Price Comparing White Gold Chains

Whiite chains vary in style, gold content and workmanship.

The cool silvery hue of white gold comes from the combination of gold and a white or gray metal. Nickel, palladium, chromium and platinum bleach the color from yellow gold. When pricing a white gold chain, style, weight and workmanship determine value.

Purity

A chain with a greater karat weight costs more.

Jewelers express the purity of gold in karats. Artisans and jewelry manufacturers choose gold alloy, or gold boned with a secondary metal, for durability and price. Chains made of 18-karat gold contain a higher proportion of gold in relation to a secondary metal. When all factors of length and style remain equal, the chain with a greater karat weight commands a higher price.

Gram Weight

Find out how many grams of gold a chain contains.

While karats measure purity, grams measure volume, or the actual amount of gold alloy used to make a chain. Two chains of identical length can vary widely in gram weight. An intricate delicate design may weigh far less than a thick herringbone chain of identical length and purity.

Workmanship

Mass-produced jewelry at large retailers may not be handmade.

The perceived value of an artist or designer's name may add to the retail price of the chain. Subjective value and demand increase or deflate the price when a respected name is licensed and attached to factory-made jewelry. However, handcrafted chains cost more to produce than a machine-made link chain. Expect to pay more for the work of human hands.

Gold Price

Gold fluctuates as a commodity.

The price of gold fluctuates daily. Jewelers and retailers do not typically adjust their prices so rapidly. The price may reflect the price of gold when the artisan purchased the raw materials for the chain or may follow the current market price.

References

• World Gold Council: What is a White Gold?
• The National Association of Goldsmiths: Tips and Tools
• Apples of Gold: Pricing Gold Chains