Rhodium

Rhodium is a precious metal of the platinum group, very bright, reflective and corrosion-resistant. In jewelry it is almost never used solid: it is applied as an extremely thin layer, by electroplating, over white gold, silver and other metals to give them an intense white and protect them.

Properties #

• Color: very bright white, slightly bluish.
• Melting point: around 1964 °C.
• Hardness: high, greater than silver, gold or platinum.
• Application: electrolytic plating a few microns thick.
• Value: it is one of the most expensive metals in the world.

Uses in jewelry #

• Plating of white gold, which naturally has a slightly yellowish tone.
• Plating of silver to prevent tarnish.
• Black rhodium plating for dark finishes.
• Reinforcing quality costume jewelry.

Pros and cons #

Advantages #

• Gives a bright, even white.
• Protects against tarnish and surface scratches.
• Enhances the look of clear stones like diamond.

Limitations #

• The layer is very thin and wears with use.
• The plating has to be renewed from time to time.
• When it wears off, the color of the base metal shows through.

Care and cleaning #

• Avoid chemicals, chlorine and abrasives, which wear the plating.
• Clean only with lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft cloth.
• A jeweler can re-plate the piece when it loses its shine; how often depends on use (for everyday rings it may be every year or two).

See also #

• Platinum
• Palladium
• Gold