| To understand why one should care to rhodium plate | | | | "white gold." The issue arising here is that the white |
| their jewelry, we first must understand a few things | | | | gold is more of a pale yellow than bright white. When |
| about rhodium itself. Rhodium is a rare, silver to white | | | | the rhodium plating is applied, it makes the ring more |
| metal, that comes from the platinum group in the | | | | attractive and reflective. This process is called |
| periodic table. It is one of the most expensive metals, | | | | electroplating and usually leaves a protective coating |
| at almost twice the price of platinum and three to four | | | | about the thickness of a micron on standard 14k white |
| times the cost of gold. Rhodium has an extremely high | | | | gold. The common term for this in the jewelery |
| reflectivity and doesn't normally form an oxide, even | | | | industry is rhodium flashing. |
| when heated. | | | | The rhodium plating will eventually wear off and should |
| There are various reasons to rhodium plate our | | | | be re-applied every couple years. This will be |
| jewelry, especially wedding bands and rings. | | | | evidenced on the portions of the ring that receive the |
| Many times white gold is rhodium plated to enhance | | | | most wear and start to look the pale yellow color |
| the reflectivity of the ring and make the diamonds look | | | | instead of bright white. To prevent this, choose a |
| more brilliant. Because rhodium is a "noble metal" and | | | | jeweler that uses a brighter white gold to start with, |
| inert, it withstands corrosion and makes jewelry more | | | | and the contrast will be much less. Rhodium plating |
| durable as well. | | | | should be a free process from whatever jeweler you |
| Most often jewelers will use a small amount of | | | | decide to purchase your ring from. |
| palladium or nickel to bleach yellow gold and turn it into | | | | |