Question for the Jewelers around here...

[Whit]

Pardon the O/T thread, but I know there are several people with a jewelry background around here. Because I'm a cheapass, my wife's engagement ring is a platinum band, but the wedding band is white gold. They started out about the same color, but the white gold is much darker now. Is there anyway to get the original finish back? All I've tried so far is Simichrone, it didn't do a thing. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[JTknives]

yes there is, white gold is just yellow gold with added ellements to make it white. what you get a white gold ring it has a plating of rodium " prodon the spelling if its not right". thay say you should re plate white gold once a year to keep the white gold from going back to a yellow color. most jewelery shops have free once a year plating services when thay sell a ring. if not the it will cost you between 30-70 bucks dependng on the place and size of the ring and also the thickness is plated on. i did work at an jewelery shop doing layered gold rings using blue and yellow gold. hope this helps

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Platinum forms a "patina" by getting millions of tiny scratches.White gold patinas by oxidation and gets yellower,as well as the Rhodium rubs off.If you have them both polished and the white gold re-rhodium plated,it will look like it used to.This will change again in time.Be aware that each time you polish the rings to a like-new luster you will wear down the surface a bit (more on the gold than the platinum) and there are only so many times before it will be new ring time.I charge $15 to$20 to re-rhodium a ring,and $10 to re-polish a platinum ring.I always use this line to convince customers to not mix-and-match rings,"The best choice is to purchase rings of the same metal so they can grow old together - just like you and your wife will."
Stacy

 

[JTknives]

man thats a good deal for plating, every where i have gone here in utah charges 30-60 for plating.