Question about PLATINUM plating on a WG ring

[MrsDrP]

My engagement ring is expected to arrive within the next 2 weeks. It is from Henri Daussi and the setting is 18k white gold. I REALLY wanted a platinum setting because I did not want to deal with yellowing and replating. However, I was given a budget and I chose a better diamond instead of a platinum setting. I figured that one day I will just reset my diamond into a platinum setting, but the more I think about it, I don't want to do that. There is something special to me about keeping the original setting.

So my question is: does anyone have knowledge or experience with platinum plating a white gold ring? My ring is already rhodium plated, but I know this will wear off over time. Can you platinum plate something that is already rhodium plated? What is a good thickness and what is the cost? Do you rhodium plate on top of the platinum plate?

How difficult would it be to do this? My ring has a halo of diamonds around the center, diamonds around the halo, and diamonds on all 3 sides of the band until 4 and 8 o'clock.

I have a few fashion rings that I wear a lot and have had for years that are platinum plated and they look brand new, shiny, no yellowing at all. I thought perhaps the same could be done to my e-ring.

 

[liarudd]

I didnt even know you could platinum plate a ring ! ha crazy

I figured that rodium plating white gold would give you the same look as platinum

So im interested to see what people reply to your question! You got me googling

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Rhodium plating is sometimes even done on nice sterling silver jewelry to keep it from tarnishing. Occasionally people have it done on platinum if they want the shine. I think 18k white gold is just fine for fine jewelry. But it is rhodium plating that is done, not platinum plating. And like any plating, the frequency of replating depends on your body chemistry and how you care for your rings.

 

[distracts]

Your fashion rings that are platinum-plated are probably rhodium-plated. Rhodium is a platinum group metal.

 

[liarudd]

OK so what s everyone's opinion on WG rhodium plated?? Does it make it look shiner than if you did not have it dipped? I realize that you would have to get it "re-dipped" but when it is "fresh" looking would it give the same effect as platinum???

I love white gold but I find it gets dull fast

 

[pregcurious]

Is the dullness or the color bothering you? Rhodium will make it look both more white _and_ shiny. Polishing your setting will make it shiny again, but polishing gold will cause loss of metal.

Rhodium plating looks very white--it does not look like platinum, which is more grey.

Platinum is different, and wears differently. With time, it gets a gray patina (lots of scratches). It is not brittle like white gold, so when it gets scratched or polished, the platinum is displaced. so you don't lose the same mount of metal as you would with white gold.

There are alloys of white gold that are whiter than others, and are chosen because they do not look as yellow as standard white gold with nickel. Palladium white gold is one option. This is what I would choose if it were an option (it is not with a lot of vendors.) It is often not dipped in rhodium because it is quite white. Some prefer it to platinum (because like other white golds, it does not get grey patina like platinum.)

No matter what you plate your ring with, it will wear off. Even if you could plate with platinum, it would wear off just like the rhodium. Rhodium is whiter than platinum, so there's nothing inherently wrong with plating with rhodium versus something else.

 

[TheGreatTwizz]

Have you double checked the cost on platinum vs WG setting? It seems nominal enough that the cost of plating would get you close to the cost of platinum to begin with....