Gem's Body Jewellery

The usage of rhodium plating as a bright protective finish on decorative objects has become increasingly popular.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions that we believe will help provide a basic understanding of rhodium plating and its many decorative advantages.

What is rhodium?
Rhodium is a member of the platinum metals group; the other members include platinum, palladium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium.

From a decorative standpoint, what makes rhodium so desirable?
Among numerous other physical characteristics such as hardness, and high reflectivity, rhodium has an extraordinary resistance to most acids and corrosive substances. It is one of the few "white" metals that will remain bright and reflective under all atmospheric conditions at ordinary temperatures. As a result, electroplated surfaces that utilize rhodium plating remain scratch resistant, bright and attractive for years.

Typically, what decorative metals are plated with rhodium?
Rhodium is used to plate metals that are easily tarnished such as sterling silver, nickel, and copper alloys.

How scratch resistant are rhodium plated objects?
Among the "white" decorative platings, rhodium is considered "best in class" in terms of toughness and wear resistance. Most items plated with at least .5 microns of rhodium are usually more scratch resistant than prior to being plated! Electroplated rhodium has a hardness ranging from 400-550 vickers which makes it very resistant to incidental abrasions. Over sterling silver objects, rhodium plating can prevent the formation of fine scratches that occur from normal handling and cleaning.

How does the brightness of polished rhodium compare to silver?
One of the minor cosmetic trade-offs for plating rhodium onto silver is that the rhodium finish will not be as bright or reflective as the original silver finish. Rhodium reflects about 72%-80% of the light rays that strike it. Silver reflects up to 95% of all incidental light that strikes it. However, over the long term rhodium will stay "brighter" than silver because of its superior resistance to tarnishing and scratching.