Goldsmith Engagement Ring

Belltobe

Hi, I'm after some help and guidance please. I got engaged in March and we bought a 9ct white gold ring and it has started to change colour and at the bottom. Firstly we werent' made aware of that this would happen I just thought white gold was as it says on the tin!!! This has really upset me and I've fallen out of love with it, can anyone tell me can I take it back and get another ring? can I kick up a fuss at Goldsmiths or do I just put up with it??

any help would be gratefully received

x

picklepick

White gold is just yellow gold dipped in rhodium to make them white. All white gold will yellow over time and you should take it to be re-dipped.

A lot of high street jewellers will re-dip for free within the first 12 months, but after that you have to pay for it. It's not much though.

double_mummy

personally i would complain and try to get a new ring white gold shouldnt yellow in 4 months unless you work with certain chemicals a lot or your hands are naturally very acidic the only other thing is that the coating could be very thin you could ask for them to replate it thicker but you wouldnt know if they had done this until it started to discolor again

LEJC

the other posters are both correct in what they say...there is no such hard metal as white gold,its a plated substance and indeed the thickness of the plating and how you treat it will affect how long the coating remains on the ring.

Do you use hand cream whilst wearing your ring?...this can sometimes cause the ring to tarnish quickly, the chemical doesnt even really need to be that abrasive sometimes rings will tarnish if worn repeatedly when washing up using a liquid,or a cream cleaner when cleaning.
Ive seen some whitre gold rings discolour within a few months and others never discolour so a lot really depends on how much you wear your ring and the day to day life you put it through.

I would suggest that you do take the ring back to the shop and they will probably offer you a replating for free as the ring is so new,but it is worth remembering that its not necessarly a fault with the ring,so its not about demanding that its fixed....you will probably find that the shop when questioned will advise you that this type of ring will require replating on a regular basis to keep it looking in tip top condition,they may suggest that if worn regularly then that could be as frequently as every year at a cost of around £40 or so

You might also want to consider what you intend to do for a wedding ring as you may not want to consider a white gold ring that you intend to wear on a regular basis.

jacksma

I got an 18ct white gold engagement ring & 9ct wedding ring. My engagement ring needs replated every 4yrs & every 18mths for my wedding ring. The cost for having it replated varies hugely from jeweller to jeweller, h Samuel I found to be cheapest, when you do have to start paying.

faithless

Yep, I decided to get platinum rings because I couldn't be bothered with the fuss of having the rhodium wear off and need redipping all the time.

Bear in mind when choosing your wedding band that it should be the same type of metal as your engagement ring or one will wear the other one down, so choosing a silver or platinum wedding band to go with your gold engagament ring to avoid having to have both rings redipped regularly would probably make your engagament ring wear down faster.

sweetilemon

Platinum doesnt tarnish, white gold does. as others have said, it is advisable to wear your wedding ring with the same metal to stop one wearing the other out. Im sure goldsmiths will replate it free of charge if you explain your wedding is approaching but i dont think you'll get a refund.

NickyBat

I never knew it happened either when i got my ring. Now i put them in to the jewellers every 12 months to be done. To be fair my e ring looks better longer than my wedding ring.

Catty212

I doutb you'll get a refund. We got mine from Goldsmiths 18ct white gold and I have free replating when I want it. I've had it done once so far and will get it doen again before the wedding. It does 'fade' quickly, but thats what happens with white gold I'm afraid.

jumapech

Goldsmiths told me that the replating is free but only for the 1st two years

Catty212

Mine is covered by insurance. They don't HAVE to replate it for you. Mine is because we paid for unlimited replating