Gold has been around since the dawn of time. Various examples of gold jewelry have been found in the tombs and dwellings of ancient civilizations like those of the Egyptians, Sumerians, Babylonians and Chinese. It was valued for its ability to withstand rust, tarnish and corrosion. A favorite amongst metal smiths, it is both malleable and durable. Owing to its inherent softness, it is mixed or alloyed with other metals to give it additional strength. The amount of gold present in the alloy is expressed in terms of karats. In the US and Europe, the most common gold alloy (by karat weight) used in jewelry manufacture are 14K (58.33% gold) and 18K (75.00% gold) respectively. On the other hand, those of higher karat weight (20-22K) are used extensively in Asia and the Middle East. Alloying gold with other metals also results in gold alloy with colors other than the usual yellow. Currently, the most commonly use (and desired) are yellow and white. Yellow gold is produced by mixing gold with alloys of copper and zinc. White is produced by mixing it with nickel, manganese or palladium.
- Yellow or white Gold - Since both yellow and white gold are technically, GOLD, your choice of which color to use boils to your preference considering price, health concerns, fashion and convenience.
- Price - White gold tends to be costlier because of the addition of precious metals like platinum or titanium. Likewise, it's continued need for Rhodium plating further increases this price gap.
- Health concerns - The presence of nickel in some white gold has been known to cause allergic reaction in 1 out of 8 persons. The reaction would sometimes appear as a minor rash. As a result, a number of European countries have substituted nickel with palladium.
- Fashion - White gold is the preferred when making rings because it compliments the diamond's color. Yellow gold on the other hand gives it's a yellowish tint. Yellow gold also tends to look nicer on people with warm skin tones. Those with cooler skin tones tend to look pale and washed out with them.
- Convenience - From time to time, white gold needs to undergo plating in order to maintain its luster. Yellow gold will retain its luster even without constant plating.
In the end, your choice of which colored gold to use depends on what are your priorities regarding price, fashion, health and convenience. Whatever your choice maybe, just make sure to look good with it.
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