White
gold jewellery is extremely popular right now, offering a good compromise
between the quality of gold and the fashionable look of silver. However, after a while, you may find that
your white gold is looking a little lacklustre; this is due to the fact that,
when it comes to white gold, not all that glitters is actually gold – it’s a
plating of rhodium on top of the white gold that gives it its silver-white
colour. And what’s more, any white gold
which has lost its sparkle can be easily brought back to life, with a little
rhodium plating, a service offered by your local
independent jeweller.
How is white gold created?
All
gold is naturally yellow in colour, and can then be fashioned into other
colours, such as white gold or rose gold, but adding a layer of a different
metal on top. Rhodium is a brilliant white coloured metal which is added to
gold to create the fashionable silver colour.
The rhodium plating is only part of the white gold’s colour, however,
and it’s important when buying white gold that you enquire about the alloy
mixed with the white gold to create its colour; palladium is the best alloy for
use with white gold, and as all white gold is graded, from 1 being the best to
4 being the worst, your local jeweller
will be able to advise whether or not your ring will need rhodium plating often
in the future.
The Rhodium Plating process
If
your white gold jewellery does need rhodium plating after a while, don’t
despair: it is a quick, simple process which is not only relatively
inexpensive, but will also be available at your local
jewellery shop. How often you need your white gold jewellery,
particularly rings, re-rhodium plated is dependent on the quality of the gold
and the general wear and tear inflicted on the piece – for example, if you are
employed in a manual occupation, it’s likely that you’ll need your white gold
ring rhodium plated more frequently than someone in a non-manual position; your
localindependent jeweller will be able to advise on how often you will
need the metal treated. Rhodium plating
also involves polishing out all of the scratches your jewellery may have
incurred, so your piece really will be as good as new again!
Rhodium plating: carried out on the
premises of your local jewellery shop
Rhodium
plating is a straightforward process which can be carried out quickly by a
trained jeweller. When submitting your jewellery
to be re-plated, enquire as to whether the plating will be carried out on site;
your local jewellery shop will
carry out rhodium plating on site, but you should be aware that some jewellery
chains send off jewellery for plating, putting it at risk of being lost in
transit. What’s more, when rhodium
plating is carried out by a local independent jeweller,
your jewellery will be back in your own hands and shining away in no time,
which, if the piece in question is a treasured engagement, wedding or eternity
ring not normally removed from your finger, is very reassuring for you as a
client.
