Description
A gold alloy that is whiter and tougher than pure gold. White gold is malleable, but must be worked evenly or it may crack. It is used as a substitute for platinum in jewelry, gilding, and decoration. Some compositions for white gold are:
- Gold (18k) with 25% platinum (Untracht 1968)
- Gold (18k) with 25% palladium (soft white)
- Gold (18K) with 3.7% copper, 16.3% nickel, and 5% zinc (hard white)
- Gold (18K) with 10-12% palladium, 8-10% nickel, and 2-9% zinc (Untracht 1968, Lewis 1993, Brady 1971, Hawley 1981)
- Gold (14K) with 22.5% copper, 12% nickel, and 7% zinc
- Gold (10K) with 59% nickel (Lewis 1993)
- Gold (9K) with 28% copper, 17.5% nickel, 17% zinc (Brady 1971)
- Gold with 20-50% nickel (Brady 1971)
Some formulations of white gold, particularly those made with nickel, are coated with rhodium to increase their luster.
Synonyms and Related Terms
Weißgold (Deut.); ouro branco (Port.)
Additional Information
° O. Untracht, Metal Techniques for Craftsmen, Doubleday and Co., Garden City, NY, 1968.
° G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, 10th edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1971.
° World Gold Council: Link
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Last updated on: 9/28/2009 12:03:17 PM
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