Learning about Rhodium Plating
Rhodium plating is very popular now in jeweler’s art. So lets take a few minutes to learn about it:
Rhodium (from the platinum family) electroplating helps to resist scratches and tarnish, and give a white, reflective appearance to jewelry, keeping it shiny for a longer period of time.
One useful thing about rhodium plating is that it offers an option for people who are normally allergic to the nickel in lower-quality gold. The layer of plating serves as a protective barrier that allows many such people to wear 10k and 14k jewelry.
When you are shopping for a new piece of jewelry in silver, platinum and white gold, you may want to ask the jeweler whether it has been rhodium plated. You just need to know more about your “treasures” to maintain and preserve them properly for years. For example rhodium plated sterling silver requires different approach.
You should never use chemical based silver cleaners for rhodium plated sterling silver, as chemicals will damage the finish and gemstones.
Sometimes plating wears away, it happens if you wear some particular piece of jewelry all the time (your wedding ring for example). But the item can be easily replated by a jeweler.
So, be good to your jewelry, and it will honestly serve you and probably even your grandchildren for a longer time.
