White Gold: What It Is, How It's Made and What It's Worth

White gold is real gold. It is not silver, and it is not gold-colored platinum. It's yellow gold mixed with white metals to bleach out the color, and most pieces get a thin coat of rhodium for that bright, mirror-white shine you see in the jewelry case.

This guide covers how white gold is made, what the stamps mean, how it compares with platinum and silver, the upkeep nobody mentions at the counter, and how to work out what your piece is worth if you ever sell it.

What white gold actually is

Pure gold is always yellow. To make white gold, a manufacturer melts gold together with one or more white metals:

• Nickel. This is the classic, cheaper option. Nickel whitens gold well and makes it hard and springy, which is good for prongs. The downside is that many people are allergic to it.
• Palladium. This is the premium option. Palladium is a platinum-group metal that whitens gold without nickel's allergy problem. It's softer, heavier and pricier to make.
• Silver, zinc and copper are added in small amounts to fine-tune color, hardness and how the metal casts.

Even with those metals mixed in, the alloy usually comes out a soft grayish or faintly yellowish white. So nearly all commercial white gold jewelry is rhodium plated. Rhodium is a very white, very hard platinum-group metal, applied as a layer thinner than a human hair. That plating is why a new white gold ring looks almost exactly like platinum.

White gold took off in the 1920s as a cheaper stand-in for platinum. It got another big boost during World War II, when platinum was reserved for military use.

Karats: how much gold is in white gold?

White gold is graded the same way as yellow gold, by karat. The karat tells you how much of the metal is pure gold. Everything else is the white alloy.

You may also see letters after the karat, like 14KW, 18K WG or 750 Pd. The "W" or "WG" means white gold. "Pd" means a palladium alloy.

The USGS gives a typical 18K white gold recipe of about 75% gold and 25% nickel and zinc. In the US, 14K white gold is the most common, especially for engagement rings, because it stands up well to daily wear.

For live numbers in more detail, see the white gold price per gram page, or check 14K and 18K on their own pages.

White gold vs. yellow gold vs. platinum vs. silver

This is the comparison people are usually making at the jewelry counter.

A few practical takeaways:

• White gold and yellow gold of the same karat have the same gold content. A white gold ring isn't "worth less" as metal. Any price difference in the store comes from labor, plating, design and brand.
• Platinum costs more to make into jewelry. It's denser, so the same ring weighs more, and it's harder to work. The live platinum price per ounce is only part of the story.
• Sterling silver can look similar but is a different league in value. A stamp of "925" means sterling silver, not white gold. That piece is worth a small fraction of what gold would be.

The upkeep: rhodium plating

This is the part sales clerks gloss over. Rhodium plating wears off, fastest on rings and bracelets that rub against desks, steering wheels and dishes. When it thins, the original slightly yellow-gray color shows through, usually on the palm side of a ring first.

Here's what to expect:

• How often: Rings worn daily often need replating every 12–36 months. Earrings and pendants can go years.
• What it costs: Many jewelers charge roughly $50–$150 for a ring. The price goes up for intricate pieces or if stones must be removed. Prices vary by region, so ask for a quote.
• What you lose: Almost nothing. The plating is microscopically thin, so replating doesn't meaningfully change your gold weight.
• A good habit: Ask the jeweler to check your prongs while the ring is in for plating. It's a cheap way to avoid losing a stone.

If you hate maintenance, you have options. Palladium white gold and some newer "naturally white" alloys need less replating, and platinum needs none.

Nickel allergy: who should care

Nickel allergy is one of the most common skin allergies. Estimates often land somewhere around 1 in 10 people, and it's more common in women. It shows up as itchy, red or blistered skin where the metal touches.

While the rhodium plating is intact, it acts as a barrier. As it wears, nickel can reach your skin. If you've reacted to cheap earrings, belt buckles or jeans buttons, ask for nickel-free (palladium) white gold, platinum, or yellow gold. Get it in writing on the receipt. Europe restricts nickel release from jewelry, but the US has no equivalent federal rule, so don't assume.

How to tell if something is real white gold

White metals are easy to fake, because a plated base metal can look just like a plated gold ring. Check these, in this order:

1. Look for the stamp, usually inside a ring band or on a clasp. You want 10K, 14K, 18K, 417, 585 or 750. Use a magnifier or your phone's camera zoom.
2. Watch for red-flag marks. GP (gold plated), GF (gold filled), HGE or HGP (heavy gold electroplate), RGP, or "925" mean the piece is not solid white gold.
3. Try a magnet test. Gold isn't magnetic. A piece that snaps hard to a strong magnet is probably steel or base metal. Don't treat a "pass" as proof, though, because many fakes aren't magnetic either.
4. Check for wear spots. If plating has worn through and you see coppery or brassy metal, it's not white gold. Real white gold underneath looks grayish or pale yellow.
5. Get it tested. Any reputable gold buyer can do an acid test or an XRF scan, often free. XRF is non-destructive and reads the exact alloy. That's handy for estate pieces with worn or missing stamps.

One caution: stamps can be faked, and older pieces are sometimes under-karat. If real money is involved, get it tested.

What white gold is worth when you sell it

When you sell, a buyer pays for the gold inside. Nothing more. The rhodium, nickel and design add essentially nothing. Palladium alloys rarely earn a meaningful bonus either. White gold of a given karat is priced exactly like yellow gold of that karat.

The math:

Melt value = weight in grams × karat price per gram

Example: a 5-gram 14K white gold ring has a melt value of about 5 × $73.28.

If the buyer weighs in pennyweight (1 dwt = 1.555 g), the same ring is about 3.2 dwt × $113.97. That works out the same.

The scrap gold calculator does this for you and handles mixed karats.

Two things that lower the number:

• Stones. Diamonds and gems aren't gold. Buyers subtract their weight, or ask you to remove them. Small melee diamonds often get little or nothing at scrap. Sell a significant diamond separately through someone who prices diamonds.
• The buyer's cut. Nobody pays 100% of melt. Typical payouts for scrap gold:

So if that 5-gram 14K ring has a melt value of 5 × $73.28, a fair local offer is roughly 75–90% of that figure. If you're offered 40%, walk.

Pawn shops sit lower on the scale, and you can see how they typically quote on our pawn shop gold prices page. Our how to sell gold guide walks through getting competing quotes.

About retail vs. resale: expect to sell well below what you paid at the store. Retail jewelry prices include design, labor, brand markup and the stones. Scrap pays only for metal. That gap is normal, not a scam.

About taxes: if you sell gold for more than your cost basis, the long-term gain on physical gold is taxed as a collectible at up to 28% federally. Most people selling used jewelry sell below what they paid, but inherited pieces and very old purchases can show a gain. If the amount is large, talk to a tax pro.

Buying white gold: a quick checklist

• Pick 14K for everyday rings. It's durable and cost-effective. Choose 18K if you want more gold and don't mind a bit more wear.
• Ask if it's nickel or palladium white gold, especially if you have sensitive skin.
• Ask about the replating policy. Some jewelers include free or discounted rhodium touch-ups.
• Get the karat, metal weight and stone details on the receipt. You'll want them for insurance and any future sale.
• Check the stamp before you leave the store.

The bottom line

White gold is real gold alloyed with white metals and usually plated with rhodium. Its metal value depends only on karat and weight, the same as yellow gold. Expect periodic replating, choose palladium white gold if nickel bothers your skin, and price any piece you sell with weight × karat price before you walk into a shop.