Brown Zircon and Diamond Ring in 18K White Gold

Zircon's fire, brilliance, and beauty can rival any gem. Once considered a diamond alternative, today we know that natural zircons are in fact the most ancient materials on Earth, holding within their brilliant depths a time capsule of our planet's birth. A tiny fragment of zircon discovered in western Australia is the oldest known object on earth: 4.404 billion years old, just 150 million years younger than Earth itself. An even older example was found in a large meteorite in Chile. The oldest thing scientists have ever examined is a zircon crystal from a meteorite in Chile that formed at least 4.6 billion years ago in the swirling disk of dust and rocks that became the planets.

Creating 18K white gold is jeweler’s alchemy. To make luxurious 18K white gold, 75% pure golden yellow gold is alloyed with 25% white metals, usually silver, zinc, or palladium. These metals also increase its durability and hardness. To get that bright white shine, most 18K white gold jewelry is plated with rhodium, a platinum group metal.