How Can I Fix Plated Jewelry
AnnabelleTips & Resources
Youre twisting your favorite ring around your finger, and you notice a gleam out of the corner of your eyethe gleam of the metal thats not the same color as the rest of your ring. Wearing out plated jewelry has become a common issue among jewelry lovers, but fortunately its not a difficult problem to fix! Read more to learn how to restore plated jewelry.
What is plated jewelry?
Plated jewelry is jewelry made from a cheaper base metal thats coated with a layer of precious metal or alloy. It is significantly more affordable for most people to buy plated jewelry instead of solid pieces, so a lot of jewelry on the market will have some kind of plating in order to achieve a desired look such as rose gold.
When the plating eventually wears off, the base metal becomes visible. In order to fix it, jewelers will use a process known as electroplating to restore your item to its original color.
A costume ring that has lost a lot of plating
What is Electroplating?
Jewelry can be manipulated into various colors via two primary methods, electroplating and enameling. The two differ drastically in terms of process and materials used, which is why its important to make a distinction when youre looking to repair your jewelry.
- Gold electroplating: Normally used to touch up gold-plated jewelry or give silver jewelry a new gold appearance.
A ring before and after gold electroplating
Amethyst ring before and after rhodium plating and cleaning
You’re Going To Have To Get Your White Gold Ring Dipped
For as long as there have been engagement rings, there has been a battle of the bands: White gold or platinum?
If your bride-to-be prefers a silvery hue, there’s a decision to make. White gold is very popular its silver tone is made by combining gold alloy with a variety of white metals . Platinum is a naturally white metal, requiring no combinations to get that cool tone. Almost all platinum is about 95% platinum and 5% other pure alloys. Therefore, platinum costs more: About two-and-a-half to five times more than white gold.
If you go with white gold, though, you’re in good company. Many women love the look. But you should be aware of another difference between white gold and platinum: durability. White gold is softer than platinum, and it’s finished with a rhodium plating that can wear off with time, requiring occasional ring dipping.
What Does Having Your Ring Dipped Mean
When a person talks about having the ring dipped, they are talking about it being plated. It is more of a laymans way of talking about the same thing.
For the most part, when one is talking about gold getting dipped, they are talking about it getting dipped in rhodium.
That is because it is the standard metal in which white gold is electroplated on. While gold does have a mixture of yellow gold and it benefits from having an extra layer so that its silver.
The reason jewelry needs plating varies. One of the reasons is to increase the aesthetic value of a piece, making it more wearable.
What youll find is that jewelers will apply a thin layer of palladium on the surface so that there is better bonding between the jewelry itself and the metal to be added on top through electroplating.
Apart from how something looks, the other reason why electroplating or dipping gets done is to increase the value of something.
It is a commonplace to find jewelry that, for example, has a later of gold on top of the base material.
Gold is something thats valued, but not everyone can part with the cost of the same. Therefore, they are willing to settle to having a base metal with a layer of gold.
The fantastic thing about that is no one can tell from looking of the pieces is not pure gold.
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Downsides Of Plated Jewelry
As you might expect, picking the cheaper option also has its disadvantages.
For starters, the plating that covers your jewelry will inevitably wear away. The thicker the outer layer, the more time it will take before it wears away and the lower layer becomes visible.
At that point, you can take the piece to your jeweler to get it replated. The problem with replating is that it costs money and some metals, such as gold or rhodium, are very expensive.
You should also keep in mind that the more moving parts a jewelry piece has, the harder it is to plate it again. Be wary of buying such items plated.
If you are comfortable with the thought that the plating will wear away at some point, you should also know that its hard to predict when this will happen.
How long the plating will stay intact will depend on its thickness, how frequently you wear the piece as well as its design.
More:Check out this selection of solid gold jewelry.
What Is Gold Plated Jewelry
Gold plated jewelry is a very light layer of gold – 0.05% actual gold or less – on top of a base metal . The thin layer of gold is plated onto the base metal to create gold plated jewelry.
Since the gold plating is very thin, the gold can rub off easily. It is also more prone to tarnishing when exposed to any kinds of liquids or chemicals. Although gold itself does not corrode, copper and brass will, especially when exposed to liquids . Gold plated jewelry is much, much cheaper than the other types of gold jewelry because it uses a tiny amount of gold on top of a base metal. Gold plated jewelry is a good option if you need jewelry for just an occasion, or for trying out new trends.
