Many people ask, what is the difference between yellow gold and white gold? Which is better?
Here’s an explanation of their differences – as well as their advantages and disadvantages.
Yellow gold – or simply, gold – is a precious metal that occurs naturally. It’s a very soft metal and in its purest form it bends easily out of shape. That’s why gold used in jewellery needs to be mixed with harder alloy metals. These help to make the gold more durable, and keep its shape.
White gold doesn’t exist naturally. It’s actually made from yellow gold that has been combined with white precious metal alloys like palladium and silver. These alloys give white gold a slightly paler colour, as well as more rigidity. Additionally, white gold is given a final coating with a rare, silvery-white metal called rhodium. This gives white gold its white, luminous sheen.
You may have heard the term “carat”, commonly abbreviated with the letter “K”. It’s a measurement, which is used to describe the purity of gold. The same carat measurement applies to both yellow gold and white gold.
Carats are measured on a scale of 24, where “24 carat” (or 24K) represents pure gold. 9K gold is therefore 37.5% pure gold, and 18K gold is 75% pure gold. The remainder is a mixture of precious alloy metals used to harden the gold.
We offer our white and yellow gold jewellery in 18K and 9K, to suit your budget. All our gold jewellery items above 1 gram are hallmarked in the UK at one of the government assay offices. This means their gold carat weight is officially certified.
We do not use nickel as an alloy in any of our jewellery.
One difference between white gold and yellow gold is simply the way it looks.
Some people simply prefer the look of yellow gold because it has a unique, warm glow.
Others feel that yellow gold suits their skin tone better. Yellow gold is often considered more traditional than white gold. Unlike white gold and platinum, which appear the same, the look of yellow gold is hard to imitate.
Diamonds set in yellow gold tend to stand out more than diamonds set in white gold, because of the colour contrast. Yellow gold is also very easy for jewellers to work with. For example, if you knock and damage your ring, a repair seam, in most cases, is very easy to disguise.
White gold is preferred by many people because of its silverywhite colour. It’s less expensive than platinum, yet provides a far more valuable alternative to silver.
There is no price value difference between the actual gold in white and yellow gold jewellery, as long as it is hallmarked at the same carat weight. So for example, 18K white gold and 18K yellow gold will contain the same percentage of gold. However, white gold jewellery can be slightly more expensive than yellow gold jewellery, because of the manufacturing process it undergoes while being mixed and coated.
At the end of the day, choosing white or yellow gold is mainly a question of personal preference. If you’re not sure which one to go for, choose an item of jewellery that is available in both gold types and compare them side by side – or contact us at any time for advice.
We’re also proud to say that our entire ethical lab grown diamond range of jewellery is set in sustainably sourced precious metals. Find out more here.
We want you to feel completely confident when you shop with us. That’s why we offer FREE 30-day returns for refunds and 60-day exchanges across the UK and Northern Ireland.
If you’ve ordered a ring smaller than a size J or larger than a size Q, don’t worry — these are custom sizes, but we’re still happy to offer a free exchange or resizing if the fit isn’t quite right.
Changed your mind? No problem — you can cancel your order anytime before it’s been dispatched.
Just reach out to our friendly team via Live Chat, by email at customerservice@thediamondstore.com, or give us a call on 0345 084 1200 (or +44 345 084 1200 if calling from outside the UK). Please have your order number handy to help us assist you as quickly as possible.
Please note that for rings smaller than size J or larger than size Q, the width may vary slightly (up to 10%) due to the crafting process. If you need any adjustments, we’re happy to help.
If your item arrives damaged or defective, we’ll make it right — fast. We’ll either repair or replace it at no cost to you, or provide a refund once it’s been assessed by our head jeweller.
Our standard returns policy is 30 days to return, and 60 days to exchange.
We stand by the quality of our jewellery. That’s why all our pieces come with a 5-year warranty against defects in materials or craftsmanship. Every item is also fully hallmarked according to UK legislation, confirming its authenticity and origin.
Once we’ve received and inspected your returned jewellery, we’ll process your refund right away and email you to confirm. Depending on your bank or payment provider, it may take 3 to 5 working days to show up on your statement.
We’ll always refund you via the same method you used to make your purchase — whether that was credit or debit card, PayPal, Pay4Later Finance, bank transfer, or another option.
To avoid delays, make sure to include the returns label print-out with your parcel. This helps us identify your return quickly.
We’re proud to say that all our diamonds are conflict-free and fully compliant with United Nations regulations. When you buy from us, you’re choosing ethical beauty.
We’re here whenever you need us.
📧 Email us: customerservice@thediamondstore.com or returns@thediamondstore.co.uk
📞 Call us: 0345 084 1200 (UK) or +44 345 084 1200 (International)
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