What is rhodium?
Rhodium is a rare precious metal from the platinum family. When electroplated onto jewelry it provides a bright white and reflective finish. It is typically used as a finishing touch on white gold jewelry. It is sometimes plated over yellow gold.
How long will rhodium plating last?
It is important to know that rhodium plating is a surface treatment and WILL wear off in time revealing the underlying natural yellow or white gold color.
The life span of a rhodium plated finish depends on how the piece is worn. On a ring worn daily the plating can wear off fairly quickly. If a ring is worn only occasionally the piece should keep its rhodium finish for many years.
Can the rhodium plating be removed if I want my jewelry to be yellow again?
The only way to remove the rhodium finish is to mechanically polish it off. This is not difficult on a piece where all areas are accessible to polishing tools. However there are some pieces that have areas where all of the rhodium cannot be removed, under stones for instance. In these cases we do not recommend rhodium plating over yellow gold.
How do I clean my rhodium plated jewelry?
Clean pieces with a jewelry cleaning solution or a mild soap and water. A jeweler can lightly buff a white gold piece for you, however yellow gold jewelry that has been rhodium plated should not be polished without removing the rhodium finish. Be sure to tell any jeweler handling your jewelry if it is yellow gold with rhodium plating to avoid removing the finish inadvertently.
