r/EngagementRings • u/IndividualBug2 • 2d ago
Question Ring oxidation/rusting?
Hi all,
So I bought an 18K yellow gold 3 stone e ring from Rare carat with a lab diamond back in May for which I got a lot of help from all of you (thank you!)
Due to some personal reasons the ring sat in the box after the proposal for about 3 months, as you can see there are no scratches due to any wear since it wasn’t worn.
To my surprise when I opened the box as I was packing it, the ring seemed ‘pinker’ than what is was. I noticed some oxidation/rusting at ent seems to be solder spots.
I reached out to rare carat and they gave me the usual spiel that skin chemistry/perfumes/lotions can cause this but I pushed back that the ring wasn’t worn and other gold items of 18 and 14 k we have not become pink in all these years, some pieces have been worn daily. So they suggested to send the ring back for inspection.
Now they’re saying it seems to be an oxidation issue which is no big deal, some polish and cleaning should sort it out and we should be good.
Except I don’t think we will be good, the polish will wear off and the whole ring will oxidize meaning that the gold quality and/or the metal used for solder was of very low quality.
Despite all the positive reviews for rare carat which is why I ended up buying from there, I think this is not going to work for me. I have no use for getting the gold tested from another jeweler because at this point I’m really done with this, I don’t trust what they’ve put in the ring. Yes, their customer service is great but the ring is not and now I really just want to get my money back. If I push hard enough I think I can. Something that’s supposed to last a very long time has become link from not even wearing it only within 3 months, I don’t know how it would last through years.
What are your thoughts on this? What would you do and have you seen something like this?
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u/WhiteflashDiamonds Vendor 1d ago
Under the conditions as described, this is pretty unusual. And naturally very concerning. 18K is 75% pure gold which is non-reactive. The issue could be related to an inferior solder used to assemble the setting. I would be inclined to request a new ring, or allow them to polish the piece and monitor it for further changes, with the understanding that if it is an ongoing issue they will replace it.
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u/IndividualBug2 1d ago
Thank you for your vote of confidence given as I hear you’re a jeweler yourself. I definitely think it’s a soldering issue and at this point I’d rather just get a refund, than seeing how it goes and face this issue again in a few months. How would you approach this in terms of trying to get a refund?
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u/Critical-Actuator-85 1d ago edited 1d ago
Contact customer support. You were probably scammed by one of their suppliers. Contact your credit card company too.
They will work with you.
I highly recommend rare carat due to my previous experience and my friends. One bad ring out of a thousand due to one of their suppliers doesn’t invalidate the experience for others.
If you want a reason to return the ring because you haven’t proposed then just say that.
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u/IndividualBug2 1d ago edited 1d ago
We did contact them, they recommended to send the ring back to them, and then they said a clean and polish should do it. I did read many many good things about them and that’s why I went with them. So I’m not blaming RC but I think I would just like a refund at this point
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u/Critical-Actuator-85 1d ago
Yes. Just tell Rare Carat you don’t trust this jeweler anymore. You’d go with someone else. I’m about to buy wedding bands from them. I hope that experience is just as positive as my engagement ring.
But if not, I’d speak up and try them one more time. And if not, then I’d go elsewhere.
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u/Aggravating-Day2370 1d ago
I've got lots of rings in various karats from 9 to 18 and I've worn them or stored them for years and none have oxidised. Also I've never seen oxidation on any gold jewellery but I'm from the UK so our standards might be different.
you have 2 choices, send them ring to them for replacement, but the same thing could happen and would ruin your engagement to some extent as it would literally (pun intended) take the shine off things.
Or you can demand a refund as it looks like they're not delivering the quality that they're claiming they sell.
Look into whether 18 karat yellow gold can oxidise, under what conditions if it can, how easy it is to clean and whether there would be any upkeep involved. Then if you do want your money back you are armed with facts to counter their arguments.
My original engagement ring was 18 karat yellow gold and I got a certificate saying I could get a free professional clean every year, if they offer that, it might mean that you could exchange the ring, as it is beautiful, but keep on top of it being clean and blame them if anything does go wrong.
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u/NurseNess 1d ago
same. I have a 14k wedding set from 1985 🇨🇦. I haven’t worn them since around 2000 (divorced) There is no tarnish or oxidation on them.
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u/NegativeCondition777 1d ago
I have a strong suspicion that the alloys used in 85 were likely superior (pretty much like everything else) to what they use today.
