A 1 pint (1 gram) of rhodium plating solution today is $513. A
jeweler friend of mine who is also a college graduate chemist told me
you can get 75 to 100 platings out of a bottle of rhodium plating
solution. if you can get 75 to 100 platings per bottle (1 gram
bottle), each plating has a cost of goods of between $5.13 to $6.84
for the material. If you triple the cost of goods on the rhodium
itself, the rhodium you used would sell for $15.50 to $20.50.
I had originally figured $10 to $15 in labor to DIP the ring into
the bath.
Therefore if you use a 1 gram bottle of rhodium plating (1 pint)
solution and add $20.50 retail on the rhodium itself and add the $15
to dip, then RETAIL is $35. Many folks charge $45.
If you buy a 2 gram bottle (a whiter color-many folks use this on
their stock and the 1 gram bottle on repairs) then the bottle cost
$1010 today at Stuller. So your cost of goods and retail for rhodium
only is
Cost of goods 3 time markup
$10.10 $30.00 #13.45 $40.00
If you add $15 to dip, plus the $40.00 rhodium itself at retail
you’d charge $55.00. This is using a 2 gram bottle of rhodium. Again
many folks charge $45 and up to $75 for this.
You should look and see if you bought a 1 gram bottle or a 2 gram
bottle. Most folks buy a 1 gram bottle and $45 is fine in my book and
this assumes my chemist friend was right, which I’d agree with (75 to
100 platings per bottle). I’ve seen jewelers talk themselves into
telling every customer $9000 an ounce and get bigger bucks. There are
31+ grams to an ounce. If you divide $9000 by 31 grams then a gram of
rhodium is $290.32. The bottle of plating solution cost YOU $513.00
and $290.00 is the cost of the rhodium swimming inside the bottle and
the difference is the markup by the supplier on the rhodium and to
make the bath, the bottle, profit, etc.
So whatever gives your brain justification to sell for more, go with
it. I figure costs, markups and add in labor.
Palladium solution is now on the maket from stuller. I called the
tech and he says that it plates a bright white. I ask if I could
return it if not satisfied. No! I will be placing and order anyway.
HOPE TO SAVE A LOT OF MONEY. Has anyone else tried this? I plate on
average 20 rings a Day.
Nothing beats the whiteness of rhodium, I am afraid. I have been
experimenting with the paladium solution available from Rio for some
time, and it does plate very well. My main thrust is to avoid
tarnishing on silver. Paladium plates on to silver and rhodium plates
onto paladium. So I have been flash plating the silver in my mixed
metal pieces with paladium and then with rhodium. This is to avoid
the silver from tarnishing and then having to polish the piece over
and over. Tarnishing is not a perceived problem at all. Recurring
polishing ruins the overall crispness of the piece. However,the
colour of paladium is a harsh metallic grey. It is not a warm
colour…a bit like polished steel or chrome.
Nothing beats the whiteness of rhodium, I am afraid. I have been
experimenting with the paladium solution available from Rio for
some time, and it does plate very well....
Lurk … Lurk … Lurk… I’m thrilled, but nervous to add my two cents
(or perhaps two pence) to this august group of metalsmiths. I look
forward to your comments with my morning coffee.
I have been in correspondence with the Argentium Silver Company, Ltd.
@ Middlesex University in hope of finding a process whereby sterling
silver objects can be plated or otherwise “coated” with argentium
silver. They have indicated that no process currently exists, but it
is under research by their organization. My thoughts immediately
turned to all of the Orchid chemists, metallurgists, engineers, etc.
Perhaps the talent and ingenuity of one or more of you can solve this
problem (not to mention reaping a jackpot-sized financial return).