White gold engagement rings - settings and styles

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White gold engagement rings came about in the UK just after the First World War; before that all white jewellery settings were made from silver or platinum.

18 karat white gold is an alloy of pure gold and some white metals and is now the most common metal used in engagement ring settings in this country. It looks very similar to platinum, but the two are very different property and price-wise.

White gold is very similar to yellow gold in terms of strength and malleability, and the two tend to have the same alloy percentages. The only difference is the type of metals used together with the pure gold - yellow metals such as copper and zinc are used to create yellow gold; white metals such as nickel and silver are used to form white gold.

The metals chosen to make white gold vary depending on the nature of the jewellery. In engagement rings, two different types of white gold are used; one for the band of the ring and one for the setting. Nickel produces a hard white gold, which is ideal for bands but is far too hard and brittle for the ring setting. For this palladium is used instead, producing a pliable white gold with a very high melting point which allows jewellers to solder settings together without actually melting them.

 

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - White Gold Engagement Rings

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