Can you rhodium plate silver to keep it from tarnishing?

[Gypsy]

Can you do this?

 

[joxxxelyn]

Yes. Often jewelry they make with CZs are done this way. They can also do it on copper. There's usually some nickel in between because the rhodium bath has some strong acids that might corrode the silver. In short, yes they can do it.

However it will eventually wear away. Silver is very shiny like rhodium though so when this happens, you may not know that the plating is compromised and thus the silver will again be exposed (well, you'll notice when it starts to tarnish again). What are you going to use the rhodium plated silver for?

 

[Gypsy]

I was on etsy looking for vendors to make a pair of earrings inspired by these Tiffany ones and the vendors I found with the skill use sterling not argentinium silver and I don''t want to deal with tarnishing... so I wondered in Rhodium plating was an option.

http://www.tiffany.com/shared/media/products/25868633_D_1.jpg

 

[joxxxelyn]

Those are pretty and somewhat intricate. Some of Tiffany''s silver is rhodium plated if I''m correct. Just take care to find a competent, experienced person. There are also different levels of thickness of the plating (in microns) so it needs to be thick enough to provide protection. Just find out what they''re going to do and whether they will coat the silver first with another metal to "seal" it. Things like that will affect the price, though I don''t know on average how much it would be. Not everyone may offer as many options in those regards. There are sites that say they''ll give you a quote, but I''d look locally too and just find someone reputable and with a good BBB rating whether online or in real life.

 

[Jim Summa]

Hi Gypsy,
What I can add to this is yes, it can be done, and pretty well if during the manufacture of the item.
The problems begin when you have it done by the local jeweler and then it discolors (it will).
It would perhaps be impossible to repeat in that you have to sand off all the old rhodium, then re-polish to a mirror like finish to get a decent plate.

The trouble with silver is it is a pain to maintain, that being said the advice I give is to have the place were you bought it give it an occasional hit on the wheel, and if that is not possible there are some pretty good cleaners made for silver, although a good polishing cloth is still the best.

I haven''t seen any of the new alloys that are being touted to be anti-tarnish...curious to know if they really work.