Palladium plating system

Jewelry Discussion
1

Can anyone suggest the necessary tools / equipment to do palladium
plating on sterling silver?

Thanks,
Craig

2

Craig, this might help as well. Palladium Plating Check List

Plating Parameter Verification

  • Pour PD White into a perfectly cleaned glass beaker
  • Heat PD White to 100 F (*DO NOT EXCEED 110 F)
  • Mix PD White plating solution using glass rod or magnetic mixer *
    Check PH with PH paper. Correct PH is 8.5 * Adjust PH to 8.5 by
    adding 1 drop of PHAK Additive, mix well. * Check PH with paper to
    verify PH 8.5
  • Add PHAK slowly, drop by drop while mixing to reach PH 8.5
  • Check Anode (Connected to + Positive lead)
  • Check Plating Rack (Connected to - Negative lead)
  • Check Rectifier setting 2.5 - 3.0 Volts is correct * Cover
    Palladium solution when not in use Cleaning Process Before Plating
  • Clean item to be plated by deoxidizing, rinse, ultra sonic, DI
    rinse.
  • Burnish or polish metal surface, ultra sonic, follow by DI rinse.
  • Electro clean, rinse, neutralize, rinse, DI Rinse.

*Note: Proper rinsing will help protect the expensive plating
solution

Andy The Tool Guy Kroungold
Phone 800-877-7777 ext 4194

3

Can you use this Palladium to plate white gold instead of rhodium?
This has got to be much cheaper. Wouldn’t this be a dream come true.

Thanks Johneric

4

On polygon there was a discussion on the palladium plating. Its not
as white (more grey) than rhodium

It WILL PLATE over silver.

This one jeweler said he’s use Palladium on repairs, higher end
stuff he’d plate with Palladium and then plate over it with Rhodium
but half the time.

David Geller
www.JewelerProfit.com

5

Searching the archives, I found a discussion “Rhodium plating
silver”

Rhodium plating will and should last for a few years.The problem is
that their is a difference in the quality of Rhodium plating from
plater to plater.there are also sinthetic rhodiums that do not last
more than a few weeks and then there is paladium plating which
requires 4 times more plating than good rhodium to be
equivalent.Many who use paladium instead of Rhodium do not realise
this.

And while these statements don’t contradict each other, they don’t
draw the same picture, neither. I agree that plating is an art in
itself, and there are good platers and there are bad platers, and
there are jewellers who buy a rectifier and a bath.

There is stressed jewelry, mostly rings and probably bracelets,
where the coating takes more physical stress than, say, earrings.

So in my layman thinking I’d say: Ok, I’d lightly paladium-plate my
earrings and neckware myself, double on bracelets and find a real
good rhodium plater for my rings.

Right? Wrong? Irrelevant?

Thanks,
Andreas

P.S.: Who are the real good platers in France or Europe. Reply
off-list if you wish. Thanks!

6

contradicting" does not make sense. So here is the first part which
references a comment from David Geller:

This one jeweler said he's use Palladium on repairs, higher end
stuff he'd plate with Palladium and then plate over it with
Rhodium but half the time.

And Rhodium plating silver - Jewelry Discussion - Ganoksin Orchid Jewelry Forum Community for Jewelers and Metalsmiths

Rhodium plating will and should last for a few years.The problem
is that their is a difference in the quality of Rhodium plating
from plater to plater.there are also sinthetic rhodiums that do not
last more than a few weeks and then there is paladium plating which
requires 4 times more plating than good rhodium to be
equivalent.Many who use paladium instead of Rhodium do not realise
this.

Again, what seems interesting is replacing rhodium with palladium,
but only if the results are comparable. I’d love to hear your
thoughts and experiences.

Thanks,
Andreas

7 
Can you use this Palladium to plate white gold instead of rhodium?

It will plate on white gold as well silver without an under coat…
the important things are the temperature at 105 and the ph at 8.5…

Andy The Tool Guy Kroungold