Last year I bought a wedding/Engagement set for my partner and she's been wearing the engagement ring since proposing last year. We recently noticed what looked to be a wear line forming at the base of the ring. A month or so later another appeared. It looked like it had been re-sized to us, but I bought it brand new and store size rings fit my partners finger. So we took it back in and were told that "these rings (assuming wedding/engagement rings) need to be re-coated every 6mths - 12mth for optimal wear". The rings are white gold by the way. This is our first white gold jewelry, we were always silver before this and I recall a possible conversation with members on here about how white gold does tend to deteriorate does need regular treating. Thoughts? Experiences? Suggestions?
White gold is plated with rhodium. It's a super hard mineral but if you have strong caustic sweat it will eat through and you'll have to have it re-plated.
Google is your friend; http://www.jaa.com.au/buyingadvice/precious-metals-gold-platinum-silver White Gold A World War II favourite, white gold meant patriotism for that era’s marrying couples, when platinum was taken off the market for use in the war effort. Today, white gold offers precious affordability and fashionable fun, along with sturdy durability. White gold is a more affordable yet still durable and precious alternative to platinum. It doesn’t tarnish like silver. But some rhodium plated white gold can ‘yellow’ over time and may need to be occasionally replated with rhodium. White gold is yellow gold alloyed with white metals, this gives the metal a whitish appearance. The item is rhodium plated to give a bright, white finish. With any type of plating it will wear off over time. Depending on what the item is, a ring or a pair of earrings, will depend on how quickly the plating wears off. With rings, particularly engagements rings and wedding bands, they come into contact with many surfaces during a day's wear. Maintenance of white gold is required every 6 to 12 months, again depending on the item and frequency of wear. Keep this in mind when purchasing white gold jewellery, as there are ongoing costs in maintaining the white gold sparkle. When gold is alloyed with nickel, it can be allergenic to a small percentage of wearers who have skin allergies. In response, many refiners and manufacturers are now offering white gold that doesn’t contain nickel, and others are creating white gold alloys that are white enough to not need rhodium plating. Be sure to ask your jeweller about these newer alloys. If you’re purchasing a rhodium plated item, inspect the piece to ensure that the plating completely covers it and is even. White gold holds all the same properties as yellow gold, expect for the colour. Carat stampings are used in the same way for white gold as they are used for yellow gold.
It was discounted when I bought it, but it was a "sale discount" they are telling me by looking at the receipts. We tried to tell them that the store fit ring shouldn't have any re-sizing marks, I bought it off the shelf and that's the correct size I needed. She too even said it looked like it had been re-sized. She then said the manager would have to look at it and it would either go back to Münich to be replaced, or locally repaired if it's not a fault. It was locally retouched for €40.
When they re-size rings they just stretch them over a sizing mandrel. Unless it was sized down, then they cut a piece out and solder it back together. Only if it was poorly done should you be able to tell.
