I have completed a fillgree ring set with diamonds, rubies and seed
pearls. The pearls have been set and now I wish to rhodium plate the
entire ring. Has anyone had any success with masking the pearls so
it can be rhodium plated. I usually use nail polish to mask then
acetone to clean but the acetone is going tho ruin the lustre of the
pearls. Any ideas would be most welcome.
Many thanks in advance
Christos…
Hello Orchidland,
Heat the shank of the ring in such a way so that the heat rising up does not cause any damage to the pearl, heat until the glue smokes (do not breathe the fumes). Sometimes you have to do it twice if the first time does not heat up enough to loosen the glue. Always works for me.
Rather than use a torch for heat, my mentor, James Cook, taught to
touch a heated soldering iron to the peg. (Obviously the soldering
iron MUST be used for nothing else, or contamination might result.)
Judy in Kansas