A question about silver & rodium plating ?

[Daisys and Diamonds]

So my silver cuff ive been wearing pretty much 24/7 for the last year really benefited from a go over with a silver cloth yesterday

in fact it came up so shinny Gary noticed!!

I guess I've been a bit lazy thinking as silver likes to be worn i havn't really been polishing it all that often

but last week walking home i thought it had a bit of yuck on it from work - but it wouldn't pick off
on Monday it had spread
And by Tuesday i realized it was the rhodium plating wearing away

the cuff is about 12 years old but was never worn before last year

the silver cloth made such an awsome job i can't even see it now
And to think i was worried i would have to get it replated
Why do they even plate silver ?

Why don't they just remind us to clean it
everyone knows silver tarnishes
Or

Why don't they just use the better alloys they used to use ?

I have a brooch of grandma's from the 50's (or 40's or 30's) not worn since at least the early 1970s, chucked in a box of junk for the last 40 years and its still so shinny i thought (probably like my mother) that it was faux, what a surprise when my loup found its stamp

Anyway sorry no before photo
Why didn't i take a before photo ?
but it almost looked like a grey water mark - it was looking manky and ugly and im thinking was about to get a whole lot worse

but now In real life its reflecting like a mirror
When i turn the flash off you can see our blue and green stripped curtains reflected in it

(That's probably a bit of grime or dirt down in the seam - the problem area did not look like that and polished completly out)

 

[Bron357]

Silver, even Sterling, isn’t pure, it’s 925 silver and 75 parts “other”. It’s the sulphur in the air that causes oxidation on the surface aka tarnish. It can be removed by polishing but will come back. High humidity even water can speed up the tarnishing process.
Silver that is rhodium plated will not tarnish because rhodium doesn’t react with air or water the same way as silver does. It’s a “type” of platinum. However rhodium plating is only a thin coating so it does wear off especially on rings and bracelets. You can get it replated again.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Silver, even Sterling, isn’t pure, it’s 925 silver and 75 parts “other”. It’s the sulphur in the air that causes oxidation on the surface aka tarnish. It can be removed by polishing but will come back. High humidity even water can speed up the tarnishing process.
Silver that is rhodium plated will not tarnish because rhodium doesn’t react with air or water the same way as silver does. It’s a “type” of platinum. However rhodium plating is only a thin coating so it does wear off especially on rings and bracelets. You can get it replated again.

So can i just forget its rhodium plated and just keep polishing the silver exposed as the plating wears off ?

 

[dk168]

As Bron has already mentioned, if a silver item is Rhodium-plated, then it should not tarnish.

If it tarnishes and the tarnish can be removed by a silver polishing cloth, then I am not certain if it is Rhodium-plated.

Judging by the photo of your cuff alone, I believe it has not been Rhodium-plated, as it appears to have a yellow tinge more akin to un-plated Silver to my untrained eyes.

DK

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

As Bron has already mentioned, if a silver item is Rhodium-plated, then it should not tarnish.

If it tarnishes and the tarnish can be removed by a silver polishing cloth, then I am not certain if it is Rhodium-plated.

Judging by the photo of your cuff alone, I believe it has not been Rhodium-plated, as it appears to have a yellow tinge more akin to un-plated Silver to my untrained eyes.

DK

Well this would make me very happy because i think rhodium plating is mainly just a ploy to get the customer to fork over more money for years and years after the initial purchase

I just should have taken a before photo because it was like i could see the discoloration as a layer under the rest of the braclete

 

[MidModMin]

Personally, I would keep a silver cuff like that unplated. It is smooth, so easy to polish, and I think the color of silver is brighter/whiter than that of rhodium. Plus, replating is a recurring fee.

If you want to reduce the amount of polishing you do, you may want to store the cuff in an Intercept bag, if you can buy them in (or ship to) your area.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Personally, I would keep a silver cuff like that unplated. It is smooth, so easy to polish, and I think the color of silver is brighter/whiter than that of rhodium. Plus, replating is a recurring fee.

If you want to reduce the amount of polishing you do, you may want to store the cuff in an Intercept bag, if you can buy them in (or ship to) your area.

Agreed
I wear it all the time like 24 7
its got a few fine scratches but that's ok
im very releaved its not rhodium plated
I dont think im a patina girl so ill just keep polishing it

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

.....so yesteday on the way home from work i noticed it needed a polish again

Dang !
The photo i took doesn't show it
but it was a very pronounced discolored bit
it just took ages to polish out

do you think its all the bleach we use at work ?
Last thing i did was scrub the loo (lucky me - the afternoon shift with all the cleaning )

 

[MidModMin]

Bleach definitely tarnishes silver. Bleach, chlorine, and sulfur are tarnishers to avoid.

Not sure if this is helpful (also, I am definitely not a jeweler), but I found this video on how to polish a silver chain with a brass brush: Andrew Berry video

I'd stick with a cloth for my more delicate or mirror-finish pieces, but I may also try this on some of my chains.

 

[MidModMin]

Oops, that link I posted is broken. Here is the video: Andrew Berry video

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Lucky when i brought it i couldn't afford a gold one
its getting a bit scratched

 

[Avondale]

I haven't polished silver by hand ever since I discovered chemistry.

Step 1: Take a piece of aluminum foil.
2: Put it in a bowl.
3: Put silver on foil.
4: Dump baking soda (not powder, soda!) on it.
5: Pour hot water.
6: Be prepared for a bit of rotten eggs smell (sulfur).
7: Wait for chemistry magic to happen.
8: Pull silver out.
9: Pour water out.
10: Throw foil away.
11: Wash bowl.
12: Stare and marvel at the no effort result.

Silver tarnishes easily, that's just how it is, so it's not surprising rhodium plating is so popular. At one point I got so sick of having to clean each piece before wearing it, I just started naturally preferring and sticking to my gold pieces.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

So im learning!
Yesterday at work after i poured the bleach onto the chopping board (it gets carrot stained) i washed my braclete straight away

And just now im bleaching some whites in the bath so i actually remembered to take my braclete off first !!

 

[Zarya]

Maybe you'd like a pair of these rubber gloves? They go up to the elbows and cover rings and bracelets.

From the fingertips to where the ribbing begins, they they have flocking or a light lining inside that insulates your hands from water that would be too hot for bare hands, plus it keeps sweatiness at bay. The palms are a bit textured for a better grip. I have a kitchen pair and a bathroom pair and like them very much. I got mine on Amazon.

I'm so glad your bracelet was OK and just needed a polish! Sterling silver is beautiful and so white already. Maybe gloves like these can help protect it.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Maybe you'd like a pair of these rubber gloves? They go up to the elbows and cover rings and bracelets.

From the fingertips to where the ribbing begins, they they have flocking or a light lining inside that insulates your hands from water that would be too hot for bare hands, plus it keeps sweatiness at bay. The palms are a bit textured for a better grip. I have a kitchen pair and a bathroom pair and like them very much. I got mine on Amazon.

I'm so glad your bracelet was OK and just needed a polish! Sterling silver is beautiful and so white already. Maybe gloves like these can help protect it.

You do raise a very valid point
Ive never worn gloves- even walking to work on frosty mornings
I will investigate
Thank you

 

[LilAlex]

Plus, these will be awesome for calving season on the ranch!

I would avoid a chemical-dip tarnish remover -- you lose all the patina in the crevices and it ends up looking like tin.