Does Rodium plating wear off fast on earrings?

[dfb]

I am guessing not - as they take no real wear impacts like rings - but I have to ask - we have a set of 3/4 carat diamond earrings - 8 stones each ring - 14Kt Yellow Gold - kind of a double prong setting in a hoop - basically 5 pointers each - bought them from a large retailer last Christmas - wife never worn them - and decided she would prefer they were white gold - but even with the receipt, original box, and clearly never worn - the retailer offered no solution given that it has been 4 months since purchase - so other than reset them - which does not seem cost effective (but I have not checked that out - I am just guessing that if I could even find a suitable blank - the cost of the blank and the labor would make it where I should just sell them on EBAY and buy new White Gold from the start) - we are a bit stuck - was actually thinking of just rodium plating them and seeing how long the plating would last on such earrings that would be worn probably 5 times per month - guessing the plating would not wear away with them just sitting in the jewelry box - but I know little about this sort of thing -

 

[musey]

plating wearing off is a body chemistry issue... I'd imagine less of one for earrings since your ears don't sweat like hands do. Most people on this board have advised to stick to WG for anything besides rings (and for rings it's kind of up in the air, whatever is your preference).

I've had a pair of WG studs for almost 3 years now and they haven't yellowed at all, but I also have a WG ring that I wore for about 6 years straight with no yellowing. I guess I don't have the body chemistry issue?

I don't have any knowledge on plating yellow gold with rhodium... white gold is an alloy with whiter metals, so white gold isn't just yellow gold plated w/ white (but I think you know that already).

 

[MustangGal]

I bought my little sister a pair of studs in yellow gold and had them plated. She wore them constantly for about 2 years before she took them off and lost them, but they never showed any yellow. I would imagine the only part the plating would wear off would be the post and any part of the earring that touches the ear. It''s definatly worth a try before you try selling or re-setting.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I agree. If it wears off the post, that wouldn''t matter anyway. I''d think it should hold up fine on the hoop part. I''d try it if they were mine.

 

[sumbride]

Thanks for this idea! I love my diamond studs but I do wear more white metals now and they are set in yellow gold. Seems like rhodium dip would be cheaper than a reset for the time being! I may have to investigate as well!

 

[kcoursolle]

Great question, I want to know the answer as well!

 

[dfb]

well - I did it - rather than try to sell the erings and take a bath - I had my local jeweler rhodium plate them - picked them up today - not sure how it will hold up - he seemd to feel it would hold up well - and he would be surprised if he saw me back within 3 years with the same erings to be plated - they look great - so thinking this may have been a $40 solution to breath some life into some pretty nice diamond erings that were getting no use because of the yellow gold setting

 

[Miranda]

Great to hear. I had a yg pendant plated and it''s held up just fine after a year of wearing it 1-3 times per week. I''d think earrings would fare better than a pendant that is up against the skin.