What if your jewellery discolours?

If you purchase white gold jewellery, you should be aware that there is no such thing as white gold, because white gold is an alloy (mixture) of yellow gold and white metals, such as silver and palladium, and the natural colour of white gold is a light grey to light yellow. The higher the karat weight, the more pure gold is in the alloy and more yellowish it looks. To achieve white, a platinum-like colour and a pale luminescence, white gold jewellery is either plated with rhodium or alloyed with nickel. We do not use nickel due to EU legislation and the fact that at least 20% of the population is allergic to it so we rhodium plate all our white gold jewellery.

Rhodium is a metal very similar to platinum and is very white, hard and gives the jewellery a modern and gleaming sheen. But it is very important to be aware that rhodium plating does not last forever. The plating on something that takes a lot of abuse, such as a wedding ring, can wear away in as little as 1 year, while a necklace or earrings that are worn less frequently, can keep its plating for ten or more years. Discolouration can also in some rare instances, if the skin has a slight reddening reaction to the exposed alloy.

Before you purchase a white gold jewellery item from Fameo Online Jewellery Boutique, please consider ordering it in yellow gold, or if a white colour is an important design feature, consider a platinum version of the item. The real reasons why white gold is used in jewellery instead of platinum, is due to it's much lower price compared to platinum and the legacy of the ban of platinum use for non-military manufacturing during World War II.

If you already own a piece of Fameo white gold jewellery and the rhodium plating has worn away resulting in a yellowish colour of the original white gold (discolouration), we will be more then happy to re-plate your white gold jewellery for a nominal fixed charge of £25, excluding delivery charges.

To take advantage of this service, please follow our standard return procedures when returning the jewellery for repair:

Log into your Fameo account and access the Returns Centre where you will be given your RMA number.
Alternatively, please contact our customer service for your RMA number.
Find the personalised pre-paid return label enclosed in your order. There you will find the area to type in your RMA number.
In the "Return purpose" section of the personalised pre-paid return label tick "Return for repair".
Use the pre-paid, personalised return label that was in your order and stick it on to your package.
Visit your nearest Royal Mail post office and post you package through the teller.

The total of return and onward delivery cost and service fee of £25 will be charged to your account. For more information, please refer to the "Warranty Policy and Limitations" and "Returns and refunds".