Are most white gold jewelry rhodium plated?

Jewelry Discussion
1

Probably need a new thread for this but isn’t most "white gold"
jewelry rhodium plated? Wouldn’t the rhodium plating burn off as
well?

Thanks,
Frank (a different one)

2

You might try Firescoff Rh. it allows you to solder on pieces that
there is rhodium.

Andy “The Tool Guy” Kroungold

3

Thanks Andy,

This was taken a little out of context as it was a reply to the
"Whoppers jewellers have told to make a sale" thread.

The issue there was a plated white gold ring that blackened when it
was heated by a torch. I guess my question was “Isn’t most white gold
rhodium plated?” and if so, wouldn’t you use something like Firescoff
to protect it. And furthering that along, would the Firescoff have
protected the white gold plating in this case the same way.

I’m very new to this, self taught and haven’t tried any repairs. I
trying to learn how to spot a mess before I step into it repair-wise.

Thanks,
Frank

4

Depends on the white gold alloy. The higher carat white golds can
come to us in the store as a very yellow product, but most are
rhodium plated.

We haven’t been able to get rhodium plating solution for a very long
time. Some clever people have been using ruthenium plating solution.

Regards Charles A.
(Hi Nicole ;-))

5

Most plating is very thin. It wears away in time, usually leaving a
yellowish tinge in places where it has worn through. Firescoff won’t
completely protect the plating when doing repairs, there is still
filing and polishing thatwill remove more of what plating is left.

Melissa Veres, engraver

6

So after you sized the ring and did the polishing, would you have to
have the ring re-plated? If so, would that be included in the price
of the re-sizing or would that be an extra charge to the client?

Thanks,
Frank

7

Frank -In the old days we used to re rhodium pate white gold after a
sizing for free. With solution prices so high we now charge 40-50
bucks to polish and rhod plate.

Have fun and make lots of jewelry.
Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com

8

white gold without rhodium the so called white gold looks slightly
yellowish tomy joseph

9

Myself, I love the look of white gold and no Rhodium but these
stupid manufacturers have convinced women that fake white is better

Kevin

10 
Myself, I love the look of white gold and no Rhodium but these
stupid manufacturers have convinced women that fake white is
better

Hi Kevin,

White gold is one of the things I don’t really understand.

Gold is a coloured metal, and mixing it with other elements just
shades the metal green gold rose gold etc.

Putting rhodium plate on it turns the gold brilliant white. what’s
wrong with silver, or platinum?

I guess it’s one of those gold is valuable things, but I don’t get
it.

Regards Charles

11

Charles, neither do I. It seems to me, if one wants a truly white
metal band they would opt for platinum or palladium, of if durability
is not an issue 925. But white gold remains popular, for whatever
reason. Personally, I doubt I will ever ever be working with white
gold in the future, it just doesn’t seem worth it for me.

I also think that the extra hassle of rhodium plating to keep it
white is kind of silly. I would rather have silver and polish it from
time to time.

12

What is the feeling to offer the customer the purest white metal PD.

Andy “The Tool Guy” Kroungold

13

White gold was developed as a less expensive alternative to platinum
and as a more durable, and tarnish-free, white metal than silver. By
the 1920s platinum had well eclipsed silver in the general
imagination as the preferred white metal for precious jewelry, but it
was very expensive compared to karat gold.

In 1920 gold was ~$20 oz t and platinum was ~$111 oz t. Even in
years when prices are closer, gold alloyed with nickel to 14K or 18K
is much less expensive than 90% Platinum-Iridium.

Elliot Nesterman

14 
What is the feeling to offer the customer the purest white metal
PD.

Andy, I have had customers opt for palladium, and we use a lot of it
where I work. The problem is, a lot of things are just not available
yet in pd.

Settings, even tubing-- just not available. This really limits the
marketability of pd.

Noel

15 
This was taken a little out of context as it was a reply to the
"Whoppers jewellers have told to make a sale" thread. The issue
there was a plated white gold ring that blackened when it was
heated by a torch. I guess my question was "Isn't most white gold
rhodium plated?" and if so, wouldn't you use something like
Firescoff to protect it. And furthering that along, would the
Firescoff have protected the white gold plating in this case the
same way.

That was my tale, and the ring in question was yellow gold, stamped
as 14kwg, and plated with rhodium to look white.

I had no idea it wasn’t truly white gold until I hit it with the
torch, and by then it was too late. I have no idea what Firescoff
might have done for this ring.

Kathy Johnson

16

So I take it that you make your own palladium chennier, and stock
gauge? CIA

17

Noel- Stuller carries palladium findings and you can have most
anything they have custom made in palladium. There are also metals
suppliers who do make palladium tubing. Johnson Matthey and United
PM.

Jo
timothywgreen.com

18

That was my tale, and the ring in question was yellow gold, stamped
as 14kwg, and plated with rhodium to look white.

I had no idea it wasn’t truly white gold until I hit it with the
torch, and by then it was too late. I have no idea what Firescoff
might have done for this ring.

You have my sympathy. Seeing that band turn black must have been
horrifying.

I’m way too new to jewelry to be doing repairs but I know the “How
many handbaskets does hell need?!?” feeling all too well in my paying
job.

Thanks,
Frank

19

There are whiter alloys of white gold but they become harder because
nickel makes them hard. Palladium Is a pain in the butt to repair,
that’s why you don’t see it. Platinum is better but expensive. Just
get used to plating

20

Shannon Dalton said,

Palladium Is a pain in the butt to repair, that's why you don't
see it.

I’ve never worked in palladium, but I was thinking about starting.
Why is palladium such a pain in the butt to repair? I also thought
it wasvery durable. I have to admit that I’ve never been a fan of
whitegold. It just always seemed a bit of an oxymoron to me. Gold is
gold, not white. :confused: And anything that needs to be plated to look
good. eh. But so many people like the look of a white metal, but
want something more precious than silver. Most people don’t have a
clue about the durability factor (and having to plate defeats the
purpose of that in my mind), theyjust want a silver color and want
it to be an expensive metal, but not platinum expensive. So what’s
the real deal about palladium? (pleasefeel free to change this to a
new topic if it’s warranted.)