The specular reflection on a polished gold sphere would primarily appear as a color similar to gold, rather than white. Specular reflection refers to the mirror-like reflection of light from a smooth surface. When light strikes the surface of a polished gold sphere, the majority of the incident light is absorbed by the gold material, while some of it is reflected back. Since gold has a distinct yellowish color, the reflected light will retain that color to a significant degree, resulting in a gold-colored specular reflection. However, it's important to note that specular reflections can also exhibit some white highlights or glints, particularly if the lighting conditions or viewing angles change.