When a couple is ready to get engaged and choose their weddings rings they have more choices than just yellow gold. Although yellow gold is perhaps the ring that comes to mind when one thinks of engagements rings; there are other choices. Many couples are choosing to go with something unique, something valuable, and something that will be looked upon as amazingly special. White gold engagement rings are the answer here. You may be a bit surprised about what exactly white gold is. Learn how white gold is made and how it is crafted into fine jewelry.
Gold is a very precious metal and had been for centuries. Long ago, ancient societies used gold as a type of money. Gold is found naturally on Earth and there are several ways in which a person or a gold mining company will obtain it. Panning is a method which may come to mind when one thinks of the great California Gold Rush in which thousands of people left their lives behind to rush out to California. They used pans to scoop out water and sand from rivers. After shaking the shallow pans, gold which is heavier than sand, little rocks or of course water, would be found at the bottom of the pan. This as you may imagine is a long and tedious way to obtain gold.
Gold can sometimes be found with a metal detector; however again, this is not the most effective method of large gold mining companies. Hydraulic mining and hard rock mining are the most common, fastest, economical methods today for companies to mine. Thanks to refined practices to mine this precious metal, we now have a good supply of gold; this giving us many choices in regard to gold jewelry.
White gold is very popular these days, especially white gold engagement rings, because many couples with for something more special and unique than the traditional yellow gold rings. While gold is an alloy. An alloy means one or more metals that are blended together. White gold is not found in nature. It is made by using pure yellow gold and then blending it with a white metal. Nickel used to be used most often; however some people have a skin reaction to this, therefore palladium is now used quite a bit.
Long ago, in the 1920’s when platinum became very rare, white gold was used in its place. Now, it has become very trendy and a wonderful alternative to yellow. Even though the pure gold is mixed with a white colored metal, it will actually still have a yellow tint to it. This is fixed by coating the jewelry piece with plating. Rhodium is generally used. The rhodium is a very reflective, shiny white element. The coating of the rhodium is what keeps the white gold looking perfectly shined. Over a period of time, depending on the use and wear of the jewelry, the rhodium may begin to wear down. You will notice this, as the piece will become less shiny; in addition it may begin to have a slight yellow tint. Because of this, it is recommended to, on a regular basis; have a white gold piece re-coated. Some jewelry stores will offer you a plan to have this done a certain amount of time over a certain amount of years. However, you do not need to have it done by the store that you bought from; any reputable jeweler will be able to offer you this service.
Gold is a very precious metal and had been for centuries. Long ago, ancient societies used gold as a type of money. Gold is found naturally on Earth and there are several ways in which a person or a gold mining company will obtain it. Panning is a method which may come to mind when one thinks of the great California Gold Rush in which thousands of people left their lives behind to rush out to California. They used pans to scoop out water and sand from rivers. After shaking the shallow pans, gold which is heavier than sand, little rocks or of course water, would be found at the bottom of the pan. This as you may imagine is a long and tedious way to obtain gold.
Gold can sometimes be found with a metal detector; however again, this is not the most effective method of large gold mining companies. Hydraulic mining and hard rock mining are the most common, fastest, economical methods today for companies to mine. Thanks to refined practices to mine this precious metal, we now have a good supply of gold; this giving us many choices in regard to gold jewelry.
White gold is very popular these days, especially white gold engagement rings, because many couples with for something more special and unique than the traditional yellow gold rings. While gold is an alloy. An alloy means one or more metals that are blended together. White gold is not found in nature. It is made by using pure yellow gold and then blending it with a white metal. Nickel used to be used most often; however some people have a skin reaction to this, therefore palladium is now used quite a bit.
Long ago, in the 1920’s when platinum became very rare, white gold was used in its place. Now, it has become very trendy and a wonderful alternative to yellow. Even though the pure gold is mixed with a white colored metal, it will actually still have a yellow tint to it. This is fixed by coating the jewelry piece with plating. Rhodium is generally used. The rhodium is a very reflective, shiny white element. The coating of the rhodium is what keeps the white gold looking perfectly shined. Over a period of time, depending on the use and wear of the jewelry, the rhodium may begin to wear down. You will notice this, as the piece will become less shiny; in addition it may begin to have a slight yellow tint. Because of this, it is recommended to, on a regular basis; have a white gold piece re-coated. Some jewelry stores will offer you a plan to have this done a certain amount of time over a certain amount of years. However, you do not need to have it done by the store that you bought from; any reputable jeweler will be able to offer you this service.
