Rhodium Plating Is The Best For Rejuvenating Your Jewellery
Rhodium is a pure silver-white element, listed as a transition
Image Solitaire diamond white gold engagement ring
metal on the periodic table. It’s a member of the platinum group, along with palladium, osmium, iridium, and ruthenium and platinum. It is also a precious metal, and one metal that is very rare. Well, rhodium is famous for being used in plating jewellery, a process that coats a fine layer of rhodium over platinum, white gold as well as silver jewellery to enhance their shine and durability. This process is also known as rhodium flashing.
Rhodium is known to have first used back in the 1930s, and it was used to plate silver rings to give them a shiny look. But technology has advanced and so has rhodium plating. Today, it is possible to plate almost every kind of jewellery with rhodium metal. It is a method that has become so popular today, and thanks to the advantages it offers over the un-plated jewellery. Read on to find out why rhodium plating is a good way to rejuvenate your jewellery.
If you are a jewellery enthusiast, then you know that these items lose their shine over time, or even suffer unmistakable scratches. Well, rhodium plating is the answer to these problems as it tarnish proofs the jewellery, giving it a surface that is hard to scratch and a brightness that does not expire.
We have already established that it is precious metal used for plating rings and other kinds of jewellery to make them shiner and long lasting. And although rhodium is just too precious to make a piece of jewellery singularly, the use of it in plating makes silver and gold much stronger and prevents it from looking faded, just like the non-plated coequals.
Prior to plating, the gold or silver piece is ideally coated with a layer of nickel which protects the metal from the sulphuric acid found in a rhodium bath. From that point forward, the piece is dipped into rhodium solutions, and it is allowed to solidify. It is then polished to have it ready for sale. The jewellery piece has to undergo rhodium plating or flashing every three to ten years depending on its use.
The re-plating time of course depends on the thickness of the plating as well as the standards set by the makers during the electroplating process. However, your jewellery re-plated is never a thing to worry about as any manufacturer of jewellery will be willing to do it for you, at a cost of course.
Rhodium plated pieces are amazingly bright. As a matter of fact, this plating is known for a bright white, eye-catching look. When white gold or silver jewellery is plated with rhodium, it surprisingly improves its appearance. In fact, white gold will lustreless after the rhodium plating.
Rhodium plating also improves the longevity of the jewellery. The piece will become resistant to wear and tear, and it will be proof from scratches. Ideally, it makes the jewellery practically tarnish proof which makes it attractive for many years. As a matter of fact white gold in its original form looks greyish. Plating with rhodium makes it bright white which, of course, improves its appearance. On the other hand sterling silver is just too soft, but with rhodium plating, it becomes harder and more scratch resistant. What’s more is that sterling silver, in its original form, looks very raw but the rhodium plating gives it a more polished appearance.
Another major advantage is that rhodium is hypoallergenic, and so you do not have to worry about your fingers turning green from it. Most people are allergic to pure silver and gold, but they can be able to wear it without worries when plated with rhodium. Also, when gold is alloyed with nickel, it becomes allergic to some people and in response, many jewellers are offering rhodium plating as an alternative.
For Rhodium plating in Auckland, Orsini’s Jewellery in Parnell had a great reputation for high quality work. You can find out more here www.orsini.co.nz/Services/Jewellery+Cleaning++Repairs.html.