Rhodium is a metallic element that belongs to the same family as platinum. It is element number 45 on the periodic table and gets its name from the Greek word “Rhodon”, because under the microscope, the element looks like a rose. It is a very expensive metal, almost ten times more expensive than gold and it is very shiny. However, it is not used to make jewelry on its own, as it is extremely brittle.
Rhodium is used to plate white gold, silver, or platinum jewelry. Imitation rhodium plating is used to give jewelry a stronger shine and feature. Surprisingly, although brittle in itself, when used as a coating on metal jewelry, it provides protection against tarnishing and scratches. It also adds to the quality and life of the jewelry.
Rhodium plating is done by first thoroughly cleaning the rhodium plates with cleaning agents, then the rhodium plates are immersed in a solution (electrolyte) that already contains the metal. The electrolyte or solution is maintained at a temperature between 30 and 50 degrees Celsius. The other metal to be plated is also immersed in the solution and then low density electric current is passed through the solution to complete the rhodium plating process.
The most common use of rhodium is probably for plating white gold. This is because white gold that is made by mixing gold with silver, palladium, or nickel still retains a yellowish tint. To give it a really “white” and brighter shine, rhodium is applied to it. Rhodium plating adds luster and shine to the slightly dull white gold surface and also enhances life. However, jewelry must be periodically plated with rhodium to preserve its shine. Rhodium plating is also used for silver jewelry because sterling silver is quite soft and is not resistant to scratches and damage. Once plated with rhodium, the jewelry becomes scratch resistant and also has a more shiny and polished appearance.
Another advantage of rhodium is that it is hypoallergenic. Some people sometimes complain that they are allergic to white gold, gold and silver and have to stay away from jewelry made with these metals to avoid skin allergies. A rhodium plating completely solves this problem and even those allergic to the main metal can happily flaunt their jewelry without the annoying worry of developing allergies. If you’ve been worried about your allergic reactions to jewelry, you can rest easy with rhodium-plated jewelry.
Rhodium as a metal is therefore very useful for the jewelry industry. Imitation rhodium plating helps jewelry items achieve a brighter, more lustrous appearance. It also helps to strengthen the base metal that has been used to make jewelry such as silver or white gold and makes it resistant to scratches and damage. Not only that, since it is hypoallergenic in nature, plating jewelry with rhodium allows people who are allergic to different noble metals to also wear jewelry that they would not otherwise be able to wear.