white gold/rhodium plating

[TLS]

This may be a stupid question but is there any way to double rhodium plate a white gold ring to prevent it from wearing off so quickly?

Also if someone does develop a nickel allergy is there anything that can be done to the ring on the inside of the band that would keep them from having a problem, such as coating it with some other kind of metal/gold etc.?

Probably dumb questions, but I don''t much about Jewelry making so I thought I would ask. I am ordering a white gold setting and now getting a little concerned about possible issues.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Patty]

My white gold ring is 18k with a palladium mix instead of nickle. Maybe you could ask for that?

I don''t know of anything you can use to coat a ring if you have an allergy to it.

It seems like some people react to the rhodium plating and it wears off quickly and others never have to have a ring re-plated.

 

[TLS]

Hi Patty,

Thanks for the response. Unfortuantely this isn''t custom so I can''t choose the alloy unfortunately. I am not sure what is being used but I assume it will be the dreaded nickel. I am hoping for the best!

Thanks

 

[Patty]

Can you call them and find out if they use nickel or palladium?

Have you had trouble with nickel in the past?

 

[TLS]

yes I think I will check with the jeweller, but I think it might be too late as they might be setting it already. I was initially thinking the allergy thing couldn''t be too huge of a problem because I have never heard any friends or anyone I know tell me they had an issue with WG, but now I just did a search here on pricescope and am now getting a little paranoid.

I could possibly have a problem with nickel in my ears which are sensitive, but I felt it would be much less likely an issue for a ring that just lays on the surface of my skin.

I have had a problem with cheapo earrings in the past but I never knew what the material causing the problem was... but i know recently i bought some inexpensive "surgical steel" earrings and had a problem with them... I thought that was odd considering "surgical steel" seems to give the impression that it would be safe (I thought it would be similar to sterling silver"). Well lo and behold I just found an article that surgical steel can contain 6-13% nickel.

I am getting a little worried now... but the ring is a beautiful eternity style setting that i love and was just too outrageously expensive in platinum.

 

[MrsFrk]

I prefer white gold- I like my rings shiny. I personally do not have a problem with the rhodium wearing off. A re-plating lasts me years. I would imagine you could ask for a thicker plating than usual.

My sister is violently allergic to nickel in her ears- her skin gets red and crusty within hours. She does not, however, have an issue with white gold rings.

 

[Rowan]

Patty I was wondering about the wearing off issue. I read on here all the time that the rhodium plating wears off quickly and I''ve had white gold rings that have looked great for years. Now if I wear them stacked with other rings, then the plating tends to wear away, but otherwise it''s fine. Maybe a body chemisty thing?

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Hi,

Rhodium plating can be double plated if the polisher re-polishes the piece and plates again. This is rare as it doesn''t pay - would you pay double for an unknown benefit? There is a definate time limit in the bath before the plating starts to look very bad.

There are numerous posts here regarding the cleanliness required to have the plating stick for a year or two.

The other issue of wear, relates to the colour underneath. You shouldn''t be able to see good alloy platinum rings rhodium plating wear off. A yellowish w/g will be obvious.

I think it sticks better to platinum, but I don''t know for sure?