De-plating silver

Jewelry Discussion
1

I could use some help: I have a 925 silver ring which has been
fine-silver plated to retard tarnishing. So far, so good.

Problem is that some part of the ring fell off and needs to be
re-soldered. Is there an easy way to de-plate the ring? I would want
to avoid the bubbles and the painful repolishing afterwards.

Any ideas how to strip silver from silver?

Thanks all,
Andreas

2

Andreas,

There should be no problem soldering with the plating on. Remember
that a standard sterling object becomes, in essence, plated every
time that you solder and pickle it. Electroplating fine silver will
not change the way the piece behaves. You may wish to grind through
the plating a little in the specific area that needs soldering.

Note that this is not the case with rhodium plating which will most
definitely bubble and discolor. That’s another beastie entirely.
Just be sure of what the plating is.

Perhaps I’ve missed something, but this has been my experience.

Take care, Andy

3

We have come across a form of “bright plating” normally on cheaper
silver items. The silver pieces are initially copper plated to give a
uniform colour to cover fire scale and then given a plating - not
even sure if it is silver as it seems to be a very hard metal - but
when heated duing a repair will bubble revealing the copper
underneath. Try to avoid if possible.

Good luck,
Roger

4 
We have come across a form of "bright plating" normally on cheaper
silver items. The silver pieces are initially copper plated to
give a uniform colour to cover fire scale and then given a plating
- not even sure if it is silver as it seems to be a very hard metal
- but when heated duing a repair will bubble revealing the copper
underneath. Try to avoid if possible.

It’s probably rhodium plated. It’s common in mass produced “fashion”
jewelry. The copper coating is used to seal the silver and stopping
any contamination of the rhodium.

Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
Rocky Mountain Wonders
Colorado Springs, Colorado
rockymountainwonders.com

5

Thanks all for replying. I have talked to the plater in the meantime.
He confirms that he does not preplate and that he is plating silver.
The only deviation, maybe, is a silver brightener he puts into his
baths. I assume these to be the origin of the bubbles. Strange thing,
a plater who makes pieces unrepairable and who has never had this
problem before.