It’s a Great Time to Profit from Recycling White Gold Jewelry
Today is an especially good time to make money by refining older pieces of jewelry that were crafted in white gold.
Why? Here’s a bit of history that could come in handy if you are interested in making money by reclaiming and recycling gold scrap . . .
Very little white gold jewelry was manufactured before World War II, but a lot of it has been made since then
As a result of a boom in the production of jewelry made from white gold, it is easier to find “old” used white gold jewelry today than it has been in the past. And if you do, we are here to recycle it for you and pay you top dollar on every ounce.
Here is some information to help you in your hunt for old white gold jewelry and white gold scrap.
White Gold Was Created to Be a Beautiful White Metal that Could Compete with Platinum
Everybody loves pure white platinum because of its beauty and durability. But platinum is in comparatively short supply - very little is mined, most of it comes from recycled sources. That explains why in the years following World War II, jewelers began to make more jewelry from white gold, which they offered to customers as an alternative to platinum.
White Gold Is Really an Alloy
It is made by adding nickel, zinc, palladium and other metals to yellow gold. That is why there is no such thing as 24k white gold! It always has a lower karat rating because it is not pure gold. Another reason for alloying is that the cost of white gold can be controlled by adding those other metals. The result is that white gold jewelry, which looks like it is made of platinum, can cost less than platinum jewelry.
White Gold Jewelry Is Sometimes Plated with a Thin Layer of Rhodium
Why? Because rhodium is white and shiny, and it looks like platinum. But do be aware that when you are hunting for jewelry that you can send to us to be processed, you may come across some rings and other items that have been plated with rhodium and which therefore cannot be reliably tested with a standard gold testing kit that contains testing solutions and an abrasive stone.
Another reason for plating is that a thin layer of rhodium forms a barrier between a piece of jewelry and the skin of the person who is wearing it. That is desirable because some people are allergic to nickel, and nickel is usually a component of white gold.
The Gold Content of Items Made from White Gold Varies
It can be made of 18k, 14k or even 10k gold – and the lower the karat rating, the less pure gold the item contains. If you have old white gold item or a quantity of scrap, call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners and we will be glad to explain how we can test it for you and tell you its value.
Where Can You Find White Gold Jewelry and Scrap?
As we noted at the start of today’s post, large quantities of white gold jewelry have been manufactured since the end of World War II. That means that white gold jewelry can be found anywhere old jewelry is sold, from eBay to your local antiques mall.
White gold looks white and cool, but its value is heating up today. If you have some to recycle, call our precious metals consultants at 800-426-2344 to learn more.