Surely you have seen in a lot of movies or series the typical "gold nuggets" that miners look for in the interior of the mountains or in the rivers that erode those same mountains. And surely you know that those "gold nuggets" are yellow. So... where does the "rose gold" or "white gold" that we use in jewelry come from?
The first thing to note is that pure gold and silver exist in nature, but they are not used in jewelry because they are too soft and the jewelry would be easily damaged. For this reason, in jewelry we work with "sterling silver" and "18K gold".
Sterling silver or 18K gold are alloys: mixtures of silver or gold with other metals. And why do we make alloys? So that the resulting metals are stronger and more resistant, both for work in the workshop and to wear them later as jewelery. In the case of silver, I will tell you in detail in another post: What is the difference between fine silver, sterling silver, ster, 925 silver and German silver? And with 18K gold, exactly the same thing happens and I tell you about it in my post on What is 18K gold?
What is yellow gold?
Classic wedding rings in 18K yellow gold: typical wedding rings in 18K yellow gold, with a personalized finish. Unique piece
Pure gold is a soft yellow precious metal and its name comes from the Latin "aurum", which means "bright dawn". To maintain its natural color with the alloy that allows us to work it in jewelry with the 18K grade (18 parts of pure gold for every 24 parts of metal), we mix it with silver and copper. The usual mixture, or "alloy" or "league" is that in each gram of 18K yellow gold there are 750 thousandths of pure gold, 125 thousandths of pure silver, and 125 thousandths more of pure copper, also called electrolytic copper.
18K yellow gold has 750 thousandths of pure gold, 125 thousandths of pure silver and 125 thousandths of pure copper per gram. In this way, we maintain the natural yellow of gold.
Pure gold is yellow. Pure silver is white. Pure copper is reddish. With the aforementioned combination, it remains 75% yellow + 12.5% white + 12.5% red. The result is the yellow we are used to seeing in "18K gold" jewelry.
Culturally, yellow gold is related to the Sun, God or the active energy of Mother Nature. It is the radiant metal of reference to show off exclusivity and power, from ancient Egypt to the pre-Columbian cultures of Latin America.
What is rose gold?
Atlantis Ring in 18K Rose Gold: If the yellow gold version is Premium Imperator, for its elegance and splendor, this is the version for fairies and forest magicians, for the reddish and Venusian charm of rose gold. From € 995
And what is the trick to turn a yellow metal like gold into a rose metal? Very easy: we add more red color and less white color. In other words, we keep the gold 75% pure (750 thousandths per gram), which is what the 18K gold ratio gives us. The difference is that instead of alloying it at par with 12.5% (125 thousandths) of pure silver and another 12.5% (125 thousandths) of pure electrolytic copper, which results in yellow gold, we allocate it with a higher proportion coppermade. In this way we increase the red color in the mixture, and the resulting metal offers a more reddened color, which mixed with the yellow seems pink, or perhaps "straw".
18K rose gold has 750 thousandths of pure gold, 50 thousandths of pure silver and 200 thousandths of pure copper per gram. That is why "rose gold" is not yellow in color, because by adding a greater proportion of copper we make it red.
From the cultural and esoteric point of view, the highest proportion of copper gives it the rose color, but also the esoteric qualities of copper:
- The favorite metal of the goddess Venus, symbol of love and eroticism. Copper is related to the planet Venus and to the goddess of love: Venus for the Romans, Aphrodite for the Greeks. Many ancient cultures have made it the reference metal for love, aphrodisiac and eroticism.
- The magic metal of alchemists, warlocks and druids. Copper has been used for jewelry since ancient times. In addition to its reddish color and metallic luster, it has the peculiarity that it is a great conductor of electricity or heat. In addition, there is its oxidation, which produces a greenish tint on the skin or a greenish patina on the copper itself. Those three qualities -the metallic reddish color, electrical and thermal conductivity, and greenish oxidation- have linked it since ancient times to the occult, magic, and esotericism.
What is white gold?
18kt white gold engagement ring: rhodium-plated white gold with a capital O in rose gold. Unique piece
And what is the trick to turn a yellow metal like gold into a white metal?
This is the million dollar question.
White gold is a much more recent invention that consists of doing magic: turning a yellow metal into white by combining only 250 thousandths of a thousand. More than magic, it is alchemy. The alloy consists of keeping the gold 75% pure (750 thousandths per gram), which is what the proportion of 18K gold gives us. The difference is that the remaining 25% (250 thousandths per gram) is white colored metal: silver, platinum, palladium, nickel or manganese.
18kt white gold has 750 thousandths of pure gold, and 250 thousandths of another white metal per gram. The alloys depend on each laboratory, which strive to obtain the best league: silver, platinum, palladium, nickel or manganese are usually the usual components. To avoid yellowish reflections, we make a rhodium plating.
No matter how white the metal we allocate the gold with, in the end we have 75% yellow metal and 25% white metal, so the resulting alloy maintains a yellowish tone. That is why it is very common for white gold to be worked with a final finish of a rhodium plating.
