Two-Tone Gold Chains

There is more than one way to achieve it. The colours may alternate link by link, a core in one colour may be sheathed in another, or a finish may be applied to selected faces of each link. Which method a given chain uses affects how sharp the contrast looks and how it behaves as the chain moves, so it is worth asking where it matters.

Contrast does much the same job that width does on a single-colour chain: it makes the link pattern legible. A patterned link in two tones tends to show its rhythm clearly at a width where the same chain in one colour would read as a plain line.

In two-tone gold the colours normally come from two different gold alloys: white from alloying with white metals, yellow from a copper-weighted alloy. Alloys of the white kind are commonly finished with rhodium plating. Some designs achieve a colour with a plated finish instead, so the listing is what states the metal and karat for a given piece.

Wearing with other pieces

A two-tone chain sits alongside both yellow and white jewellery, which is the usual reason for choosing one. It removes the need to keep a whole wardrobe in a single metal colour.

Rhodium plating

Where a section is rhodium plated, the plating wears over time and can generally be renewed by a jeweller. That is normal maintenance rather than a fault. Not every white-gold piece is plated, so it is worth confirming for a specific chain.

Cleaning

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth, dried thoroughly. Abrasive polishes tend to wear plating faster than solid alloy, so they are best avoided on plated sections.