Rhodium plating on stainless steel?

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hey Orchid,

Does anybody out there have any about rhodium plating on
stainless steel? Is it even possible? Don’t ask why, but I had a
customer asking about it.

BK in AK

2

Hi Brent;

Does anybody out there have any about rhodium plating
on stainless steel?

It can be done, but you need to first use an “activator”. This is a
solution you can buy from the same companies that provide plating
supplies, and it is used as you would a plating solution. After
activation, it would be advisable to plate first with gold or nickel,
as rhodium is an acid based solution which can react to some
stainless alloys. After that, rhodium should stick.

Someone on Orchid may be able to help us with the name of that well
known book on plating, the title of which I can’t recall, offhand.

David L. Huffman