White, rose and two-tone gold: how to value them at the counter
Short answer: white, rose and yellow gold of the same karat contain the same share of pure gold. The colour comes from the other metals in the alloy. Value them the same way: gold weight times fineness times today's reference price.
Where the colour comes from
- Yellow gold. Gold alloyed mainly with silver and copper.
- Rose gold. More copper in the alloy gives the pink tone.
- White gold. Gold alloyed with white metals such as palladium or nickel.
A 14k ring is 58.5 percent gold whatever its colour. The karat, not the colour, decides the gold content.
White gold is often plated
Much white gold jewellery is plated with rhodium to make it brighter. When the plating wears, a slightly yellow tone can show. That is normal wear, not a sign of fake gold, but it means some surface tests read the plating, not the alloy. Test where the plating is worn or use a method that reads the alloy reliably.
White gold or another white metal?
Platinum, palladium, silver and steel are also white. Check the hallmark and test the metal. Platinum is a different metal with its own price; do not value it as white gold.
Two-tone pieces
Items that combine colours are usually the same karat throughout, but some combine gold with silver or steel. Check every part, and weigh only the parts that are gold.
How PawnMeter helps
Enter the gold weight and the karat; the colour does not change the calculation. PawnMeter uses the official reference price of the day and applies the shop's own percentage.
PawnMeter: Type the item. PawnMeter shows the resale price and a suggested loan, calculated only from what comparable items really sold for. When there is not enough data, it says so instead of guessing.
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