I have 14k white gold chain that I cleaned and polished. Then wrapped around 14k white gold hook in order to rhodium plate it. I am ended up with dark dingy grey/black color that is also not continually the same through out the chain. Is there a best practice method for rhodium plating a chain. Maybe a special tool? The chain is nice but unsellable right now.
Not sure where to start ~ things that come to mind ~
Did you have the correct polarity for the current?
reversing the current might cause what you are describing
The Rhodium solution might be contaminated ~
this can happen in a number of ways, not electro cleaning the piece after cleaning and before plating, for one. Did you electro clean the chain?
When one polishes a chain, often the compound can be trapped between links, along with other compounds from wear. Normal ultrasound and steam cleaning isn’t enough to remove all the contaminates.
Are you using a Platinum Anode? Using the wrong anode will effect the out come. For example using a 14K white gold for an anode. The nickel alloy in most 14k white golds, will be pulled into the solution contaminating it.
You might try plating another item that is less complex like a simple ring, going though the correct steps; if it comes out the same way, then the solution is definitely contaminated.
If the rhodium solution is contaminated, I’m unaware of how one would decontaminate it, so one would have to start with fresh plating solution.
Best of Luck!
1 Like
Earlier this year my Rhodium plating suddenly began to look dark and dingy.
I carbon filtered my solution, and when that failed to solve the problem I purchased new solution. The results remained the same.
It was only when I made up a new batch of Electroclean in distilled water, and after that, miraculously, the problem disappeared
I never would have imagined that the issue began right from step 1, in the cleaning solution, but when a new plating solution failed to solve the problem, I began by starting over, one step at a time. Just changing the (now obviously) contaminated electrocleaning solution exposed, and solved the problem.
Fresh Electroclean was far less $$ than new Rhodium solution!
Thank you and I am ordering new today. One more question what steps should I take to start fresh and redo it? Should I polish it? My other question is how do you dip a chain properly. I wrap it around my wire hook, but I always end up with uneven plating.
In the past when I have had issues with my Rhodium plating, I have reached out to the team at Stuller, for advive.
It cannot hurt. I am not an expert at plating.
I use a carbon, filtering kit I purchased from Stuller, to periodically restore my Rhodium solution. As I said earlier, the last time I had an issue, it was the Electro Cleaner, and not the Rhodium solution that was contaminated.
You could try dipping the chain in Potasium Cyanide, if you can still find it. That might restore the brightness, but you really may need to totally re-polish the chain. Plating a dull surface only produces a dull plated durface.
Just be very, very careful, trying to polish chain. Wrap it tightly, to avoid it snagging and becoming a weapon of massive destruction
I forget now who it was in our industry who said that polishing chain should be reserved for those with a plethora of fingers they are willing to sacrifice. Chain polishing can be very high risk.
When plating, if hanging the chain from a wire, you might also want to keep shifting the chain so all surfaces are exposed equally, this last applies also to the polishing stage.
I forgot why I switch to an Ionic Cleaner and Speedbrite electro-cleaner solution for my plating. The typical Electro clean solution where you add distilled water and heat was for me always a hassle, and I had similar problems. With the speedbrite and Ionic cleaner, there are far less problems and much easier to use. It also was useful for other applications.
1 Like
Does the clasp on the chain have a metal spring in the clasp? The metal could be causing the contamination.
1 Like