Rodium Plate

[Leanne]

Can rodium plating be stripped off?

 

[Hest88]

Do you mean you have a ring with rhodium plating and you want it removed?

 

[Leanne]

No, they're white gold earrings but the yellow gold is really showing through. I know I can get them re-plated with rodium so they'll look brand new but I'm wondering if it's the plating that's making my ears hurt? Is rodium a form of platinum?

 

[Hest88]

I doubt the issue is with the rhodium; it's probably because the rhodium has worn off and the nickel-alloyed gold is showing through that's the problem. Many people have nickel allergies. Of course, some people are sensitive to all metals, but the odds are better that it's a nickel problem.

Most white gold in the U.S. is alloyed witih nickel--because it's cheap. Nickel doesn't mask the yellow as well as palladium or silver, so it has to be plated with rhodium to make it white. The plating eventually wears off, slower or faster depending on its thickness and how much wear it gets. And yes, rhodium is in the platinum family.