Rhodium plating silver

Jewelry Discussion
1

Greetings all, I’ve just visited the archives, and although this
subject has already come up several times I still have some
questions. From what I can gather, silver is often rhodium plated to
prevent tarnishing and has the advantage of being very hard – so it
doesn’t wear or scratch easily. However, it lacks silver’s 'warm’
color. A problem for some, but not all jewelers?

How current is rhodium plating? Does everyone do it? or is it used
primarily in ‘production’ jewelry and not ‘hand-crafted’ pieces. (I
use quotes here because the distinction between the two is sometimes
unclear to me.) Is the piece then lacquered? If so, why? it seems
redundant to me…

I’m making silver charms and eventually offering them attached to
bracelets. The sample bracelets that I have appear to be rhodium
plated, which leaves me with the problem of soldering the attachment
links without damaging the plating. We’ll be going to a trade show in
Paris in two weeks and we’ll be shopping there for bracelets amongst
other things. Are unplated bracelets to be found out there?

I prefer the color of silver and don’t want to do any plating. Also,
I have reservations about selling something as silver that’s actually
plated with chrome, then rhodium. No one has mentioned plating with
fine silver.

Cathy Icardo (in France where summer came and went last week)

2

In regards to rhodium plated silver… Many of the well known names
that have silver in their catalogs do not rhodium plate their silver
items. We have produced silver items for some famous companies and we
were specifically told that they do not want rhodium plated silver .
It inhibits the natural ageing process of the silver. However, if you
have alergic reactions to sterling Silver , it is recommended to
Rhodium plate your items.If done correctly, 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 .good Rhodium plate costs quite a bit
more than the other 2. Just my $ worth. Daniel Grandi
http://www.racecarjewelry.com model, moldmaking ,casting &finishing
in gold, silver , bronze, brass and pewter