14K White Gold Price Per Gram: Is It the Same as Yellow Gold?
Yes. 14K white gold has exactly the same melt value per gram as 14K yellow gold. Both contain the same proportion of pure gold. The color is determined by the alloy metals mixed in, not the amount of gold. At today’s spot price, both are worth approximately $81 per gram.
Here’s everything you need to know about the price, the composition, and when the color actually does affect what you pay.
Why White and Yellow 14K Gold Have Identical Melt Values
Karat measures gold content, not color. 14 karat means 14 parts gold out of 24, or 58.3% pure gold using the precise fraction (58.5% is the rounded figure behind the “585” hallmark stamp), in every version of the alloy.
In yellow gold, the remaining portion is typically copper and silver. In white gold, it’s palladium, nickel, or manganese. The alloy metals change the color; they don’t change the gold content.
When a gold buyer or refiner melts your piece, they recover the gold and discard the alloy. The recovered gold is identical in both cases, which is why both pay the same scrap rate.
| Type | Karat | Gold Content | Melt Value/gram | Alloy Metals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14K Yellow Gold | 14K / 585 | 58.3% | ~$81 | Copper, silver |
| 14K White Gold | 14K / 585 | 58.3% | ~$81 | Palladium or nickel |
| 14K Rose Gold | 14K / 585 | 58.3% | ~$81 | Copper (higher %) |
| 18K White Gold | 18K / 750 | 75.0% | ~$104 | Palladium or nickel |
All three 14K colors, white, yellow, and rose, have the same melt value. The stamp is identical: 585 or 14K. You can’t distinguish them by the hallmark alone.
Does Rhodium Plating Affect the Price?
No. Most 14K white gold jewelry is coated with rhodium, a platinum-group metal, to give it a brighter, whiter appearance. Without rhodium, white gold has a slightly warm, yellowish tone from the underlying gold content.
Rhodium plating is cosmetic, applied in an extremely thin layer, typically 0.1 to 0.5 microns. That’s not enough to have measurable weight or value. When a buyer melts your white gold, the rhodium disappears into trace amounts with no meaningful recovery value.
At retail, white gold pieces cost 10 to 15 percent more than yellow gold of the same design. That premium covers the rhodium plating process, not extra gold content. When selling, that premium evaporates; you’re paid on gold content only.
14K Rose Gold Price Per Gram
Rose gold gets its warm pink color from a higher copper ratio in the alloy, typically 20 to 28 percent copper versus yellow gold’s 10 to 15 percent. Copper is worth roughly $0.01 per gram, so it contributes essentially zero to the melt calculation.
14K rose gold carries the same $81/gram melt value as yellow or white 14K. The romantic color commands a retail premium in jewelry stores; it commands no premium from gold buyers.
When White Gold Costs More Than Yellow Gold
At retail, white gold carries a higher price for legitimate reasons.
Rhodium plating cost: $20 to $100 added to manufacturing cost, depending on piece size.
Palladium alloy cost: palladium is a platinum-group metal, worth considerably more than copper. Pieces using palladium alloy, rather than nickel, genuinely cost more to manufacture.
Re-plating maintenance: rhodium wears off in one to three years on rings. Re-plating costs $40 to $120 each time, a real long-term ownership cost that yellow gold doesn’t have.
When selling white gold, none of these manufacturing premiums apply. You sell on gold weight and karat only.
Check the live 14K gold price today, updated three times daily.
How to Find Your 14K White Gold Piece’s Value
The stamp on your piece confirms what you have. Both “585” and “14K” on white gold pieces are solid 14K; the absence of GF or GP means it’s solid, not filled or plated. If your piece is stamped GF or GP, it’s gold-filled or gold-plated rather than solid, and priced very differently: see 14K gold filled price per gram for what that actually means.
Weigh it in grams, enter that into the free melt value calculator, select 14K, and you have today’s exact dollar value. White, yellow, or rose, the calculation is the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 14K white gold worth the same as 14K yellow gold per gram?
Yes, identical melt value. Both contain the same proportion of pure gold. At today’s prices, both are worth approximately $81 per gram in gold content, and buyers and refiners pay the same rate for both.
Does the rhodium plating on white gold add to its value?
No. Rhodium plating is cosmetic and adds negligible weight. When selling, buyers price on gold content only. The rhodium has no recoverable scrap value at the thickness used in jewelry.
What’s the stamp on 14K white gold?
The same as yellow gold: “14K,” “14KT,” or “585.” White gold isn’t stamped differently. Check for “GF” or “GP” after the karat number, since those indicate gold-filled or gold-plated, not solid gold.
Is 14K or 18K white gold worth more per gram?
18K contains 75% gold versus 14K’s 58.3%, making 18K worth roughly 28% more per gram, about $104/gram versus $81/gram at current prices. More gold content means higher melt value, regardless of color. For the full comparison, see 14K vs 18K gold.
