"White gold" jewellery
White gold (and other fashion colours such rose or pink gold) is gold to which various other metals have been added to alter the basic gold colour. Metals added to the gold in varying amounts are copper, zinc, nickel, silver and palladium. The nickel content varies but is commonly around 6%. In addition to assisting with the colour adjustment, the nickel also makes the alloy more resistant to wear.
Different nickel-containing white gold alloys will behave differently when in direct and prolonged contact with the skin. Some alloys will release higher levels of nickel; others very low levels. The metal that will determine whether nickel will be released from nickel-containing gold alloys is palladium: the higher the palladium content, the less nickel will be released.
Questions to ask before purchasing or wearing white gold:
Would this article be legal for sale in the European Union? If yes, it means that any nickel in the
product will not come into contact with the skin or, if so, is in a form that will release only low levels of
nickel.
If it is not known whether the article would be legal for sale in the European Union, ask about the
palladium content of the white gold. Levels of 10% or more are desireable.
For more information on white and other coloured golds, including a discussion of the use of rhodium plating
on gold, go to the World Gold Council.
For more on nickel allergy, go to "Nickel Allergic Contact
Dermatitis".
