Rhodium plating white gold & platinum

[Paradise]

I have a question about rhodium plating... I know some jewelers rhodium plate not only white gold but platinum as well. If the wedding rings you wear are a mixture of metals, all of which are rhodiumed (and assuming no allergy to white gold), would you expect the rhodium on the rings to wear fairly evenly? Or will one of the metals hold on to the rhodium better than the other?

Curious if anyone has any experience with this...

Thanks!!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

There would be no difference.
But you should know a platinum ring will wear out the white gold ring very quickly

 

[ame]

Why would anyone ever plate platinum?!

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 12/19/2005 10:07:35 PM
Author: ame
Why would anyone ever plate platinum?!

I don''t know, but I''ve seen it advertised!
I hate when people advertise "platinum plated silver" when what they mean is rhodium plated. Hello, not the same thing!

 

[door knob solitaire]

Funny you should ask that question, as most of my jewelers say the same thing to me when I ask them to plate my new platinum (yest to be made). I want a bright shiny wet looking finish. I want the durability of platinum. I don''t care for the highly touted "Patina" finish that follows the platinum market. Go ahead and charge me what you need to sell me the never thinning patinum metal, but PLEEEASE instruct all the jewelry trade on how to properly polish it.

My local jeweler uses the same polish wheel on all metal. Another one uses one wheel also, but insists on polishing for 45 minutes. I am told to get it done right...I must leave it for three or four days.

Therefore if I rodium plate it...viola...it gets dunked and I get my ring in less than 20 minutes. Off I go with a bright wet looking finish.

That is MY reason for plating platinum. Will you pros chime in on my scenerio?

 

[blodthecat]

Date: 12/19/2005 10:07:35 PM
Author: ame
Why would anyone ever plate platinum?!

Yep....I was thinking the exact same thing

How strange?

blod

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

We always plate platinum
It looks rough and unfinished otherwise.
It does not stop a patna developing, but it does bridge the gap between hard dull shiny gray and nice soft patina.

 

[blodthecat]

Date: 12/20/2005 5:58:50 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
We always plate platinum
It looks rough and unfinished otherwise.
It does not stop a patna developing, but it does bridge the gap between hard dull shiny gray and nice soft patina.

Have to disagree with you there Gary. Platinum is a precious metal that has the most beautiful lusture.

I have never seen a platinum ring that looks grey and unfinished.

Why would someone go to the expensive of buying platinum, to then have it plated. You might as well just buy white gold, which is so much cheaper

If it ain''t broke, don''t fix it.

Blod

 

[ame]

In the states it''s polished to a high shine and rhodium is unnecessary.

 

[greytmom]

OK, not to hijack this thread, but I was thinking of rhodium plating my yellow gold 3 stone anniversary band since I have really grown to love the look of white gold.....how long does the rhodium plating last? How much does it cost? Thanks!!!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 12/20/2005 9:16:37 AM
Author: ame
In the states it''s polished to a high shine and rhodium is unnecessary.

Doh; I forgot, American supremecy

Really Ame!

It isd a personal thing - I recomend men do not have rhodium and women do.
It is easy to polish off - but i can not remeber the last time a woman asked for that.

I also usuallly take people into the workshop and show them a raw bar of platinum and white gold. Still people chose to have the rhodium.

 

[door knob solitaire]

Blod,

I sure would like your platinum source! I too am in the states-well, well sort of...actually I am on the "planet Oklahoma!!" Every piece of platinum I have seen wears down to a dull drab no shine finish. It looks to me like a well worn nickel. You can bring it back by properly polishing...but it will again eventually wear back down to the dull no shine finish. Just as Gary explained the rawness of the bar.

I want the strength of platinum, my yellow gold rings shank is a thin as paper. The platinum will remain as thick forever...but it WILL NOT remain shiny. That is reason I want to rodium plate my platinum. If I am paying the $$$ for platinum, I want to see the luster my $$$ bought.

All the jewelers I have spoken to say the stock jewelry made in platinum is all plated. However the custom work is usually not. That is where my request to plate came in.

Thanks Gary for the "bridge the gap" theory.

DKS