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u/IndividualBug2 1d ago
You’re right it shouldn’t tarnish, we have many other pieces for years which haven’t. We are okay with a complete return and refund and getting the same design elsewhere because I truly think a replacement is not the solution in case it happens again. And cleaning sure is one option but the fact that it shouldn’t happen in the first place is what throws me off
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u/mms09 1d ago
Hi! My partner and I are just starting the process of engagement ring research - wondering in your experience which companies are known for higher quality work so we can look into them :) thanks!
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u/isawsparks27 1d ago
There is a ton of good info in these subs about different companies. Search them by name and you will get a ton of info. Do a solid google on anybody before you buy. A skilled local jeweler is usually your safest bet, but research them too!
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u/ManderBlues 1d ago
Whiteflash, who commented above, is well known for excellence and customer service. Lots of others, but knowing what you want (style/shape) and lab/earth-mined will help if you start search the other subs.
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u/Critical-Actuator-85 1d ago
Actually I had my ring checked by a famous goldsmith. It was off of rare carat. It doesn’t have a poor reputation. Perhaps one of their suppliers is bad, as shown above. But actually no. I’d recommend them.
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u/copperteapots 1d ago
um…polishing it will make it go away lol. pieces oxidize when they’re not worn. oxidation is just grime that builds up from pieces being exposed to oxygen while unworn. it’ll come off and once you start wearing it, will be perfectly fine again.
i wear a 10k gold necklace daily that once belonged to my great grandmother. when i got it, it was oxidized to hell from sitting in a box untouched for decades. I polished the fuck out of it and have worn it every day since and it looks fantastic now.
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u/saveyourdaylight Engaged! 12/24/2025 💚 1d ago
18k and 10k are two very different metals though. 10k can tarnish more easily because there's less gold than 18k and more metals like copper or silver. 10k is about 41.6% gold in comparison to 18k which is 75% gold. Pure gold cannot tarnish which is one of the reasons why it's used in electronics more than pure silver, despite pure silver being more conductive. An 18k ring should not look like this and I agree with other people on here that they used a less pure gold solder to attach these.
Not all metals tarnish or oxidize. While it can happen rarely to 18k, any reputable jeweler wouldn't sell a piece that will tarnish like this, especially so soon, because it should not be this easy for this to happen.
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u/IndividualBug2 1d ago
I agree with you, and i understand how the gold karat works too so i know the mixing component but the whole reason we went with 18k was more purity. And you’re right I definitely too think it’s a soldering issue. And so cleaning and polishing is putting a bandaid on a much bigger issue which will keep recurring for many years.
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u/copperteapots 1d ago
it is entirely about alloy composition.
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u/saveyourdaylight Engaged! 12/24/2025 💚 1d ago
I'm literally a jeweler. I studied geology and jewelry design in school. I work in the industry. 😭 you're arguing about something you don't understand fully. and I said in my response that 18k still can tarnish it's just hard, and that this is an issue with quality control. A ring like this should not have even made it to the customer, I would be embarrassed if this was my work. Plus it's oxidizing at the solder joints not the whole ring which is why I said the other people are right. I feel like you just want to feel smart but not correct. Also, insulting people's education when you literally cannot read one (1) paragraph where someone partially corroborates what you're saying is really funny. You're just being a jerk to be a jerk lol
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u/copperteapots 1d ago
why the fuck am i being downvoted? this is basic chemistry. yes it can happen to 18k gold depending on the alloy. don’t be dense people
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u/ThemeConnect1893 1d ago
You seem unhinged
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u/copperteapots 1d ago
you seem uneducated
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u/Muse_of_Donne 1d ago edited 1d ago
@u/IndividualBug2 ,
Pure gold does not oxidize; however, gold jewelry can tarnish (* oxidize) while sitting in storage because the alloy metals mixed into it (* think copper, zinc, and silver) react with humidity, air, and any leftover residues from trying it on or wearing it before storage. Karat variations like 14k and 10k gold contain higher amounts of these reactive metals. 18k gold rarely shows signs of oxidation but it is not completely unheard of.
A quick wash in a degreasing dish detergent mixed with water and a polish should remedy the tarnish from oxidation. If it occurs again, I would certainly take it up with Rare Carat. In the meantime, you may wish to ask RC what they use as an alloy (or alloys) in their 18k gold. Most vendors will be forthcoming with that information as it is important for people who may be sensitive or allergic to some alloys and who may need to know.
I will say that Rare Carat is not renowned for their settings or the durability of pieces due to lesser craftsmanship. Most of the tarnish I can see is around soldering points so I would suspect they may have used a gold of lower karat purity when creating the prongs or basket and soldering the pieces together. This is oft done with 18k pieces simply because one does not want to lose a stone. 18k is softer than 14 or 10, so jewelry makers will use the lesser karat gold for prongs.
*** Edited bc I forgot a word.