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Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,378
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: What does rose gold look like exactly?

Rose gold is my favorite!  A good rose gold has a pinkish tint and is gorgeous!   I prefer 14k rose over 10k rose as it is usually a better color.

 

A lot depends on the manufacturer.  If it looks too coppery, it's cheap not worth the money.  There are a couple of companies whose rose gold is cheap and I never buy from them.

 

On Q's gold day, I bought a bangle and it was way too coppery so it went right back.   But I've purchased a few other pieces in years past that were very nice.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,025
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: What does rose gold look like exactly?

Yes,  rose gold or yellow gold clad jewelry can wear off.  Any kind of metal coloring over another metal can wear off....   white over yellow,  yellow or rose over white, etc.  It depends upon many factors in the manufacturing process including the thickness of the layering and the chemical/manufacturing process used.   It also depends upon the exact chemical compositions of the 2 metals.  

 

We will never have enough facts to know which brands, styles, or even descriptions represent the best jewelry.    And terms like enhanced, embrassed, gold over, etc are non specific.

In the 'old days' terms like vermeil had a specific meaning and there were law that specified the exact thickness of the gold coating required for the item to be labeled vermeil.   Different companies still produced different results because of difference in their processes.  But there were rules and as consumers we had some facts to base our decisions on.   Marketing language.... thick coating, many layers, etc.... those aren't specific enough to make meaningful comparisons or decisions.

 

Most of the gold over silver or stainless steel or brass, etc these days are much thinner coatings than the vermeil of old.  Maybe better manufacturing techniques are producing  decent quality,  and maybe not.

 

In addition, what kind of jewelry,  where/how it is worn, and your body chemistry all impact the longevity of the gold coating.   Necklaces and earrings tend to hold their color longer.   Rings and bracelets are  subject to much more wear and tend to have more problems.  The coatings on prongs and earring posts  are particularly vulnerable.

 

And coated jewelry over sterling silver can still tarnish and it's almost impossible to remove the underlying tarnish.  And the more the jewelry is cleaned,  the more the coating is worn away.

 

I own rose gold over stainless, over sterling, and all 14K rose gold jewelry.  The rose gold (or yellow gold) over sterling is my least favorite because it has the lowest

chance of looking pristine for years.  Watches made of

stainless steel with gold over it can often maintain their

good looks for many years.  Is it the process used to coat the stainless,  the thickness of the gold used by the manufacturer, or the characteristics of the underlying stainless steel and the bond formed between the stainless and the gold?

 

If you are uncertain,  I would strongly consider all sterling or a mix sterling and rose gold 2 tone piece,  rather than an all rose gold plated sterling silver item.   And a rose gold or 2 tone rose/silver item,  where the silver portion is stainless steel is an even better alternative.....again,  in my opinion.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,936
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: What does rose gold look like exactly?

I wouldn't worry about wear unless you buy a ring that you are going to wear every day.  Technology in jewelry plating has improved so much in the past few years I'm astounded how well some of my pieces have held up.  They hate to use the word "plate" or "plating" because in the old days the connotation was something cheap that would not last.  They use the words "kissed,"  "embraced,"  "clad,"  they all mean plated.  
  

Valued Contributor
Posts: 667
Registered: ‎12-04-2011

Re: What does rose gold look like exactly?


@Lavenderjunkie wrote:

If you are uncertain,  I would strongly consider all sterling or a mix sterling and rose gold 2 tone piece,  rather than an all rose gold plated sterling silver item.   And a rose gold or 2 tone rose/silver item,  where the silver portion is stainless steel is an even better alternative.....again,  in my opinion.


Thanks for all the info about clad jewelry. The necklace I'm looking at, J349063, is all sterling silver that has a bar in the center that can be SS as well, or rose gold. I like the two-tone look with the rose gold, but am concerned with it wearing off and about tarnishing underneath. Although I like the look, think I'll be safer with the all SS. As others have said, it's possible the piece will retain its looks for a good long while, but then again, it might not. Not sure I want to take that chance.