Looking for the perfect place to buy white gold jewelry online?
You're in the right place! In this Learning Jewelry guide I'll answer common questions like:
- What should you look for when buying white gold jewelry online?
- Is white gold good for an engagement ring?
- How do you know you’re getting a good deal on white gold?
- What are the red flags to watch out for when buying?
Top Places to Buy White Gold Jewelry Online
If you need the list quick, here are my top picks for finding quality white gold jewelry from reputable online dealers. Keep reading for more information about each of these shops.
- James Allen (best pricing and value)
- Blue Nile (best selection)
- Kay
1. James Allen
When it comes to white gold jewelry, James Allen has got you covered. Whether you're in the market for white gold engagement rings and wedding rings, or if you're looking for some white gold stud earrings, James Allen has it.
James Allen's white gold jewelry is going to either be 14K or 18K gold. All of their gold jewelry is solid gold, not gold-plated.
James Allen has many options in rose gold and yellow gold if you're uninterested in white gold. They don't sell plain white gold jewelry without stones either. But if a lot of sparkle isn't your thing, they have some very pretty white gold drop earrings with pearls and a less sparkly bezel set diamond, like this pair here:
If you're looking for white gold engagement rings, James Allen has many different white gold ring settings for you to choose from. You can either choose a loose diamond or gemstone to put in said settings, or you can buy the setting itself, without the stone.
James Allen also has a lifetime warranty with all their jewelry that covers wear and tear. These service include cleaning and polishing, prong retipping, tightening loose stones, and most importantly, rhodium plating white gold. For your white gold rings, they offer 1 free sizing within the first year, just in case it doesn't fit.
2. Blue Nile
If you're looking for the best place online to find white gold fine jewelry, Blue Nile should be your go to. Blue Nile knows that white gold is the number one choice for women's engagement rings and offer a wide selection of white gold jewelry ro choose from.
Blue Nile carries plain gold jewelry in the form of white gold chain necklaces, hoop earrings, and white gold bangle bracelets. All of Blue Nile's white gold jewelry is either solid 14 or 18 karat gold. They also have a nice selection of men's white gold rings, that can make a fantastic wedding band like this designer men's Monique Lhuillier 18K ring set in white gold:
Blue Nile offers their guests 30 free returns and exchanges, no questions asked. They have a manufacturer's warranty on old their jewelry, which means that if there is a design flaw in your merchandise, they will cover it. Any typical wear and tear maintenance that your white gold jewelry will need such as rhodium plating, will have to be at your own cost.
I recommend finding a local jeweler that doesn't need to send your ring off, like most corporate fine jewelry stores do. If you need your white gold ring sized, they do offer a free resizing, just in case your order the wrong size.
Why James Allen is better: Blue Nile is one of the biggest online jewelry stores, but they're just under the greatness of James Allen. Because white gold needs to be rhodium plated so often, you'll want a warranty that covers this service. James Allen gives you a free warranty, and Blue Nile only covers craftsmanship flaws.
3. Kay Jewelry
Kay jewelers sells all your typical white gold jewelry, such as diamond engagement rings and solitaire studs. They also carry gold chains for women and men. They are also the only online retailer on our list of white gold jewelry sellers that offers white gold jewelry in 10K, even though more men are opting for alternative metals these days.
In fact, most of Kay's in-store collections feature men's wedding bands set in 10K white gold. Their reasoning for this is because men are generally rougher on their hands, so 10K makes a more durable option than 14 or 18K. 10K white gold also serves as a more affordable option.
One of my favorite white gold collections that Kay's offers is the Ever Us collection. Two stones that represent both your best friend and true love. This two tone white and rose gold Ever Us diamond pendant necklaces has always been a favorite of mine:
Kay has a few types of warranties for their white gold jewelry. If your piece has diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, or rubies, you'll receive a free Lifetime Diamond and Gemstone commitment. Basically, if you bring in your jewelry to get check once every 6 months, they'll replace a stone if it goes missing.
The other warranty is the Extended Service Plan. This is what covers all the metalwork on white gold jewelry. It's able to be purchased with most items and is cost dependent on the item itself. Some of the gold jewelry won't have any ESP, such as hollow gold jewelry or gold plated jewelry. Those may have a Jewelry Replacement Plan, which allows you 1 replacement within three years.
FAQ When Buying White Gold Jewelry Online
Is white gold good for an engagement ring?
White gold is actually the preferred metal for engagement rings, but a lot of people don't recognize it for what it is. If someone who hasn't stepped foot in a jewelry store was given a white gold engagement ring and a yellow gold engagement ring, they'd refer to the white gold ring as silver. Most people see silver and gold as the color, not as the metal.
Sterling silver isn't a great option for engagement rings, but white gold is. All gold in general is suitable for engagement rings and bridal jewelry. White gold does require more maintenance. Over time, the natural oils on your skin will wear off the silvery color of the white gold. The metal will look more dull and yellowed, since gold is naturally yellow. The silvery color of white gold is due to a process called rhodium plating.
The rhodium on white gold jewelry starts to fade and needs to be re-plated or "re-dipped" in order to keep its bright silver color. This is one of the many reasons why you should look to buy white gold jewelry that has a warranty. Lifetime warranties that cover rhodium plating is essential for white gold jewelry owners.
What should you look for when buying white gold jewelry online?
While it's pretty easy to pop online and see a multitude of different white gold jewelry, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the right white gold jewelry for you.
