Can I replate this tennis bracelet?

[bebe]

I have this bracelet and never wear it because it is YG. It''s about 12 yrs. old, so that explains the yellow gold.
Could I have this replated in white gold? I now nothing about the process, do they remove the stones? Guess not, huh?

 

[Diamond Explorer]

You should be able to plate that bracelet with Rhodium. Rhodium is often used to finish white gold jewelry. Most white gold alloys still have a slight yellow tint and need to be finished with Rhodium to be icy white. Rhodium is fairly durable, but it will be pretty apparent when it starts to wear thin. Depending on how much you would wear the item, the frequency of re-platings required might make plating a poor option. The preparation of the piece before plating has a large impact on its success. The cleaner and more evenly polished the piece, the more graceful the plating will wear.

 

[bebe]

Hmm, so it''s possible.

Would it be a very bright white finish (never saw Rhodium that I know of)

 

[Diamond Explorer]

Rhodium is bright white, but if the plating is uneven bits of the original gold underneath may show through.

Rhodium is a very hard and bright member of the platinum family.

Here is the Wikipedia article on Rhodium, its pretty special stuff:

Rhodium Wikipedia Article

 

[musey]

Date: 4/12/2009 11:31:03 PM
Author: bebe
Hmm, so it's possible.

Would it be a very bright white finish (never saw Rhodium that I know of)

Yes you have - it's on nearly every piece of white gold jewelry (usually unless it's explicitly stated that the piece is unplated, like coatimundi's ring, for example). The rhodium plating is what makes white gold white, where it naturally has a yellow tinge as compared to white metals like platinum and palladium (and rhodium, for that matter).

That's why you will so often see threads about 'replating' one's white gold pieces on PS. The rhodium always wears away, and the speed at which this happens is usually dependent on the body chemistry of the wearer, the frequency of wearing and the chemicals the piece is exposed to.

Anyway, all that is to say that when you ask your question of whether you can plate your bracelet in white gold, you're actually (in all likelihood) referring to plating it in rhodium, as that is what white gold itself is plated in, and what gives it its white finish.

 

[Imdanny]

Rhodium is beautiful. My Rolex has hour markers that are rhodium plated. It's very bright, yes, because it's very reflective, like a mirror.

 

[bebe]

Does anyone know if this is an expensive undertaking?

I''ve looked into resetting the stones and ouch!
Would love to set in a design I once saw Wink do.

 

[Diamond Explorer]

The project shouldn''t be too expensive. It would definitely take a few hours work to do well. The piece has to be fully cleaned and polished beforehand for even plating. Add around 50 bucks worth of Rhodium on top of the labor.

 

[bebe]

Date: 4/13/2009 5:22:09 PM
Author: Diamond Explorer
The project shouldn''t be too expensive. It would definitely take a few hours work to do well. The piece has to be fully cleaned and polished beforehand for even plating. Add around 50 bucks worth of Rhodium on top of the labor.

well now, that sounds promising.

Now to find someone to do it - Whiteflash, Brian Gavin ????

 

[musey]

It''s a pretty simple/common process (it''s done every time someone replates their WG ring obviously, which many people do every 6 months to 1 year), you''d probably be best off just finding a reputable jeweler in your area. Not really a big enough project to ship off somewhere, dunno why you''d bother!

 

[musey]

Date: 4/13/2009 5:49:04 PM
Author: bebe
Brian Gavin ????

Isn''t he a cutter? Not that he wouldn''t be capable of plating (I wouldn''t know), but he wouldn''t be an obvious choice for such a mundane task

 

[bebe]

Whiteflash and Brian are local to me

but if it''s that easy, maybe a jeweler closer to home
would ok.

 

[Kaleigh]

I did that to mine bebe, ages ago. It didn''t cost much at all. I love your bracelet!!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I''ve had a couple of pieces plated, and it was not expensive and had it done locally. I think it most full service jewellers could do this work.

cheers--Sharon

 

[bebe]

thanks everyone - that bracelet will be getting dunked, real soon!!

 

[LadyBlue]

I think that will be totally worth it to plate your bracelet, because is gorgeous.

 

[bebe]

thanks, I''m hoping I can get this done soon
and enjoy it once again

 

[hoorray]

I have done it to several pieces with good success Just make sure you have a good bench jeweler. The first time I tried it it looked awful and had to be redone. I guess they didn''t do a good job (if any) on the prep. The second time around it looked great. The less a piece gets knocked on hard surfaces, the longer it will last in general, so with a bracelet you may need to do it occasionally. With a necklace, less often... Enjoy-- It''s like having a new piece of jewelry!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

It is going to look AWESOME!

 

[bebe]

I really appreciate the input. After I get it done, I doubt I''ll wear it that often, but at least it will look more current and look better
with the rest of my jewelry.

 

[makemepretty]

I had a yellow gold butterfly necklace plated. It took one place two times and I still wasn''t happy with the results so I went to another store and they did a great job. It''s been a few years and it''s still nice and white. I wear it all the time.