Rhodium is a metal with a color similar to steel, but much more noble, rare, durable and anti-allergic. The problem is that over time the rhodium plating wears out, especially with rubbing and the use of jewelry, revealing the true color of white gold: a metal with yellow reflections.
That's why I always say that jewelry is like a car: it leaves the showroom perfect and shiny, but over time they wear out and need maintenance. From time to time they must go through the workshop for a tune-up. Especially in the case of white gold, to remake the rhodium plating, and even more so if they have precious stones (it is worth checking that they are well secured and the setting has not worn off).
In summary...
In summary, if you wonder how you can convert gold, which is yellow in its natural state, into rose or white, the first thing you have to keep in mind is that in jewelry we use alloys, to be able to offer you durable jewelry, and that means combining pure gold with other metals. According to Spanish law, 18K gold consists of combining 75% percent pure gold with other metals, or "leagues", at 25%. Depending on the color of these other metals, that 25% allows us to maintain the natural yellow of gold, or to give it a more reddish color (and turn it into rose gold) or to give it a whitish color (and turn it into white gold, with the help of a rhodium plating).
MeriTomasa offers you collections with artisan manufacture and exclusive design in gold (yellow, rose or white) and sterling silver, for sale online and with international shipments
My MeriTomasa Collections are sterling silver limited series designed and modeled in my Manresa workshop, near Barcelona, with exclusive designs and handcrafted manufacturing.
Each collection offers you a complete range of rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, keychains, pins or hair sticks. They are sold online on this website, with exclusive MeriTomasa packaging included + shipping worldwide with DHL!
Necklace with two or three names
Best sellers: Atlantis Rings
The main difference of my Atlantis Rings with respect to the serial productions that you can find on other websites is the quality and craftsmanship. I only work with noble metals (18K gold, sterling silver, and electrolytic copper). And I make each piece by hand. The result is a unique, quality ring. Stronger and more durable.
The Atlantis rings from The MeriTomasa's Treasures Factory share a same design, based on the golden ratio. The only thing that changes is the precious metal or metals with which I model each ring. This change is not trivial: it implies substantial differences in price since a gram of gold is much more expensive than a gram of silver. It also implies substantial differences depending on what you want to use your ring for.
You can buy online on my website:
Atlantis Ring in Silver: the classic design of the Atlantis Ring, made only in sterling silver: your Atlantis Ring at a much more accessible cost.
€ 119
Atlantis Ring in Gold, Silver and Copper: the purest version: fans of personal growth, Reiki or esotericism or of the Ring as a talisman or energies channeler.
From € 295
Atlantis Ring in Gold, Silver and Rose Gold: Do you like the three metal Atlantean but are you worried that the copper could rust? The solution: swap copper for rose gold.
From € 445
Atlantis Ring in Gold and Silver: Ideal as a wedding band for lovers of good energies: best-selling model as wedding rings. Between the jewel and the talisman.
From € 595
Atlantis Ring in Rose Gold and Silver: identical to the Atlantis in gold and silver. Just change the gold color. Ideal weddings: yellow for him, rose for her. Or rose for them :-)
From € 595
Atlantis Ring in Gold: fans of the most exclusive jewelery: energetic, durable and allergy-proof. Wedding rings, jewel to show off or personal energy channeler.
From € 1.145
Atlantis Ring in Rose Gold: if the yellow gold version is Premium Imperator, this is the version for forest fairies, due to the reddish and Venusian charm of rose gold.
From € 1.145
Atlantis Ring in Three Golds: Solid 18kt gold. The difference is that the Luxor wave bands are made of yellow, white and rose gold. The more exclusive version of the Atlantis Ring.
From € 1.245
Atlantis Ring in Copper: Only for very very fans of copper: I do not recommend it because the oxidation of the copper can darken the ring and leave your skin with a green tint.
€ 119
Atlantis Wedding Rings: for couples full of good energies: turn your wedding bands into two Atlantis talismans to guide your personal growth and that of your partner.
From € 238
Custom Jewelry
At The MeriTomasa's Treasures Factory in Manresa (Barcelona) I combine technique and design to create custom jewelry tailor-made for all tastes and pockets. Personalized jewelry where you decide the meaning, design, materials or finishes to fill each treasure with something much more valuable than the splendor of metal: you!
Jewelry for babies and their parents
And you, have you already written your letter to The MeriTomasa's Treasures Factory?
I’m getting a ring that is rose gold rhodium to yellow gold how would this process work out and how often should I get it rhodium after the first process the ring is 14kt gold and it has black diamonds and white diamonds
So sorry Daniel: I don't understand what you are exactly telling and asking to me: are going to buy a three gold ring with rose gold, white gold (with rhodium plating) and yellow gold? In this case, I would tell you that the time to roll it again depends on whether you wear the ring more or less and what activities you do when you wear it (is not the same if you work with it or if you only wear it on Sundays to go for a walk). And, of course, the design of the piece: if the white gold part is in a place that suffers more or less friction. Is this what you were asking me???