Gold Content
Gold content will have a direct effect on both the price and the longevity of your jewelry. We've talked about the differences in gold karats. While I personally don't recommend 18K white gold for rings or delicate white gold chains on a pendant necklace, I don't see the harm in having a pair of 18K white gold solitaire diamond earrings.
Earrings are the least likely piece of jewelry to become damaged, so it doesn't necessarily need to be more durable. You'll want to make sure you don't bend the posts, but most earring wearers remove their earrings right back into the box. With an 18K diamond band or a white gold stackable bracelet, you're more likely to bang that around throughout the day without even meaning to.
So, knowing what piece of white gold jewelry you're looking for will help you determine how much gold content you want in your jewelry and if it works within your budget.
Allergies
The other thing you want to consider when buying white gold jewelry is the nickel content. Nickel content is the main metal that causes an allergic reaction on the wearer. You may have heard of gemstone or birthstone rings causing fingers to turn green. This is the result of an allergic reaction. Some fingers just change colors, others can develop hives and itchy rashes.
Nickel is the main cause of most metal allergies. White gold jewelry may contain a small amount of nickel in it, but it shouldn't bother people that have a mild reaction.
However, the less gold karats you have in your jewelry, more nickel content is present in the metal alloy. This is another reason why some prefer 18K white gold jewelry. The higher the gold content, the less likely white gold will cause a reaction.
What are the red flags to watch out for when buying white gold jewelry online?
You shouldn't have too many issues when trying to buy white gold jewelry online, but there are a couple things to be aware of. You already know about the different amount of gold contents in karats, but you'll want to make sure it's solid white gold.
Not all gold jewelry is solid. It can be plated, filled, or even be hollow. And because you can't physically touch products you're looking at online, you need to know the differences, and you'll know how to distinguish each on a piece of jewelry.
Read Also: What is white gold jewelry?
White Gold Plated Jewelry
If you're looking at a product online that mentions the words "gold-plated" anywhere in the title or description of the item, that piece of jewelry should be pretty cheap. If a piece of jewelry is gold plated, it means that there is a very thin layer of real gold (14K, 18K, 24K) that is plated over another metal.
The base metal could be sterling silver, stainless steel, or even undisclosed metals referred to as alloy metals. Over time, that white gold plating will fade, revealing the metal beneath.
This can cause the ring to look unsightly. You will need it replated and most local jewelers don't replate. Gold plated jewelry is usually used in children's or costume jewelry.
This is also how many people receive allergic reactions. The plating keeps the base metal from irritating skin, but once it fades, it can cause a reaction from base alloy metals.
Plated gold jewelry shouldn't carry any kind of physical stamp like solid gold.
White Gold Filled Jewelry
If a piece of jewelry is gold filled, it basically have 5% of the value of solid gold. To be gold filled, there is a thick layer of gold plated over brass usually. Gold filled jewelry will last longer than gold plated jewelry because of its thickness. But eventually it will still face the same issues as gold plated jewelry.
Think of white gold filled jewelry as a higher quality white gold plating. It is still going to be much less expensive than solid gold and it will be more effective against metal allergies than gold plated jewelry.
White Gold Hollow Jewelry
Hollow white gold jewelry is made up of a gold frame, but it is empty inside. Hollow gold jewelry is very lightweight and more delicate than gold filled jewelry or gold plated jewelry.
You'll find hollow gold stamped with the same stampings as solid gold, with 14K, 18K, and 24K. This is because technically, the piece is completely made of gold, but it's filled with air instead of plated over a metal alloy.
Kay's and Zales have a strictly gold jewelry collection that features plated and hollow gold jewelry, but it's not labeled this way. If you go in-store to purchase, you'll be able to tell the difference between a white gold hollow piece or a white gold solid piece.
But online, it's more difficult. If it's not labeled, how are you to know? Thankfully, if you find you ordered a piece of hollow gold jewelry and don't like it, you can return it within both Kay's and Zales' return policy.
How to Get the Best Deal When Buying White Gold Jewelry Online
I'm going to leave you with a couple lasting tips and reminders to think about when buying tungsten carbide rings online.
Lifetime Warranty
If you're buying white gold jewelry, you need a lifetime warranty. There will come a time when that white gold diamond ring starts looking dull and yellowed. That's a sign that the ring needs to be re-dipped or rhodium plated. Rhodium plating alone can cost from $60 up to $120 per rhodium dipping.
While once per year is recommended for rhodium, the natural oils in the skin cause the rhodium to fade even quicker than that, on some people. Imagine if you had to get it multiple times a year. It could become costly pretty quick.
This is why it's great to have a lifetime warranty that covers rhodium plating. If you have small melee stones, they might need tightening from time to time. You'll save so much over time, even if you have to swipe your credit card to pay for it. Lucky for you, James Allen covers this service for life, and for free.
Check the Return Policy
One of the biggest things to keep in mind when shopping for any jewelry purchase online, is to heed the return policy. Always read the return policy in full before purchasing from a new company. Some require 30 or 60 days. Some require full receipt on hand. Make sure that if you don't like the white gold diamond solitaire ring you ordered, you can safely and easily return to get your money back.
All 5 of our recommended places to buy white gold jewelry from have a warranty that allows you to return items within 30 days. Each store may require different things to have when returning, so make sure to check the individual return policy.
I just love the contrast of all these gemstones together. Other notable combinations for peridot would be with citrine or tanzanite. A combination of brightly colored gemstones like these would add a splash of excitement in your jewelry collection.