Rhodium-plated silver jewellery is the most common jewellery found on online sales or in a jewellery store. With this material, one wears quality jewelry compared to classic silver. On top of that, it has much more value and is much more expensive than gold. It is obvious that buying on the spot, one can have a lot of explanation about this material, but online, one doesn't even know details and information. In this article, discover the real definition and information about a rhodium-plated silver jewel.
What is a rhodium?
Rhodium is a metallic material close to platinum. It is very rare and very expensive. Jewellers use it thanks to its non-oxidizable powers, but also thanks to its very bright white colors. It is also used in cars, in photographers, in the mirrors of headlights even in orthodontics. Very precious, it avoids the blackening of classic silver. This metal has the property of reverberation, which is beneficial at the end of the material protection in gold and silver. In addition, it gives the maximum brilliance of a classic jewel. In jewellery, only one layer of rhodium is put on a ring, necklace... but not the whole.
What is the rhodium plating system ?
Rhodium plating consists of putting a thin layer of rhodium on a jewel, ring, bracelet or necklace. The thickness of the layer varies greatly depending on the manufacturer. The rhodium plating of a piece of jewellery also follows international manufacturing standards and the thickness is about 1 to 5 microns. However, buyers are unable to know this thickness. This method consists of depositing a layer of rhodium on a gold or silver jewel by electrolysis. With friction, rubbing, and shocks, we can say that the rhodium layer is altered and it is not eternal. In this case, the lifespan of a rhodium-plated silver jewel depends on the deposit and the thickness of the rhodium layer.
The price of a rhodium-plated silver jewelry
Since rhodium is a very rare material, it is obvious that the material is very expensive and a rhodium-plated silver jewellery piece suffers the same consequence. Through the system of electrolytic plating, rhodium is combined with gold or silver, which also causes the extra cost of a jewel covered with a layer of rhodium. But if the quality of resistance and rhodium plating is low, indeed, the cost of a rhodium-plated silver jewel can be limited.