

Guys, white gold turns yellow over time. This may be due to various reasons, but first of all, we will need to understand white gold and then why it turns yellow.

White Golds. Why Does It Turn Yellow?

Guys, to know why White gold fades, it’s vital for us to understand what white gold is. You may wonder with my answer that is,

White gold doesn’t exist in this world.

It’s artificially manufactured by mixing various white metals like pure gold, silver, palladium, and nickel.

These extra metals give the pure gold a bright color that’s why it seems white.

Guys, now the main confusion “Why does White gold turn yellow?” In reality,

White gold is naturally a little bit yellowish, it does not turn yellow.

When we buy white gold accessories, jewelers coat them with a bright metal called rhodium.

Rhodium makes them more shiny. But when it wears off, we see the real white gold that was manufactured.

Again, white gold does not turn yellow, but when its upper rhodium coat wears off, we see the real white gold, which is a little yellowish.

Reasons Why White Gold Turns Yellow?

Until now, you know that white golds are naturally yellowish, but they have an upper coat of rhodium. That’s why they seem white.

Here are some reasons why rhodium coats wear off quickly from white gold and make them yellow.

Frequent Wear: when we wear Rings and bracelets frequently, they experience constant friction and lose their rhodium layer faster.
Exposure to Chemicals: some external chemicals like lotions, perfumes, cleaning agents, and chlorine can chemically react with rhodium and break it.
Sweat and Skin Oils: These can also cause discoloration over time.

How Can I Prevent Yellowing?

You can not prevent turning yellow of your white gold. It’s a natural process. Rhodium coat has a limited shelf life; it will 100% wear off over time.

But here are some steps to follow that will assure you gold will not turn yellow too quickly.

Avoid Chemicals: Take off your jewelry before using products like lotions or cleaning agents.
Store Properly: Keep your jewelry in soft pouches to prevent scratches.
Regular Cleaning: Clean with mild soap and water to remove buildup.

What Should I Do If My White Gold Already Turned Yellow?

If your white gold has already turned yellow, now you have only one solution and that is,

Replating it with rhodium again.

This replating will make your gold shiny and bright again.

You can go to your nearby jeweler and request him to re-plate your white gold with rhodium.

This process will not consume more time and is also inexpensive.

Some Questions That People Often Ask.

Guys, these are some questions that many people are confused about. However, these questions related to our topic so I added them here to help you understand these confusions.

Does White Gold Fade?

Some people ask the same questions in other ways such as does White gold tarnish and does White gold rust?

The brief answer is white gold

Doesn’t fade
Doesn’t rust
And doesn’t tarnish.

In reality, white gold is naturally a little bit yellowish but coated with a layer of rhodium that’s why they seem white.

When the rhodium coat wears off, people think my white gold is tarnished, rusted, or faded.

How to Shine White Gold?

If your white gold doesn’t shine, this means its upper layer of rhodium was worn off or it’s dirty.

If you feel your gold seems a little bit yellow, then go to your nearby jeweler and tell him to re-plate it with rhodium.

Or if your gold seems dirty, wash it with mild soap and water, and your white gold will shine again.

Is there white gold that doesn’t turn yellow?

White gold itself doesn’t turn yellow, but rather their upper rhodium coat wears off.

If you want white gold that must not turn yellow, you can choose any white gold jewelry that has a high quantity of palladium metal.

Palladium is naturally white and when it’s mixed with high quantities in pure gold, it doesn’t need rhodium plating.

So My Champs

In this article, we’ve covered [lwill white gold turn yellow in detail. My recommendation is to choose gold jewelry that suits your skin.

If your skin tone is cooler, white gold may be the best choice for you. But they will need maintenance and rhodium plating every 1-2 years depending on how much you care for it.

You can also pick high quantity palladium-based white gold. The white golds which have a higher quantity of palladium, mostly don’t need rhodium plating and shine every time. But it also depends on their quality.