White Gold Plated Vs Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is mixed with copper which is a less expensive metal.

White gold plated vs sterling silver. Sterling silver is more prone to tarnish and corrosion because it reacts with oxygen in the air because of its copper content thus requiring more cleaning. Regarding white gold nickel is generally used as the alloy but often white gold is plated with rhodium a silvery white metal in the platinum family. As mentioned above sterling silver is 92 5 pure silver alloyed with copper but in some cases nickel may be present in the other 7 5 of metals. Sterling silver is less durable than white gold which is why most people choose the material for everyday wear items like their wedding band.

Sterling silver is the most affordable white metal on the market today. If you only wear it for special occasions it will maintain its plating for longer. Typically white gold is more valuable than sterling silver. It only needs periodic cleaning to maintain its shine.

Keep in mind it is a soft metal so this isn t abnormal or any indication of its quality. White gold is worth more than sterling silver but it has to be karat gold eg. 10k 14k 18k etc. White gold does not have a particular hallmark to identify it and is generally stamped with the same hallmarks used for gold 417 for 10k gold 587 for 14k gold and 750 for 18k gold.

Sterling silver can scratch easily and even bend or become misshapen over time and when exposed to the elements.