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Thread: Rhodium plated ring

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Corsham, Wiltshire
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    68

    Default Rhodium plated ring

    Hiya

    I've been commissioned to remove a stone setting from an 18ct white gold ring & put in a new setting with a different stone. However I've found that the 18ct white gold I have for the new setting is much darker than the ring, which makes me think that the ring is rhodium plated.

    If I solder/pickle the ring, will it remove the rhodium plating to reveal either 18ct yellow gold or a dark 18ct white gold underneath?

    I'm wondering whether to offer to remove the rhodium plating altogether - can this be done by filing alone or does it require a kind of reverse plating process?

    I don't plate jewellery & don't know the first thing about it so re-plating isn't an option without contacting another jeweller to do it for me.

    Thanks
    Victoria

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Romsey
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    5,256

    Default

    So you're taking an existing shank and matching it to a new setting? Don't suppose you can persuade them to shell out for a shank in an alloy that matches? Less labour, more materials, no additional charge for replating...

    Rhodium is an abomination. Mechanical removal before soldering is about the only way - I've been hunting for an electrochemical removal method and haven't found one yet.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
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    Corsham, Wiltshire
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    Default

    Yep that's right. I'm going to suggest a new shank but I suspect they won't want to spend the money.

    So when you say "mechanical removal" you mean elbow grease, right?? I'm guessing that it takes a long time to file off? It's a plain band so no fiddly bits to file or worry about filing off a pattern.

  4. #4
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    Jul 2009
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    Romsey
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    Default

    Preferably something like sandpaper or rubber abrasives in a pendant motor, but yes. You should be OK with just the area around the solder joint, but there's bound to be some that burns.

    A new shank is £50 for a light one (FPR S201) from Cooksons + VAT.

    The job then becomes 1 soldering operation, clean, set, hallmark, final polish as opposed to unsolder, remove plating, solder, clean, set, final polish, replate.

    How long before the shank wears too thin and you need to replace the shank? Trigger's broom springs to mind

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    London
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    ....and of course if you're replacing the setting, and I'm guessing that the new setting weighs in at more that 1g, then you'll have to send it to an assay office for them to check that the metal ties up with the existing hallmark....so an added expense I think I would follow ps_bond's advice above!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Corsham, Wiltshire
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    The new setting weighs 0.6g (had to go & double check! but it's only little) so I can get away with that but still a good point!

    I've gone back to the customer to offer to provide a new shank, or make in a different metal but deliberately haven't offered to remove the plating as it's too much hassle!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
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    491

    Default

    I've had a number of old rings re-plated. It's been a while, but it was only about £10-£15 (ish) or £30 for palnic rhodium plating?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Chesham, Bucks
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    Default

    Why don't you just replate the whole ring? I can do that for you in rhodium for £30.00.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
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    Corsham, Wiltshire
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    Thanks for the offer Adam - I confess I had just assumed it would be more expensive! I would have probably had to go to a local high street jeweller, all of which are very pricey round here.

    I'll suggest it to the customer & come back to you...

    Cheers

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    491

    Default

    Chances are, your local highstreet jeweller is sending it off to some nice person in Hatton Garden who plates it and returns it. They are then putting their own mark-up on it, so the price is going to be ridiculous. I know that what most of ours seem to do anyway.
    Adam's £30 seems about right

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