RG/Pink/Rose gold fading / tarnishing?
- Thread starter *NYC Princess*
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I would think yes but it depends what else is the the YG as it's only 75 %, too.
Of all the jewelry houses, VCA, Tiffany, etc., whose rose gold stays truest in color? I recently got 2 Coco Crush rings in beige gold (Chanel's version of rose gold I believe) and I was told by the SA that they don't fade.
Tiffany's may have a higher copper contents. There are actually degrees of color in terms of pink, rose, and red gold. Although some companies interchangeably use the terms pink gold and rose gold they are technically not the same. If you look on Wiki -
Pink gold is 75% gold, 20% Copper, and 5% Silver.
Rose gold is 75% gold, 22.5% Copper, and 2.5% Silver.
Red gold is 75% gold and 25% Copper.
Whether a pink or rose gold items stays looking as pink or rose as it originally did, depends on how often it is exposed to water by washing your hands, showering, or going in a swimming pool. It also depends on how much chlorine and other chemicals are in your local water. Oxidizing with exposure to water is not something specific to Cartier, it happens to other brands too. However, some types of jewelry such as maybe a Van Cleef Alhambra necklace/bracelet are more delicate and you are less likely to wear in the shower or pool than say a Love bracelet, so that Alhambra that doesn't get exposed to water will probably retain its color. Even Rolex tried to come up with an rose gold alloy that wouldn't change color with their watches and they patented Everose (which has some platinum in it), and I've heard stories of them changing color anyway.
It's unfortunate that rose/pink gold doesn't stay true to it's color forever. I definitely prefer rose gold over yellow gold.
It’s crazy how some people on this thread are carefree with their RG pieces and nothing happens and people that are super mindful and it fades. I think ph of skin might have something to do with it. I wonder if the water we bathe in matters? For example, in my town, the water is softened. It took some getting used to when I first moved here. Makes me wonder if hard or soft water might also have something to do with it. I have been showering with my RG JUC but I think I might take it off when I shower, just to be on the safe side.
I ran across this thread in new posts and am glad I did! I have just purchased and was gifted several rose gold pieces, none are Cartier. I had no idea the color could fade. We have a friend who has had a rose gold wedding band for years and his has remained beautiful all these years, even though he finally had to have it cut off his finger due to it not fitting properly anymore.
I have always had trouble wearing white gold. My skin Ph is the problem is what the jeweler told me. The rhodium wears off and it ends up looking dingy. I can wear platinum, silver with no rhodium plating and yellow gold with no problems. I am curious to see how the rose gold pieces will hold up for me.
I am terrible about wearing my jewelry to sleep in and wearing it in the shower. I don't swim in chlorinated pools, but I do swim in lake water in the summer. I should be more careful than I am.
I have always had trouble wearing white gold. My skin Ph is the problem is what the jeweler told me. The rhodium wears off and it ends up looking dingy. I can wear platinum, silver with no rhodium plating and yellow gold with no problems. I am curious to see how the rose gold pieces will hold up for me.
I am terrible about wearing my jewelry to sleep in and wearing it in the shower. I don't swim in chlorinated pools, but I do swim in lake water in the summer. I should be more careful than I am.
I can't speak as to whether skin PH has an effect on RG changing color. However, water and the chemicals in water which come into our homes and is used in our faucets, showers, bathtubs, and swimming pools can affect its color. The first love bracelet I got about 15 years ago and which I wore in the shower all the time eventually changed color. A few years ago we moved to new home in a different city (so different water source), and my more recently purchased Love Bracelet (its still less than a year old) has been worn in the shower daily, and it still looks like RG. Maybe it has stayed more of a rose color due a different water source in the new house, or because the bracelet hasn't undergone as many years of showers, or some combination of both.
I find this very interesting. I am now taking it off when I shower just to be on the safe side; my town’s water is very soft, I am curious if soft or hard water would cause the RG to change?
I'm pretty much an all-RG gal, and I've had the same happen to my RG Love bracelet, where it looks almost like yellow gold, so it is somewhat disappointing. 
However, I have noticed that the same has happened to my Tiffany RG jewelry... My Rolex watch has rose gold, and it's very pink-ish, so I now wear my Love and watch on separate hands.
So here's what I've learned: what makes RG look pink is that there is a bit of copper mixed in with the gold. Different jewelers will mix in different amounts - there's no standard to that. But, yes it will fade over time in all cases. However, if there is some platinum mixed in with it too, then it won't fade (or at least much less so). This is how the Rolex RG stays more pink.
However, I have noticed that the same has happened to my Tiffany RG jewelry... My Rolex watch has rose gold, and it's very pink-ish, so I now wear my Love and watch on separate hands.So here's what I've learned: what makes RG look pink is that there is a bit of copper mixed in with the gold. Different jewelers will mix in different amounts - there's no standard to that. But, yes it will fade over time in all cases. However, if there is some platinum mixed in with it too, then it won't fade (or at least much less so). This is how the Rolex RG stays more pink.
It's generally thought to be caused by chemicals in shower water and in pool water. I have rose gold dress watches that are more than 10 years old and have never been in a pool or shower and they still look like rose gold. My first rg Love bracelet faded after a few years of wearing it in the shower or pools, It looked nearly yellow, but if placed against a yellow gold Love you could tell it was actually rose. From what I have heard, its is merely the outer layer of metal that has had this change. If you get a polishing cloth and gently wipe it down, it should remove some of the top surface of metal and look rose colored again.I'm pretty much an all-RG gal, and I've had the same happen to my RG Love bracelet, where it looks almost like yellow gold, so it is somewhat disappointing.
So here's what I've learned: what makes RG look pink is that there is a bit of copper mixed in with the gold. Different jewelers will mix in different amounts - there's no standard to that. But, yes it will fade over time in all cases. However, if there is some platinum mixed in with it too, then it won't fade (or at least much less so). This is how the Rolex RG stays more pink.
@Jetsetmax - Thanks! Yeah, I've been told that about the polishing, but I am reticent to actually have some of the surface of the metal removed. My engagement ring and wedding band are also RG; my husband designed it with his friend who is a jeweler. She had it casted, and she is the one who told him about the addition of platinum keeping it looking pink. I wear them every day, just like my Cartier Love and Rolex watch, so I can see how they are all impacted differently. My rings and watch are much more pink than the bracelet... which is good, because they are on the same hand. 
I wouldn't have a jeweler polish my Love bracelet or my watches, for the same reason, I don't want to lose any metal or the shape of it (which can happen with some polishing methods). However, if someone is really bothered by the loss of the rose color, a polishing cloth is generally pretty safe if you just give it a quick wipe down and you don't go crazy trying to actually remove scratches. Cheers!@Jetsetmax - Thanks! Yeah, I've been told that about the polishing, but I am reticent to actually have some of the surface of the metal removed. My engagement ring and wedding band are also RG; my husband designed it with his friend who is a jeweler. She had it casted, and she is the one who told him about the addition of platinum keeping it looking pink. I wear them every day, just like my Cartier Love and Rolex watch, so I can see how they are all impacted differently. My rings and watch are much more pink than the bracelet... which is good, because they are on the same hand.