[knotty panda]

A very well-designed setting. It's all about protecting the pearl.

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by knotty panda

A very well-designed setting. It's all about protecting the pearl.

Yeah! ... sometimes I wonder though if it has to be that 'more metal = more safety'. Wish it didn't... especially for the larger pearls. And for a tame ring, 10mm is already 'large' enough (as is for natural pearls, if not mistaking).

Take THIS. It looks as safe as a bungee jump, but... those jumps are safe, right?

... tapping fingers for the outcome of this thread!

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by Raisondetre

Natural pearls are rare and the shapes are interesting, but as to whether they are the best remains to be seen.

What do you mean?

Between a cultured solid nacre one and a natural piece both fairly symmetrical and top quality, I'm starting to wonder too.

[DFrey]

I don't want to argue with the experts on this forum but I am sorry unless white gold of any karat 10K, 14K or 18K has been rhodium plated it will not "yellow"with age. Anything that has been rhodium plated will change color, depending on the alloy that has been plated, as the rhodium wears off.
For more info regarding gold alloys etc. check out the archives of the orchid forum for those making jewelry and those interested in the making of jewelry.

DFrey

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by DFrey

I don't want to argue with the experts on this forum but I am sorry unless white gold of any karat 10K, 14K or 18K has been rhodium plated it will not "yellow"with age...

I'm hardly any expert and there's no argument

From this jewelry wearer's point of view what process changes the color of white gold pieces matters less then that the change occurs. Not sure why everything is rhodium doused these days...

[Slraep]

Hi DFrey,

It's the 75% yellow gold and the alloys(copper and nickel) in white gold it give it a slight yellow tint that eventually yellows even more with age to various degrees. Rhodium plating is done to make white gold whiter and this plating wears off with time. Why would rhodium plating be necessary if 18K was white and stayed white??? It's because it yellows. Platinum always stays blue white because it is 95% pure and only 5% alloyed with other white metals that do not yellow.

I have many pieces of jewellery in 18K and in platinum. I can see the difference it with my own eyes. Platinum is also hypoallergenic.


Slraep

[Slraep]

Originally Posted by Valeria101

Not sure why everything is rhodium doused these days...

It's because white 18K gold is slightly yellowish and platinum is extremely expensive and hard to work with in comparison. So voila! Rhodium plating was born. Rhodium is a metal from the Platinum family.

Slraep

[DFrey]

Originally Posted by Slraep

Hi DFrey,

It's the alloys(copper and nickel) in white gold it give it a slight yellow tint that eventually yellows even more with age to various degrees. Rhodium plating is done to make white gold whiter and this plating wears off with time. Why would rhodium plating be necessary if 18K was white and stayed white??? It's because it yellows. Platinum always stays blue white because it is 95% pure and only 5% alloyed with other white metals that do not yellow.

I have many pieces of jewellery in 18K and in platinum. I can see the difference it with my own eyes. Platinum is also hypoallergenic.


Slraep

Hi Slraep,
It is the fine gold content in white gold that gives it the yellow tint not the copper and nickel. The nickel in the white gold alloys is what gives it the white color not the yellow color, nickel is a white metal.

The whitest of the white gold alloys have a high nickel content and this makes them more difficult to get consistently good castings with. White gold alloys that give better results in castings have been developed, but they have a stronger yellow hue so this is part of why Rhodium plating has become popular in the trade, to cover up the yellow of the alloys that give more consistent casting results, not because white gold yellows with age. And of course because of the fine gold content in any white gold alloy it has a yellowish tinge.
I'm sure you can see the difference in color between your platinum and white gold jewelry, but its not because the white gold jewelry is becoming yellow with age, its because it always was a different color than platinum, right from the beginning.

DFrey

[Slraep]

Originally Posted by DFrey

Hi Slraep,
It is the fine gold content in white gold that gives it the yellow tint not the copper and nickel. The nickel in the white gold alloys is what gives it the white color not the yellow color, nickel is a white metal.

DFrey

I know 18K is 75% gold. I just meant the alloys used are copper and nickel. I work with metal. Sorry if I was unclear. Copper as an alloy also has an effect. Platinum has only platinum group alloys of 5%.

Slraep

[Slraep]

Originally Posted by DFrey

.... its not because the white gold jewelry is becoming yellow with age, its because it always was a different color than platinum, right from the beginning.

DFrey

That is what I am trying to say---that white 18K gold is yellowish compared to platinum. Thank you for saying it for me more clearly. I have a very bad habit of typing slower than my thinking so I sometimes skip over things I think are obvious.

I've had many a customer that has brought me an old 18K white gold ring that is now a rusty tarnish coloured thing. And I've seen old 18K white jewellery that has almost turned black. Never saw that with platinum. My mother's originally white gold engagement ring is now a brownish yellow after 50 years of wear.

Most nickel white golds have nickel-zinc alloys and some copper to improve workability. More than 12% nickel gives a nice white but is difficult to work with. This becomes a two-phase alloy and can result in nickel white gold yellowing in colour over time. Commercial alloys are nickel with copper added to produce alloys that are more workable. This gives a not so true white colour with a yellow-brown tinge and such alloys are routinely rhodium-plated.

Palladium would be a better alloy than nickel for white gold. Nickel causes problems and reactions on many people and is being investigated as a possible carcinogen.

Slraep

[Tobias]

I think I've pretty much made up my mind about getting a natural pearl but if I can't find a round natural black pearl from Mexico then I might go with a sea of cortez pearl, they are very nice.

I like the idea of a natural pearl because they are rare and one coming from mexico would be an added touch to the ring since my girlfriend has roots in mexico.

Also, she has a thing against diamonds so diamonds will be out of the picture for the side gems. I was thinking white sapphires?

Any ideas on what gem would look good next to a black pearl?

[pattye]

Hi Tobias,

Nice idea, the Cortez Pearl! White sapphires could be fine, and of course, sapphires come in a lot of other colors that would compliment the glowy colors of the Pearl. What month is her birthday? Perhaps if she likes that birthstone it might be a good choice. Full cut white topaz are also very pretty, although I don't know how available.

Also meant to suggest a Cortez keishi pearl as an option to a round, come in many shapes, usually flatter, and all nacre, and in the end perhaps would lend to a more wearable design---personally I am very fond of bezel or half bezel setting--IMHO---

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[knotty panda]

If your girlfriend's aversion to diamonds stems from the "blood" diamond thing, consider Canadian diamonds. Colored sapphires with a black pearl or a Sea of Cortez pearl would POP majorly!

[Tobias]

Originally Posted by knotty panda

If your girlfriend's aversion to diamonds stems from the "blood" diamond thing, consider Canadian diamonds. Colored sapphires with a black pearl or a Sea of Cortez pearl would POP majorly!

What do you mean POP majorly?

[knotty panda]

Sorry. Black pearls and colored stones go exceptionally well together, are an unexpected combination, and never fail to grab people's attention. However, stay away from rubies. That combination is overdone.