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What is Rose Gold?

Yellow Gold, White Gold… Rose Gold? It feels like Rose Gold has come out of nowhere to be a legitimate option when choosing a ring. However, Rose Gold has been around for hundreds of years, with its popularity rising and waning as tastes change. Rose Gold’s newfound reinterest is a welcome comeback, as its subtle hues make for a striking piece of jewelry.

Let’s dig a bit deeper into what makes Rose Gold so stunning, how it is made, and the benefits of the material beyond that of its beauty.

All Gold is a Blend

Most people recognize that Gold is simply not Gold. It is either 18 karat, 14 karat, 10 karat Gold, or some combination. But what does this mean? Pure Gold is comprised of 24 karat Gold. Thus, 18K Gold is made up of 75% pure Gold (18/24=75% <--- Yeah, Math!). The rest is a mixture of Copper and Silver. Subsequently, 14K Gold is made up of 58% pure Gold. The karat is simply a percentage of the amount of pure Gold compared to 24K Gold, with the remaining amounts of Copper and Silver added to increase the structural strength of the alloy, making it suitable to be used as jewelry. Unfortunately, pure Gold is simply too soft and malleable to be used on its own, which is why additional materials need to be blended to increase its strength.

Copper, here seen in it’s natural form, is added to the Gold alloy to give it a Rose colored hue.

Understanding why Gold needs to be strengthened, how do we make the jump to Rose Gold? Yellow Gold is comprised of either:

18K Yellow Gold: 75% Gold, 12.5% Copper, 12.5% Silver
18K Yellow Gold: 75% Gold, 15% Copper, 10% Silver

The difference above depends on the desired yellow tint. The less silver, the slightly darker the tone. To create Rose Gold the formulation is adjusted to increase the Copper content. The most common combinations include:

18K Red Gold: 75% Gold, 25% Copper
18K Rose gold: 75% Gold, 22.25% Copper, 2.75% Silver
18K Pink Gold: 75% Gold, 20% Copper, 5% Silver
12K Red Gold: 50% Gold and 50% Copper

While the above examples range from Red to Rose to Pink, generally speaking, they are all referred to as Rose Gold in jewelry mass marketing. The difference between the four is the tint that the alloy takes and is a matter of personal opinion which is preferable. (I prefer Pink Gold myself as the lighter tone gives the jewelry a softer, more feminine feel, but to each his own.)

The Benefits of Rose Gold

Now that we understand how Gold is blended into its varying reddish hues and recognize that the intensity of the Copper pigmentation is a matter of taste, are there any additional qualities to Rose Gold that can make it a superior choice to traditional Yellow Gold?

The only attribute you can point to with Rose Gold that is unquestionably a benefit is its increased durability. The additional Copper content helps make the alloy stronger, if just subtly so. All other factors, including attractiveness, price benefits, and antique appeal, are arbitrary. Ultimately, it is a matter of taste when deciding if Rose Gold is the proper choice for your jewelry.

One thing to note with Rose Gold is the matter of allergies. The increased Copper content in the ring can be allergic to people with certain sensibilities. Like with all metals, please make sure before committing to a purchase if you have a particular allergy.

This example from Blue Nile has a deep and stunning wet characteristic which can be achieved with Rose Gold. The different shades of Rose Gold, while subtle, bring an extra dimension to a ring and/or setting. See it for yourself here.

To Rose or not to Rose?

So there you have it. Rose Gold is just a slightly redder Yellow Gold. Is it beautiful? Absolutely! I prefer Rose (or Pink) Gold to Yellow Gold every day of the week. That being said, all my jewelry is either Platinum or White Gold. The other part of the puzzle when choosing Gold is your skin tone. Skin tone and the complementing nature of different hues should be a real focal point when making your buying decision. Thus, while it is impossible to argue that Rose Gold is not stunning, you just need to make sure it is stunning to you.

This Rose Gold setting from James Allen shows how the added copper adds a lovely tint to the ring. The softer hue of Rose Gold gives it more feminine and luscious feel. See it for yourself here.

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