If previously items on sale were most often made from yellow/red gold and silver, today the range of jewelry made from an alloy containing platinum group metals is rapidly expanding. Moreover, some of the species are similar in appearance. We are talking about white gold and also silver. Both metals are the same color, which often makes it difficult to distinguish products from each other. But there is a huge difference between them - the composition, which determines the properties of the materials. In order not to make a mistake when choosing, you should learn how to distinguish white gold from silver. To do this, consider methods and choose one of 10 common options.
White gold and silver: characteristics of white metals. What is the difference - the main criteria of difference
White gold is an alloy that contains a significant proportion of Au itself. The composition may also include other alloying components: nickel, platinum, palladium, copper. The level of additives varies, which determines the properties of the metal.
Depending on the composition, the color of the alloy differs: greenish (if silver predominates), light yellow, rich yellow, gray, white. The metal gains hardness due to alloying additives. But on the outside it is always white thanks to the rhodium plating.
In comparison, silver often occurs naturally without additives. In this case, the metal is called a nugget; it does not need to be extracted from its ore, like gold. But there are different types of natural minerals, except pure. They contain impurities. The main difference between white gold and silver is hardness.
TOP 10 ways - how to distinguish white gold from silver at home
It is almost impossible to check the strength of metals while in a jewelry store before making a choice. The only way is to evaluate appearance. But this does not always give the desired result. This means that other techniques need to be used.
Some of the available methods are easy to implement and can be used at home or in stores, but there are also those that can only be implemented under certain conditions.
Appearance – the visual difference between color and gloss by eye
It is not difficult to understand how to distinguish silver from white gold. To do this, pay attention to external signs:
- color: silver has a cold steel tint, gold with platinum group metals in its composition is white;
- Shine: Silver does not shine as brightly as gold-based metals.
Hardness test
Checking the authenticity of silver yourself
Silver products and gold jewelry look almost the same in appearance, but they are different in structure, hardness, and ductility. Accordingly, they check not visually, but by physical properties. They conduct an experiment: they draw a line on a sheet of paper, silver will leave a mark, because it is softer than gold.
The sound of metal when falling
Metals make different sounds when dropped from different heights, so it is necessary to create the same conditions for testing different jewelry. Jewelry made from different alloys must be thrown onto a hard surface (preferably glass). The recommended height is 3-5 cm. To distinguish gold from silver, evaluate the sound effect that is created.
Gold jewelry falls loudly, and silver jewelry falls with a dull thud.
Silver Authentication
Needle test
The method allows you to determine whether the purchased product contains gold. You will need a needle; it can be used to make barely noticeable scratches, and it is important that they be on the inside, since the decoration can be easily damaged. Precious metals behave differently as a result of mechanical stress.
Silver jewelry is characterized by low hardness. Because of this, the precious metal can be easily scratched. An alloy containing platinum group components is much more difficult to damage. But it all depends on the sharpness of the needle and the force of its pressure.
Application of magnet
Gold does not contain ferromagnets. This means that bringing a magnet closer to it will not change the position of the jewelry being tested. This type of jewelry contains gold.
How to determine by hardness?
Silver alloy is always softer than gold. The latter, in turn, is much stronger and tougher. Thanks to this fact, it is possible to determine the metal from which a certain product is made. To do this, you only need a piece of paper and a specific decoration that needs to be identified. The hard gold alloy will not harm soft paper and its surface will remain white. If the product is made of silver, then its soft alloy will leave a mark on a sheet of paper.
The difference between white gold and silver after rhodium plating
Silver and gold jewelry is coated with a protective layer, which preserves the properties of precious metals and also improves their appearance. After applying rhodium, the products become almost identical (visual assessment), but appearances are deceiving. Other parameters should also be assessed if, while in a store, you need to immediately determine the type of product.
Silver rhodium plating
Summary table: differences between silver and white gold according to physical and chemical parameters
While at home, there is a greater chance of recognizing the type of product, since jewelry is compared according to physical and chemical characteristics:
| Temperature at which metals melt, °C | Density, g/cm3 | Hardness, kgf/mm2 | |
| White gold | 870-1215 | 12,85-16,78 | 70-170 |
| Silver | 1235 | 10,5 | 25 |
The values are given in ranges, which are determined by the composition of the alloys. As you can see, gold based on platinum group metals is superior to silver in basic parameters. The temperature level at which the product begins to melt is almost the same.
Archimedes' Law
The density of 585 white gold is higher - about 13 g/cm³, for silver this figure is approximately 10 - 10.5 g/cm³. Sufficiently accurate scales are required for determination. This method cannot be used for jewelry with stones and hidden voids, as they give a large error.
