The Enigma of Brilliance: How to Distinguish White Gold from Silver in the World of Precious Metals

The World of Precious Metals: A Challenge for Investors

Precious metals traditionally attract attention as reliable investment assets and safe havens for capital. However, for anyone interested in these treasures, it is crucial to accurately determine exactly which metal they are dealing with. Various methods, many of which are available for at-home testing, can help distinguish white gold from silver.

Visual Similarities and Rhodium Plating

The price per troy ounce of gold and silver can differ by almost a hundredfold, making their precise identification critically important. Unlike yellow gold, which is easy to distinguish, white gold and silver appear very similar at first glance. Both possess a cool hue, softness, and ductility.

Experienced jewelers note that when comparing two items, silver has a grayer, 'steel' hue, while white gold appears whiter. However, this distinction can be concealed by rhodium plating – a thin protective layer that gives items a bright, almost mirror-like luster and prevents tarnishing. In such a situation, it's worth carefully examining the inner rims and prongs to find areas without plating.

At-Home Density Testing

What if you only have one item in your hands, such as a piece of jewelry or a coin, with no information about the manufacturer or hallmark? In such a situation, one reliable method of testing is to determine the metal's density right at home.

The density of white gold varies significantly depending on its fineness. This data aids in metal identification:

For comparison, the density of silver also depends on the fineness, but its values differ significantly from those of gold:

The difference in density between white gold and silver is significant enough to allow for