Rhodium Plating
A thin coating of rhodium applied over white gold or silver to give a bright white, protective finish.
Rhodium plating is the finishing step that gives white gold its crisp, mirror bright white. Rhodium is a hard, brilliant white metal from the platinum group, and it is electroplated in a layer only a few microns thick over white gold or silver to brighten the surface and protect the metal beneath. Because the layer is so thin, it slowly wears away with everyday use, which is why jewellers re plate pieces during routine servicing.
How and why it is applied
The piece is cleaned and then electroplated in a rhodium solution, depositing a coating typically well under one micron up to a couple of microns thick. That coating does two things: it gives a brighter, whiter, more reflective surface than the gold alloy alone, and it adds a hard, tarnish resistant layer over softer metal.
White gold is the main candidate, because even good white alloys keep a faint warm tint that rhodium hides completely. Silver is also plated to slow tarnishing, and rhodium's hardness helps protect surfaces that would otherwise scratch or dull.
- Rhodium is a hard, bright white platinum group metal.
- Applied by electroplating, usually a few microns thick.
- Brightens white gold and hides any warm tint.
- Adds a protective, tarnish resistant surface.
Why plating wears and needs renewing
A few microns is not much metal, so friction from daily wear gradually rubs the rhodium away, first at contact points such as the underside of a ring shank. As it thins, the slightly warmer alloy beneath begins to show, which reads as the white gold looking a little yellow.
The remedy is replating, commonly every eighteen to twenty four months depending on how hard the piece is worn. It is a standard servicing job rather than a repair, so setting that expectation with customers keeps replating understood as ordinary upkeep.
- Rhodium plating gives white gold a bright, protective white finish.
- The layer is only microns thick, applied by electroplating.
- It wears with daily use, especially at friction points.
- Pieces are typically replated every eighteen to twenty four months.
Rhodium Plating, in short.
Why is rhodium used to plate white gold?
Rhodium is extremely white, hard and reflective, so it gives white gold a bright finish and hides the faint warm tint of the underlying alloy, while adding a protective, tarnish resistant surface.
How long does rhodium plating last?
Usually eighteen to twenty four months, though rings worn daily wear faster than earrings or pendants. When the plating thins and the metal looks warmer, it is time to replate.
Related terms
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