Rhodium Tipped Prongs: Make Your Diamond Look Bigger Without a Two Tone Ring
By Clint Casmiro, Co-Founder, Smiro Studio, Toronto · Updated October 4, 2026
Short answer: Rhodium tipping means coating only the tips of yellow gold prongs in white rhodium. Yellow prongs contrast with a white diamond, and white tips blend into the stone, so the diamond looks bigger. Normally you would get that with a two tone ring and a full white gold head. Tipping gives you the same effect while the whole ring still looks yellow gold.
A subtle tip if you want white prongs but you do not want a two tone ring.
Read the video transcript
Okay, I'm going to show you a subtle tip if you want your prongs white but you don't want a two tone ring. So look at the tips of these prongs right here. We turned them white, rhodium tipped, so your diamond then appears bigger because the prongs are blending into the stone, but then you don't need to get a full two tone top like you normally see. And this is what it looks like under the microscope. You can see those prongs, rhodium tipped white, blend in with the diamond so much more versus yellow gold.
Why can yellow prongs make a diamond look smaller?
A white diamond next to yellow metal shows a clear edge where the prong sits. Each yellow prong reads as a small dot of colour around the stone, and the eye stops at them. White prongs disappear into the diamond, so the eye takes in the whole stone and the outline looks larger.
Why not just get a two tone ring?
Many people choose a yellow gold band with a white gold head for exactly this reason. It works, but the whole basket turns white, and from the side you see two metals.
What are rhodium tipped prongs?
We coat just the very tips of the prongs in rhodium, the same bright white metal used to plate white gold. Under the microscope in the video you can see the white tips blending into the diamond, while the basket and band stay yellow.
Does rhodium tipping wear off?
Rhodium is a plating, so after years of wear the tips can slowly show yellow again. Re-tipping is a small bench job, the same kind of refresh white gold rings get. Prongs should be checked once a year anyway.
Who should choose rhodium tipped prongs?
Someone who loves yellow gold, wants a white diamond to look as big and bright as possible, and does not want a visible second metal on the ring.
Want to see your ring with white tips?
A free 30 minute video call with Clint or Karina. Bring a photo, a budget, or nothing at all.
Book a free callGet a 60 second estimateQuestions we get about this
Does rhodium tipping work on rose gold?
Yes, the idea is the same: white tips blend into a white diamond on any coloured metal.
Should champagne or yellow diamonds get rhodium tips?
Usually not. Yellow prongs warm up a champagne or yellow stone, which is often what you want. See champagne diamonds in yellow vs white gold.
Is 14K or 18K better for yellow gold prongs?
We usually recommend 14K for durability. Full comparison in 14K vs 18K vs platinum.
How much does a yellow gold ring with rhodium tips cost?
A fully custom ring from us starts at about $4,000 USD, and most of the rings we build land between $4,000 and $5,000. Our Ready To Order settings start at $1,299 CAD, plus the diamond. The centre stone moves the price most: in September 2026 a 2 carat lab grown diamond ran about $2,500 CAD and a 3 carat about $2,700 CAD. Real numbers are in our cost guide.
How do I make my diamond look bigger?
White prongs that blend into the stone, a thinner band near the head, and a longer shape all help. Rhodium tips do the first without changing the metal.
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