Is rose gold hypoallergenic? Or is rose gold plated hypoallergenic? In other words, will a trendy and affordable rose gold-plated piece of jewelry leave me itchy with a not-so-cute rash? If you want to know the answers. This post is for you.
If you’re like the rest of us, you know that nothing feels worse than buying jewelry only for you to end up with rashes or hot itchiness around your neck, ear lobe, or finger minutes after wearing the piece. The alternative, for most of us, is high-quality and expensive jewelry.
But then, something new entered the market, rose gold, and rose gold-plated jewelry. Should you try it, especially if you have allergies?
Because let’s face it: rose gold could easily be the most beautiful and also one of today’s trendiest jewelry designs. And if you’re like the rest of us, you know that you can never go wrong with rose gold jewelry. The catch, however, is that our bank accounts tend to disagree with our wishes too often, and this drives us to seek alternatives.
The best alternative – rose gold plating. And if you are keen, your rose gold-plated jewelry might look as great as the real deal.
But what happens when you have an unquestionable love for rose gold jewelry, but also skin sensitivity or allergy? Should you still buy the rose gold-plated jewelry? Are the rose gold-plated jewelry pieces hypoallergenic?
First Things First, What is Rose Gold?
Rose gold is what happens when you fuse pure gold with other metal alloys because pure gold is too soft to be used in/ for jewelry. The fusion of metal alloys with gold creates differently colored gold categorized into three – rose gold, white gold, and yellow gold.
Of these three gold fusions, rose gold wins the popularity contests, and it’s quickly becoming a go-to specialized jewelry choice for many people. Rose gold is a mixture of pure gold and a copper alloy, and you will find a few other color varieties under the rose gold class such as pink and red gold.
What determines these color variations? Well, it’s all in the composition of the copper alloy. A higher copper content leaves you a redder piece of rose gold jewelry.
The use of copper for rose gold plating arises from the color of copper. By using copper, it means that the base color for the jewelry is close to that of rose gold.
So, Is Rose Gold Hypoallergenic?
Unfortunately, no. The presence of copper in the rose gold alloy makes the jewelry piece allergenic. So, despite the durability (in comparison with white and yellow gold), the affordability, its flair, and the fact that it doesn’t need any rhodium plating rose gold jewelry might not be the best choice for you if you have allergies, especially if you are allergic to copper.
It should be noted, however, that you might or might not react to rose gold-plated jewelry depending on the copper content. The low copper content in rose gold might not cause any reaction. Since every manufacturer has their own unique manufacturing process, make an inquiry before you make a purchase.
So, whether gold rose or gold rose-plated jewelry, you need to make sure that the concentration of copper used will not evoke contact dermatitis or any other form of allergy.
Regarding plated jewelry, you should also be aware of the base metal. Base metals like stainless steel are largely hypoallergenic meaning that if the jewelry is made of high-quality rose gold with fewer allergens, you shouldn’t expect any allergies.
Pros and Cons of Rose Gold
Pros
- Rose gold is a lot more durable than the white or yellow gold thanks to the addition of copper
- It’s super affordable
- Rose gold has a vintage appeal, hence the romantic connotations associated with it
- Rose gold doesn’t need rhodium plating; white gold requires rhodium plating for strength and durability. Since rose gold needs no plating, it doesn’t tarnish easily.
- It is quite flattering for all skin complexions/ tones.
- Rose gold is the strongest of the gold
- It’s trendy
- Rose gold jewelry works perfectly with, and enhance the gem colors.
Cons
- It’s not hypoallergenic thanks to the use of copper in the gold alloy. The yellow gold is slightly more hypoallergenic than rose gold if you find one with less copper. However, you should be aware of the fact that that the yellow gold could also have nickel as one of the alloys, meaning an increased risk of allergies. To be sure about this, ask for an option free of either copper or nickel.
- It’s not easily/ readily available.
Is 14k Rose Gold Hypoallergenic?
If you are allergic to nickel or copper, it’s recommended that you look for 14K gold jewelry or higher.
Since the higher karat gold jewelry has fewer alloys, they are not very likely to cause allergies.
Keep in mind that karat represents the measure of the purity of metals/ jewelry pieces. In this case, a 14K rose gold jewelry is only half of the pure gold, while 18K means the jewelry is three-quarters pure gold (or any other metal in question such as platinum).
Is 18k Rose Gold Hypoallergenic?
As mentioned above, rose gold is not hypoallergenic. However, the hypoallergenic state of the 18K rose gold jewelry is higher than that of 14K pieces.
18K gold has 75% gold while 9K gold only contains 38% of gold and 14K gold has 50% gold. Therefore, if you are buying rose gold, opt for the higher karat pieces, if you can afford them.
Does Rose Gold Tarnish? Or Change to Yellow?
Eventually, every piece of metal gets tarnished. So, if you are buying rose gold with the hopes of the piece looking as good as new, forever, you’re in for a shock because your piece will tarnish. Rose gold will not, however, chip off.
In terms of tarnishing, you can expect the copper that forms the base of the jewelry to darken a little with time, causing the disappearance of the pink luster and making your jewelry piece redder with time, than it was when you bought it.
Are Rose Gold Earrings Hypoallergenic?
No. Just as mentioned above rose gold loses its hypoallergenic properties to copper that’s infused in it to make gold stronger and more durable.
If you have allergies, it would be safer to opt for the higher karat rose gold, 14k, or 18k to reduce the risk of an allergy. To reduce potential irritation, opt for a plastic backer instead of the metal one.
Conclusion
Rose gold is the trendiest jewelry design at the moment, but depending on the gold concentration and your sensitivity, the ring or earring you buy might be allergenic.
So, opt for high-karat pieces and alternative hypoallergenic metals if you are allergic.
You should also avoid the gold rose-plated rings and earrings since they often contain nickel which worsens allergies.
Thanks for reading. If you guys want to read more, please read our latest posts at hour home page or our jewelry metal section.
Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.