This isn't really a diamond question...but...

[ooeemusic]

You guys have always been the most well informed and informative group so...

So, I've had my ring back from DK for a few weeks now. I got it back...I think the 29th of July. When I got it, I noticed there were some white spots in the rhodium platting. Nothing terrible, and all are on the side of the ring so it's not noticeable if you aren't looking for it. But, now that I've had it a while, it seems to be scratching pretty quickly. I wear it maybe every other day and it already has light scratches all the way around the ring. I'm not particularly hard on it. I don't wear it when I do much of anything except type. Don't wear it when I wash my hands, or doing dishes or anything. I take it off when I get home for the day.

I expect some scratching on the bottom, but, this seems excessive for how long I've had it, and how careful I have been. Given the white spots that were present in the beginning, do you think maybe something could have been off with the batch of rhodium that is making it scratch more easily then normal? I know some scratching is normal, but, all over in a little over 2 weeks?

I've included pictures although it's just my phone camera and it's hard to get good up close pics with my office lighting. Any thoughts?

 

[MissGotRocks]

I would send these pictures to him and let him advise you. Perhaps the rhodium plating just needs to be redone.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

You are doing the scratching.
After a while it is called a patina and you cant see scratches for scratches.
If you want to get rid of them here is a way - but it is harder on white gold than platinum.
For the rhodium plating - try rubbing with a silver polishing cloth - available from super markets

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

wow ! that's amazing !

you have a very pleasent voice Garry
you could have had a career on the radio or commentating the cricket

 

[diamondnewbieny]

Do you have platinum or white gold? It’s extremely easy for platinum to look like that, after a while because there are so many scratches, it won’t look like that anymore.

 

[ooeemusic]

Do you have platinum or white gold? It’s extremely easy for platinum to look like that, after a while because there are so many scratches, it won’t look like that anymore.

White gold. I know scratches are normal. I'm not saying it should be spotless after a couple weeks of wear, I just have never seen something scratch so extensively, so quickly, and given the white spots that were present in the beginning I was thinking maybe it's a defect in the rhodium causing it to be more easily scratched.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

White gold. I know scratches are normal. I'm not saying it should be spotless after a couple weeks of wear, I just have never seen something scratch so extensively, so quickly, and given the white spots that were present in the beginning I was thinking maybe it's a defect in the rhodium causing it to be more easily scratched.

The rhodium plating has nothing to do with you scratching your ring. You are the scratcher, the ring is the scratchee

 

[ooeemusic]

The rhodium plating has nothing to do with you scratching your ring. You are the scratcher, the ring is the scratchee

I think maybe I'm not being clear. I know the rhodium isn't *causing* the scratches, but, the rhodium is bonded over the white gold, right? So what would actually be getting scratched, because they are not deep, is the rhodium plating, which is why I asked about the rhodium.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I think maybe I'm not being clear. I know the rhodium isn't *causing* the scratches, but, the rhodium is bonded over the white gold, right? So what would actually be getting scratched, because they are not deep, is the rhodium plating, which is why I asked about the rhodium.

The rhodium plating is one millionth of a millimeter thick. In Australia we call what you are asking a furphy.
The rhodium will be worn off the band at the back in about 40-60 days.
The scratches are scratching the underlying metal.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

In the first couple of pics I seem to see a lot of yellow. Perhaps there was something wrong with the plating bath. Maybe some contamination or something. I would send it back and let the jeweler evaluate it.

Having said that, the design has wide high polish surfaces. These areas will tend to show scratches much easier than designs with textures or milgrain and such.

It it ends up being an ongoing issue for you, you might consider putting a textured finish on the ring such a satin or brush finish. You can discuss those options with the jeweler at the same time he re-evaluates it.

 

[msop04]

Metal is going to scratch... yours will be more obvious, because you have a wider band of highly polished metal.

My BIL has a plain 7 mm platinum band in high polish, but you'd never know it was ever polished/shiny... a week after the wedding, it was already scratched - a LOT of tiny scratches. Now it has an obvious patina.

The only way to keep a shiny finish on white gold is to have it polished (and replated) very often. I don't think that's a good idea, because each polishing can wear away a little gold. Lots of polishing over time could be problematic.

 

[ooeemusic]

In the first couple of pics I seem to see a lot of yellow. Perhaps there was something wrong with the plating bath. Maybe some contamination or something. I would send it back and let the jeweler evaluate it.

Having said that, the design has wide high polish surfaces. These areas will tend to show scratches much easier than designs with textures or milgrain and such.

It it ends up being an ongoing issue for you, you might consider putting a textured finish on the ring such a satin or brush finish. You can discuss those options with the jeweler at the same time he re-evaluates it.

Thank you! That is what I was wondering regarding the rhodium.