All About Rhodium Plating
The precious metal rhodium is known for its reflective white color and incredible durability. Hailing from the platinum family of elements, it brings incredible tarnish resistance to jewelry, making it a popular finishing touch for lighter metals like white gold and silver.
At Blue Nile, we’re proud to offer rhodium plating on many of our fine jewelry styles. This metal is used to add strength, style and shine to select jewelry.
Rhodium jewelry is easy to maintain, and it brings numerous benefits that make this plating a popular choice. Learn more about rhodium’s pros, considerations and upkeep in this guide.
What is Rhodium Plating?
Rhodium plating is an outer layer of rhodium that’s applied to jewelry using electroplating processes. It’s long-lasting, sturdy, stylish, and even hypoallergenic for many wearers. It has a shining, mirrorlike white finish that enhances the durability and appearance of jewelry.
Designs that Use Rhodium
Lighter metals are perfect for rhodium plating. The most popular types of rhodium plated jewelry include white gold and sterling silver designs. Additional plating gives these pieces enhanced durability, style and strength.
White Gold Jewelry
Rhodium plating is a crucial component of white gold jewelry. It gives this metal its iconic color and shine. Without rhodium plating, white gold looks dull and even a little champagne or yellow tinged. By rhodium plating white gold, these pieces can have mirrorlike shine and excellent durability.
Over time, the rhodium plating on white gold may wear away. This is natural and easy to address by replating the white gold jewelry with a fresh pass of rhodium. This is often called redipping.
Silver Jewelry
Though not as common as rhodium plating for white gold, rhodium is also used on sterling silver jewelry. A final coating of rhodium improves the shine of silver along with increasing its corrosion resistance.
The Benefits of Rhodium Plating
As part of the platinum family of metals, rhodium offers the perfect combination of appearance and strength. There are many benefits that make rhodium plating a popular choice.
Style & Comfort
With rarity and durability, platinum and rhodium are both expensive metals. Rhodium plated jewelry is a more affordable alternative to solid platinum jewelry, offering a similar look and strength with more budget conscious prices.
Additionally, rhodium plated jewelry offers comfortable wear with smooth finishes and a nickel-free finish. Depending on skin sensitivities, rhodium coatings can make excellent hypoallergenic jewelry.
Strength & Durability
Rhodium plated gold has exceptional durability, especially when compared to gold jewelry without this plating. This is because rhodium adds strength, tarnish resistance and corrosion protection. It adds strength similar to platinum, making any rhodium plated jewelry a smart choice for frequent wear.
Easy Upkeep
Over time, rhodium plating may wear off jewelry. This happens due to skin chemistry, environmental factors, wear, and simply the age of the jewelry. But not to worry, it’s simple to restore the rhodium finish. Simply visit your local jewelry store to have your jewelry replated with a fresh coat of rhodium. This is often called redipping, and it’s a quick process that easily restores rhodium plated jewelry.
FAQs About Rhodium Plating
How long does rhodium plating last?
Rhodium plating lasts anywhere from 8 months to several years. Most people get at least a year out of their plating, though it varies depending on lifestyle factors. To keep your rhodium plating at its best, avoid exposing your jewelry to chemicals or harsh conditions.
Remember, rhodium plated jewelry can be restored quickly with a fresh application of the exterior metal. This makes the jewelry look good as new, and it’s a standard jewelry care step that’s easy to find locally. Contact us for help restoring your Blue Nile rhodium plated jewelry.
Why does some jewelry have rhodium?
Lighter jewelry often receives rhodium plating to improve its shine, color, brightness, strength, tarnish resistance, and durability.
Is this metal durable?
Yes, rhodium is an incredibly durable metal. It’s in the platinum family of metals, bringing strength, tarnish resistance and corrosion resistance.
What are the benefits of rhodium plating?
Rhodium plating brings style and strength to jewelry. It adds a bright, reflective finish to jewelry and added durability.
Is rhodium hypoallergenic?
Depending on skin sensitivities, rhodium plating is a popular hypoallergenic choice. It’s a nickel–free precious metal.
Does rhodium plating tarnish?
No, rhodium plating does not tarnish. It’s a non-reactive metal, so it’s resistant to tarnishing. But rhodium plating can wear away over time, and the metal beneath may tarnish.
How do you maintain this jewelry?
You can keep rhodium plated jewelry at its best with regular cleaning and thoughtful wear. If your plating wears off, a quick reapplication at your local jeweler can restore this jewelry.
What is rhodium plated?
Rhodium plated jewelry is any jewelry with an exterior coating of the precious metal rhodium. It’s most commonly used on white gold or silver.
Finding Rhodium Plated Jewelry
At Blue Nile, we offer a wide selection of rhodium plated jewelry for any occasion. This plating is especially popular on white gold, silver, wedding rings, and engagement rings. Explore our rhodium plated jewelry online or at our local jewelry stores.
