If you want to add some luster to your look, sterling silver and white gold are excellent ways to dial up the dazzle. Refined and fashion forward, these pretty pale metals give an intriguing edge to the sharpest styles. But which fits best with your budget and taste? We've taken the guesswork out of the equation with this precious metal matchup.
Sterling Silver vs. White Gold Color Variation
Silver is a versatile precious metal valued for its shimmering beauty. In jewelry, silver is often mixed with copper to increase its overall strength. When silver is alloyed with copper, it's called sterling silver.
White gold, on the other hand, is a mixture of pure yellow gold and various other metals, which make the metal harder and paler. Nickel, silver or palladium are the primary metals used to turn yellow gold into white gold.
When it comes to color, both have pale, lustrous hues, but white gold tends to be whiter, while silver maintains more of a gray-white hue.
Is white gold better than sterling silver?
When comparing white gold vs. sterling silver, one metal's superiority depends on personal preferences. If you value affordability, sterling silver is the better option. However, silver is easier to scratch and can change shape with wear and tear, while white gold is resistant to impact, scratching and corrosion.
What is the difference between silver vs. white gold?
Silver and white gold have different qualities that make them more or less desirable to certain shoppers. The main differences include:
- Durability
- Brilliance
- Color
- Sourcing
Durability
White gold tends to be more durable than silver due to its higher content of strong metal alloys. That said, overall durability depends on how pure it is, which you can determine based on the number of karats. The lower the karat, the more alloys, the more durable the jewelry.
Brilliance
White gold will have a shinier, more brilliant-white luster than silver. When you purchase it from a jewelry store, sterling silver will also have a shiny, lustrous appearance. However, the metal will become dull over time as it tarnishes due to a natural reaction with hydrogen sulfide in the air. To keep your sterling silver jewelry shining, regularly polish your pieces with a clean polishing cloth.
Color
At first glance, white gold and silver may appear to have similar hues, but closer inspection reveals that white gold has a distinctly white shade, while silver has a grayish-white color.
Price
White gold is more expensive than silver, in large part because of its relative scarcity. Although white gold is costlier than sterling silver, it's an excellent, less expensive alternative to platinum.
Sourcing
Sterling silver consists of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper or other alloys. The amount of gold in white gold varies based on its karat. For instance, 10K white gold contains about 41.7% gold, while 14K white gold contains 58.3% gold, and 18K white gold contains 75% pure gold. The rest is usually made up of nickel, silver or palladium.
As with all precious metals, both silver and white gold are mined from the ground. To ensure that your jewelry is made from high-quality precious metals, it's important to shop at a jeweler like Helzberg Diamonds, where we ethically source all of our materials from the highest quality providers. For detailed information about every available precious metal, check out our jewelry metal guide or talk to an expert at a Helzberg store near you.
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