Let's look at all the stages in detail:
- We weigh the product;
- We tie it to a thread;
- Place a container of water on the scales and reset the scales;
- We lower the decoration into the water, it is important that it does not touch the bottom or walls;
- The result of the first weighing is divided by the value obtained in the liquid.
If the numbers obtained are close to 10, you have silver, if from 12.5 to 13, 585 gold.
Pros and cons of methods for determining precious metals
To distinguish alloys based on silver and gold, the method of determination “by eye” is used, as well as available methods and means. This approach has its advantages:
This approach has its advantages:
no costs: you can find out which group the jewelry belongs to at home, you don’t need to take it to the jeweler, which will avoid additional costs;
the speed of implementation of the method: often at home the type of jewelry is determined in a matter of seconds, while in the laboratory this can take more than one hour; the time spent on travel and payment for the organization’s services is also taken into account;
Simple algorithms are used for verification; anyone can perform them.
Disadvantages of home methods for checking the type of metal
it is not always possible to obtain a reliable result;
some methods have an aggressive effect on the metal;
There are also techniques that provide the same result when assessing the parameters of gold and silver (for example, during rhodium plating).
Samples on silver jewelry
How gold is counterfeited
Jewelry is in great demand all over the world, which is constantly used by lovers of easy money. It can be very difficult even for a professional to understand whether a product is a fake or an original.
Fraudsters use different methods of counterfeiting: visual similarity and similarity of physical characteristics.
For the manufacture of false gold products, the following are most often used:
- copper billet coated with gold;
- products made entirely of pyrite, a metal that looks very similar to gold;
- tungsten coated with a thin layer of gold.
The last option is difficult to recognize even for a professional without testing. Tungsten and gold have the same density; scammers simply spray gold onto the blank. There is only one way to detect a fake: by sawing or drilling the product.
How to care for white metal products
When comparing metals at home, take into account the features of caring for them. Silver does not withstand the effects of aggressive substances, and rhodium-plated gold is not resistant to mechanical stress - it is easily damaged.
It is recommended to choose universal care products, avoiding the use of acids and abrasives. They use milder chemicals, pastes without solid fractions. If possible, purchase special metal care products.
Regardless of what alloy the jewelry is made of: white gold or silver, you must follow simple rules for handling them:
- products must be removed before taking a bath, shower, going to the bathhouse, sauna;
- You should not exercise while wearing jewelry;
- if iodine, ink or other dye has come into contact with your jewelry, you must contact a specialist to restore its appearance;
- Rings, earrings and other items should be stored separately so that they do not come into contact with each other.
Recommendations for care, cleaning and storage
Expert opinion
Vsevolod Kozlovsky
6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds
It should be remembered that silver is afraid of acid, so any contact should be prevented. This also applies to working with household detergents. Also, jewelry made of both metals should be removed before visiting the pool, bathhouse, or sauna.
Decoration that has become coated or contaminated can be easily cleaned with special compounds; some folk methods also help.
Gold or silver: what to choose
It is necessary to compare jewelry according to a number of features:
| Advantages | Flaws | |
| White gold | noble appearance; hardness; acid resistance; more options for rings and earrings, which are distinguished by their sophistication and complexity of design, which is due to the plasticity of the material. | high price; the need to regularly restore the rhodium plating. |
| Silver | low price; positive effect on the body. | natural process of darkening of jewelry (unless it is plated with rhodium); low hardness; jewelry turns black if the composition of biological fluids (sweat) in the human body changes |
Metals Information
White gold is a material in which you can see a dark yellow tint, but only professionals can do this. It is much more profitable than silver for several reasons:
- jewelry made from it are status items, as they are often very expensive;
- has healing properties;
- decoration design can be changed;
- is characterized by high strength;
- is constantly growing in price and can act as a long-term investment.
Silver is also a noble metal with healing properties. It is recommended to wear earrings made from it after ear piercing, as such jewelry is hypoallergenic. Healing of small wounds from ear piercings occurs faster when wearing silver. Products made from this metal are more affordable; even a young girl can afford them.
Customer Reviews
My silver always turns black quickly. I don’t use rhodium because of its low resistance to damage. For this reason, I had not previously considered white gold. But recently my husband and I came to buy me a gift, and I appreciated the beauty of rhodium-plated products. Only outwardly I didn’t see the difference between gold and silver. My husband told me that I need to check it by sound and weight.
Anna Lenskaya, Moscow
Natalya Zudina, Krasnodar
I wouldn't compare gold and silver jewelry. I always see the difference, it is huge. Silver is very different in design - the products are simple in appearance.
Silver is a light metal. I always look at the weight when I buy. I've never made a mistake yet. Additionally, at home I throw the ring on the glass a couple of times. But I think a test is enough.
Marita Gromova, Chelyabinsk