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The Cost Of Gold Plating:
The price of gold plating can be affected by the following:
- Base metal: If the base metal is something atypical, such as brass, it will require more preparation before its sent to the gold plating tank. These metals will require a coating of nickel, which adds to the cost.
- Stones: Some stones cannot withstand the plating process, which means that theyll have to be unset and reset after the item re-emerges from the electroplating tank. Costume jewelry poses a unique challenge the rhinestones in this kind of jewelry are often glued on, and they loosen in the plating solution. Replacing them is an additional cost to take into consideration.
- Type of Gold: The price of plating is proportional to the type of gold you want. Higher-karat gold, such as 18k or 24k, is more expensive because theres more gold!
- Thickness: The thicker the plating, the more costly the job. Keep this in mind if you want to plate something like a necklace or a pair of earrings items that arent on your hands dont require as much gold. Alternatively, you should anticipate paying more for plating a ring, bracelet, or watch because they require a higher micron thickness.
Now youre up to speed on gold plating! Take a moment and think about all of the ways you can bring some liquid sunshine into your jewelry box with our gold plating service today!
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Pros And Cons Of Getting Your Rings Dipped
Lets look at factors to consider with dipping
Pros
- It makes the ring look new despite the age
- You get to have a brand-new looking ring for half the price
- It is a great way to preserve valuable pieces
- You can get something inexpensive, but it still has a precious metal
Cons
- You have to do it after a few months or a year
Is Rhodium Plated Jewelry Safe To Wear
Yes, it is. Because rhodium plating is hypoallergenic, you wont get skin reactions by wearing rhodium plated jewelry. This is because rhodium does not contain any allergens such as nickel. In fact if you have a piece of jewelry that is causing you skin reactions, rhodium plating the piece can eliminate this problem.
However, note that while rhodium itself will not cause any rashes, white gold often contains nickel in its alloys. As the rhodium plating wears off, you may be exposed to nickel allergies as your skin comes into contact with the original metal of the jewelry.
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What Is Solid Gold
Solid gold jewelry is just as the name suggests – the whole jewelry piece is made entirely of gold . There are many different karats of gold, which determines the amount of gold vs alloy. Pure gold is too soft and malleable to wear in jewelry, so the gold must be alloyed with other metals to give it strength and durability. 14k solid gold means 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloys , while 18k solid gold means 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloys . The lower the karat, the less expensive it is because it is using less gold.
Solid gold is the best quality of gold there is – its great to wear everyday, won’t fade, and is hypoallergenic. However, since the entire piece of jewelry is made of gold, it is very expensive and unaffordable to many people. Many retailers of solid gold jewelry also have high markups, so one simple necklace can be hundreds of dollars.
Dont Dip Your White Gold Rings Immerse
For real and responsible plating professionals, re-plating your jewelry and heirloom items require several careful process steps.
For those of you who dont want to keep dipping your favorite jewelry and have given up on eating cookies, here is a brief process description of the decorative immersion plating process.
- Most jewelry we receive is usually covered with skin creams and oils imbedded in the underside and recessed contours of the piece. We use a gentle three step process to remove all skin oils, dirt and debris.
- Since the plating process does not conceal scratches or surface dents, we carefully remove them and blend the surfaces to appear sharp and precise.
- A final polish to brighten the piece is achieved without ruining the contours, satin areas or the prongs holding the gemstones.
- At the beginning of the plating process we electrically clean the freshly polished pieces to achieve a surgically clean and bright metal surface. This is a crucial step prior to re-plating.
- Once that is complete your item is pre-plated to seal the alloy in the gold base metal to improve the adhesion and durability of the final plating.
Overall, the jewelry decorative plating process requires skilled craftspeople to prepare the jewelry and trained plating well a thorough understanding of the electroplating process.
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What Are Those Other Metals Or Alloys
In 14k gold jewelry, the metals that make up the other 10 parts or 41.5% depending on the color gold: yellow, white, or rose. Yellow and rose gold often have an alloy mixture of copper and sterling silver. Rose gold has more copper, making it more pinkish or rose. White gold often has nickel, zinc, and sterling silver, white metals that make it white gold. The exact percentages and mixtures are up to the caster or refining company. Each company has its own formula, which is why sometimes pieces from different designers both made in 14k yellow gold look slightly different!
