Thoughts on rhodium plating or other treatments to keep sterling pieces from tarnishing?

[RunningwithScissors]

Hello my friends in Bling-i-tude!

Do any of you have experience with having a sterling silver jewelry piece rhodium plated to keep it from tarnishing? If so, how did you/do you like the result?

Does rhodium plating change the color of your piece? I've heard it may slightly darken it.

Any other treatments you all may know of to keep the tarnish at bay?

Here's my dilemma: I have found a few antique and vintage sterling necklaces I like and can see myself wearing (mostly long guard chain types to be worn overtop of sweaters, not against my bare skin). BUT I know I won't wear them if they require upkeep/polishing every few months, or, if the necklaces discolor my shirts they lay against.

In general, I baby my jewelry. I put it on in the morning, take it off before bed at night and never shower in it, and I store it in all the "right" ways. But I still don't want jewelry that's extra work on top of this. BUT I really like some of the antique silver pieces I'm seeing.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas? What works for you lovely people?

 

[Rhd3]

My experience is that you’ll eventually see tarnishing, even with rhodium plating. I use anti-tarnish bags. I’ve not had a piece tarnish that was stored in them. They need replaced every few years but you can buy ones that change color when they need replaced. I have anti-tarnish strips as well—3M are the best in my opinion.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

Thanks @Rhd3.

And what is the best way to de-tarnish an antique silver necklace? What will remove the tarnish in between the links but won't harm the piece? Is there a recommended dip?

 

[RunningwithScissors]

Another, related questions for you all:

Does the silver content between 900, 925 and 950 make a difference in terms of how fast a piece tarnishes?

 

[pearlsngems]

To remove tarnish from silver necklaces, I use sodium carbonate / "washing soda" (NOT sodium bicarbonate / baking soda, which is much less effective). Washing soda has a high pH.

You can actually make sodium carbonate at home by heating baking soda in the oven for an hour or so to drive off carbon dioxide and water. You can google the instructions. But I just buy it: https://www.armandhammer.com/en/laundry/additives/additives/super-washing-soda-detergent-booster.

There is a YouTube video from Arm & Hammer with instructions:

I use aluminum foil instead of a special silver cleaning plate (I had one once; I'm sure it was just a perforated sheet of aluminum.)
I line a pyrex cup with the foil, add the washing soda and add the boiling water. Stir to dissolve, and place the silver (or gold) items on top of the foil. The silver must be in contact with the foil.

A chemical reaction (which produces an unpleasant but not harmful odor) loosens and removes the tarnish. After rinsing I use an old toothbrush to remove any bits of tarnish that are still present in crevices, or even rub it with a bit of dry baking soda as a mild abrasive.
It works pretty quickly but not 5 seconds! And if the item is heavily tarnished you may have to repeat it.

Don't use this for silver plated items. I also wouldn't use it with gemstone jewelry personally unless I was sure the stone or setting could take the boiling water. Of course don't use this with pearls, opals, turquoise and the like. And don't use this method on any piece that has a patina you wish to preserve in recessed areas.

I don't know how safe it is for antique silver but don't know why it would not be.

Also, I would say the purer the silver, the more slowly it would tarnish.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

you have to redo rhodium plating although its worse with rings, i hate it

i find it quite therapeutic to sit here at night with a polishing cloth

plus silver likes to be worn
my silver cuff i wear 24-7 never actually tarnishes, i just like to keep it 'tin like' shinny

i think there is a difference in stirling silvers out there as i have some pieces from the 90's that never seem to tarnish,

 

[dk168]

I set the cheaper and lab CSs in Rhodium-plated silver with Moissanites instead of using plated White Gold and diamonds/lab diamonds to cut down on setting cost.

Same look as plated WG and diamonds/LGD but a lot cheaper.

I have not need to replate the rings yet as I don't wear them that often, however, I expect they would need replating some time in the future.

DK

 

[HollyC]

I have used these two products - with heavily tarnished pieces I have used the dip then the foam.

 

[MiniMinerva]

A friend of mine makes silver jewelry pieces and recommends a product called ProtectaClear for items for which some antique patina on the silver is part of the aesthetic but further patina is not desirable. It’s some sort of very thin coating that the jewellery piece can be dipped into. It wears off over time, but can be reapplied easily, or completely removed using acetone (leaving the patina intact). This is the product website: https://www.everbritecoatings.com/protectaclear

For my silver pieces that I want completely shiny in all the crevices I like the electrochemical reaction method that @pearlsngems suggested that converts the silver sulfide back to silver, without removing any silver. Personally I also add salt (NaCl) as well to serve as an effective electrolyte for the electrochemical reaction. It’s like magic! Though the sulfur smell is to be endured.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

Thank you all sooooooo much!!! Great advice and tips. I really appreciate it.

I'll keep you posted on what I buy and how it goes.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Thank you all sooooooo much!!! Great advice and tips. I really appreciate it.

I'll keep you posted on what I buy and how it goes.

about 18 months ago i had some beads strung up with ss spacers, i brought the spacers for pearls but changed my mind when i thought about having to clean off tarnish in the future
anyway got them back from the jeweller, wore them a few times then put them away and forget where i put them

anyway found them last week,
now the balance of the spacers that wern't used all tarnished because i just left them loose on my bead board
the necklace i stored in a plastic zip lock bag with a small square of silver polishing cloth, i wasnt being misserable, they came as small pieces about 2"x2"

anyway all sparkly all good