Rodium on silver

[Mrs2Ouch]

I am looking at right hand birthstone rings. I want to wear them daily but don't want the old look that eventually comes with it. Does it wear off any quicker on silver? The ring I want only comes in silver. Also, it is a 3 stone ring and I want to switch one of the stones out. Solomon Brothers told me they do not do that with silver, even if I am buying the ring with them. Is that typical for a place to not work on silver? I don't want to buy it and not be able to get this done.
TIA

 

[diamondseeker2006]

My guess is that they may only work on fine jewelry, and sterling is usually considered fashion jewelry and inexpensive. I probably would not go to a lot of expense on a sterling ring. If it is something you really love, why not have it made in white gold and be able to choose the stones you want in the ring?

I have heard of rhodium plating on sterling. I am sure it must help keep it from tarnishing longer. Eventually, as the rhodium plating wears off, it would have to be replated.

 

[JoshuaNiamehr]

Hi!

I would gold plate the silver and then rhodium it.

 

[NonieMarie]

I have 2 bead bands that I had made in silver. Because the silver was so bright, I found a jeweler that plated silver. They now look like they are platinum and look perfect with my platinum rings. I also wear them on either side of my eternity. I am lucky that my body chemistry doesn't wear at the plating. But like DS says, if you can stretch your budget to 14k, It might be a better choice.

 

[Mrs2Ouch]

The problem is that I just got an engagement ring and want to keep the cost down. Plus, it is a Tacori ring with 3 stones, two I will keep in but replace one with an aquamarine. Then it will be complete with my fiancee's, our son's and my birthstones. This was the cheapest route I could find right now, other than gold filled jewelry. I just feel selfish wanting another ring so quickly after receiving my Ering.
Diamondseeker, do you know if Tacori usually offers their silver rings in gold if requested?
JoshuaNiamehr, does the rodium stick to gold better?

 

[danielxlin]

My local B&M store, which I go to for various bench jeweler needs, refuses to work with silver. Something about how silver is more difficult to work with, and they are afraid of damaging the ring during repair. A really competent bench jeweler will, of course, be able to handle any material.

 

[denverappraiser]

Working with silver is a pain. Rhodium plating doesn't actually stick to silver so there's an undercoat. Common choices are gold and nickle. When you work on the piece, the polishing process takes off the plating on the area where you're working so you need to replate. If you don't remove the plating for the entire piece first, the results look bad because that undercoat gives it a spotty appearance unless everything is done at the same time and therefore the same thickness. It's a lot of extra work. A factory that's manufacturing 1000 of them can do it cheaply and extremely well but for a repair person it's actually more work than gold. Can you charge more? Heck no. People buy silver BECAUSE it's cheaper, and the idea that a repair or even a simple sizing costs more than the piece did in the first place is downright offensive to a lot of folks. As a jeweler this means that you not only don't get the job, you annoy a customer in the process. Lose/lose. The solution is simple enough. Decline silver jobs, especially ones that involve plating.

 

[proto]

thats some knowledge that I just learned.

this is why i love this forum.

 

[Mrs2Ouch]

Thank you guys. I think I will just wait and get gold later. I don't want the ring looking gross with uneven areas and such. M