Gold engagement ring is turning silver?

Deb_Morgan

Hello all,

My boyfriend proposed to me two weeks ago, the ring was too big so had to be sent away to get re sized, I got it back yesterday.

Looking at the ring now in daylight the "prongs" that hold the diamond have turned silver and its really noticeable.

I called the jewelers my partner got the ring from (a family run jewelers in town) who said this was normal and they could fix it for me for £65. They said it could be household cleaning products causing it, the thing is I only got it back yesterday so have wore the ring for one night in the last two weeks, the rest of the time they had it to re size it. (£55 to re size it).

Im not a huge jewelry person at all and have never really wore rings so not sure if this is a normal thing to happen and just wanted to make sure that Im not being taken for a ride, for all I know I could pay the £65 and it could happen again in a few weeks.

Is it normal for a gold diamond ring to turn silver in a few weeks?

LEJC

Is your ring white gold...or at least the prongs white gold...

If the answer is yes then its perfectly possible that the white gold which is infact rhodium plating will wear off over time or when it comes into contact with some cleaning fluids or even hand creams.

The thicker the plating the longer it will take but essentially the only way to avoid it is to either change your cleaning products or remove your ring when cleaning or use rubber gloves!

Frances456

I happen to have two engagement rings (long story, same guy!) one gold and one white gold and they hasnt discoloured as of yet...... I never wear gloves and am always using cleaning products..... it does seem wrong that this would have happened to your ring in such a short space of time......

Could you get another opinion from another jewellers to check the rings material?

Stephb1986_2

My engagement ring which is 4 years old white gold hasn't been replated and is as good as new.

My mums engagement and wedding rings are yellow gold they are 14 years old and are still like new and we both have OCD and use cleaning products all the time and nothing has happened to our rings.

I'd get a second opinion.

Steph xx

LEJC

Google "gold discolouration"...there are plenty of articles about it...heres one explaining a few reasons

http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_6158003_causes-gold-discoloration.html

Absolutley agree that not every ring sufferes from it...but occaisionally they do!

I would possibly suggest that if your OH still has the receipt for the ring that you look to potentially return it to the shop...it probably shouldnt be showing such wear and tear so early on.

If you want an honest opinion...then perhaps I would suggest that you were overcharged for the re sizing of the ring....in my experience especially with independant jewellers if someone buys a ring as an engagement ring they usually allow the resize free or at very nominal charge..afterall they want to try and retain your business in the hope that you will return for the wedding rings.

Pinzy

I feel for you, that sounds extremely dodgy. You've only worn it for one night, something is clearly wrong with the product if it's discolouring. They should not be charging you to fix a faulty product.

Clearly it does happen, but my old £20 engagement ring from Argos that my first boyfriend got me 20 years ago hasn't discoloured, and it's been sat with all sorts of tainted cheap jewellery.

Charging for resize? In all my traipsing around Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter they all said they'd resize for free.

:hugs: You shouldn't have to have this hassle for your engagement ring!

notanewuser

Are the stones set in platinum? Many gold rings have platinum settings.

chandler91607

I work in jewellery (specifically rings) and would like to advise as follows: First of all if the ring is 9ct white gold then it contains just 37.5% pure gold the balance being an alloy. 18ct contains 75% pure gold. Although 9ct gold does tarnish quicker than 18ct it should not tarnish after just two weeks which leads me to think that the rhodium plating which gives the white gold that fabulous white look to it may have been applied too thinly. Rhodium in its purest form is actually per gram more expensive than gold and some manufacturers will use it to the absolute minimum. £65 is being charged so that the diamond setter can remove the diamond the gold be rhodium plated again and then the diamond reset. However £65 is a bit steep. We charge much less on our rings. £55 for resizing is also very steep as some resizing costs as little as £10 but again this depends if the diamond needs to be removed and then reset. If you are worried and want more advice please inbox me and I'll try to advise you further.

chandler91607

Just a quick word to notanewuser - platinum is only used with platinum. Gold rings are not set in platinum as platinum is a different colour to gold, is much softer than gold and is not generally used in conjunction unless specifically requested as in a custom made ring. Even if the ring were set in platinum, platinum 950 is 95% pure metal with 5% being an alloy and it does not tarnish.

Deb_Morgan

notanewuser wrote: »

Are the stones set in platinum? Many gold rings have platinum settings.

Thats what I was told.

Just wanted to update, sorry I couldnt get back on yesterday..

I went into the jewelers yesterday after posting this and I explained everything I had explained here, they asked to see it, as soon as they saw it they said nothing to worry about all our rings are silver on the part that hold the diamond, they showed me a selection of other rings and they were all the same. Gold band, silver "prongs" that hold the diamond.

Never knew some rings were like this, always just assumed they were all gold.

Thanks everyone for the replies, (feel a bit stupid now lol)

notanewuser

Deb_Morgan wrote: »

Hello all,

My boyfriend proposed to me two weeks ago, the ring was too big so had to be sent away to get re sized, I got it back yesterday.

Looking at the ring now in daylight the "prongs" that hold the diamond have turned silver and its really noticeable.

I called the jewelers my partner got the ring from (a family run jewelers in town) who said this was normal and they could fix it for me for £65. They said it could be household cleaning products causing it, the thing is I only got it back yesterday so have wore the ring for one night in the last two weeks, the rest of the time they had it to re size it. (£55 to re size it).

Im not a huge jewelry person at all and have never really wore rings so not sure if this is a normal thing to happen and just wanted to make sure that Im not being taken for a ride, for all I know I could pay the £65 and it could happen again in a few weeks.

Is it normal for a gold diamond ring to turn silver in a few weeks?

chandler91607 wrote: »

I work in jewellery (specifically rings) and would like to advise as follows: First of all if the ring is 9ct white gold then it contains just 37.5% pure gold the balance being an alloy. 18ct contains 75% pure gold. Although 9ct gold does tarnish quicker than 18ct it should not tarnish after just two weeks which leads me to think that the rhodium plating which gives the white gold that fabulous white look to it may have been applied too thinly. Rhodium in its purest form is actually per gram more expensive than gold and some manufacturers will use it to the absolute minimum. £65 is being charged so that the diamond setter can remove the diamond the gold be rhodium plated again and then the diamond reset. However £65 is a bit steep. We charge much less on our rings. £55 for resizing is also very steep as some resizing costs as little as £10 but again this depends if the diamond needs to be removed and then reset. If you are worried and want more advice please inbox me and I'll try to advise you further.

The OP says the prongs are "turning silver" which implies that they were originally gold coloured. White gold does the opposite (goes from silver to gold). The OP needs to confirm what metal has been used.