What Is The Cost Of Rhodium Plating
Because rhodium is very rare and expensive, plating is somewhat costly. Re-plating a white gold ring can cost around $100, but prices vary based on the quality of the rhodium, the jewelers skills and the size of the jewelry.
The issue many people have with rhodium plating is that it is an ongoing cost that adds up significantly over time. To avoid this, you may wish to choose an already white lustrous metal that doesnt require plating, such as platinum, as it is lustrous and silver-hued on its own. However, note that there are always maintenance costs involved regardless of the metal you choose.
Even platinum tends to acquire scratches and scuff marks and requires periodic polishing. For more information, check out our article on white gold vs platinum, which details the issues of plating and polishing.
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Can 14k Yellow Gold Be Dipped Into 18k Yellow Gold
Trekkie|1467961718|4052921 said:Honestly, I don’t see the yellow gold at all, I only see blindingly white diamonds! That’s a good thing! When I look carefully, I do see the yellow gold and I do see a colour difference between that and the fashion rings on your pointer finger, but only if I really, really look carefully. I don’t find the colour difference offputting at all. I’m sure you could request 18ct gold plating, but personally, I think your rings are perfect as they are. Beautiful set, btw. ETA: I just went through a couple of your old posts and I saw your inspiration pic. I think the reason that one appears more yellow is because more metal is visible. Your jeweller made your setting super dainty and delicate and did a great job at at it. I also think maybe your diamonds are a bit bigger than the inspiration pic? Hard to tell comparing the two, but looks like it, so that might also be why the white to yellow ratio isn’t quite what you were hoping for.
can swing it. Like I replied below, I looked at several similar sets in 18k and 14k. I liked both, but the alloys in mine must be different. I love the 18k I’ve seen regardless, and made the change because I wanted to see YELLOW!
How Durable Is Rhodium Plating
As with any coating, rhodium plating doesnt last forever. It will wear off with time, and the more often you wear your jewelry, the faster the rhodium layer will go away.
Also, each time your jewelry is professionally polished, the top layer is removed by the polishing tools, little by little, until the yellow layer beneath shows up.
The solution: When the rhodium plating wears away, you can always have your jewelry replated.
Related:Check out this selection of gold jewelry.
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The Process Of Gold Plating:
Two rings before plating. The one on the left is a commercial alloy, while the one on the right is copper.
Two rings after 14k gold plating
How Much Does It Cost To Get A Ring Replated
Replating costsmuchringsring
At a retail store, you can expect to pay anywhere from $60 to $120 to have your ring dipped, depending on the complexity of the setting and style.
Also Know, how often should white gold be replated? To start, all white gold rings should have been plated, or dipped, before they are considered a true white gold piece. Over time the rhodium plating begins to wear off of the rings underlying metal. On average, the plating on a white gold ring should last about a year, depending on how often the ring is worn.
Subsequently, one may also ask, how much does it cost to get a ring dipped in white gold?
Rhodium plating or dipping is done over yellow gold or white gold to make an item white. Rhodium plating is also done over silver on occasion to prevent tarnishing. The rhodium plating cost is $60 for a ring, and larger items are by quote.
Can you get jewelry replated?
For starters, the plating that covers your jewelry will inevitably wear away. At that point, you can take the piece to your jeweler to get it replated. The problem with replating is that it costs money and some metals, such as gold or rhodium, are very expensive.
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The Process Of Gold Plating Jewelry
AnnabelleAsk a Jeweler
Gold- who doesnt love that bright, shimmery color? From Ancient Egypt to Mesoamerican societies, people have been historically fascinated with gold, despite the fact that it was normally reserved for the elite. In 1805, an Italian chemist by the name of Luigi Brugnatelli invented the modern technique of gold plating, and from there everyone was able to hop onto the golden aesthetic with more affordable alternatives to solid gold jewelry.
But what is gold plating exactly? Most people think its similar to a chocolate fondue, where you just dip your item into a luxurious fountain of molten metal and it comes out like instant bling. Its actually not that simple, so were here to give you the rundown.
