Nickel White Gold
Also: Nickel-based white gold
Nickel white gold is a gold alloy in which nickel serves as the main whitening metal, giving yellow gold a silvery-white colour.
Nickel white gold is produced by alloying yellow gold with nickel, zinc and sometimes copper or palladium. The nickel share — typically 8-14 % — does most of the whitening work: nickel is a strongly bleaching metal that effectively suppresses gold's yellow tone. Even so, a freshly cast surface still reads as faintly yellowish or cream-coloured, which is why most nickel white gold jewellery is finished with a rhodium plating, a thin coat of rhodium applied on top.
Composition and fineness
The most common alloys are 585 gold (14 carat) and 750 gold (18 carat). In 585 nickel white gold, 58.5 % of the alloy is pure gold, with the remainder split between nickel (roughly 10-14 %), zinc (roughly 4-8 %) and copper. The melt value calculator always works from the fine gold content — the nickel portion holds no precious-metal value.
| Fineness | Gold content | Typical additions |
|---|---|---|
| 333 (8 carat) | 33.3 % | Ni, Zn, Cu |
| 585 (14 carat) | 58.5 % | Ni, Zn, Cu |
| 750 (18 carat) | 75.0 % | Ni, Zn, (Pd) |
The allergy issue and EU regulation
Nickel is one of the most frequent triggers of contact allergies. The EU Nickel Directive (94/27/EC, now embedded in the REACH Regulation) caps the release of nickel from items in prolonged skin contact at 0.5 micrograms per square centimetre per week. Jewellery exceeding this limit may not be sold within the EU. Rhodium plating cuts nickel release considerably — but once the layer wears through, direct skin contact with the underlying metal can occur.
The low-allergy alternative that has taken hold is palladium white gold, which does without nickel altogether and is broadly the preferred recommendation across the EU.
Working properties
Nickel raises the hardness and tensile strength of the alloy, making nickel white gold particularly suited to delicate settings and pavé work. At the same time, the high nickel share lowers ductility — the material is more brittle than comparable palladium white gold alloys and demands skill when soldering and polishing.
The live gold price — the basis for valuing the metal in any white-gold piece — is shown in real time by the gold calculator.
In brief
Nickel white gold is affordable, hard and widely used, yet it carries a genuine allergy risk. Anyone with sensitive skin, or seeking jewellery for constant wear, is better served by palladium white gold or by rhodium-plated pieces that are re-plated regularly.