QuestionWe recently purchased a sterling silver ring w/ topaz stones, not realizing it was rhodium plated, i need to resize the ring up several sizes, is this possible?
AnswerKaren, you are aware of possible problems when sizing a rhodium plated sterling ring and I will try to clarify the reasons and options.
First of all, many white gold rings are rhodium plated to improve the white color of the metal and ladies have these sized. What is the difference with the sterling silver ring and white gold in regard to sizing rhodium plated rings? This is the difference: White gold has a has thin layer of rhodium plated directly onto the gold. The sizing process cleanly removes the rhodium at the solder point and when finished the ring may be easily re-plated with rhodium directly onto the gold if desired. There are no telltale shadowy discolorations or other evidences of the sizing work.
With sterling, we are not working with one simple layer of rhodium and in truth may not be working with rhodium but some unidentified metal substituted for rhodium. Beneath the outside layer of rhodium are generally layers of nickel and a layer of copper. The other metals must first be plated to the silver because rhodium cannot be plated directly onto silver.
When sizing, the ring is cut. A section is removed and make the ring smaller or spread open and a silver piece added to size the ring larger. The piece going into the ring is sterling silver and is not rhodium plated. All is brazed, sanded, rounded out and otherwise finished as with any other ring; however, there is a major problem apparent: Where the ring is soldered and sanded to blend in the solder joint, very definite telltale shadows appear on the metal, grayish discolorations. This is the plated layers showing through. In a worse case, the ring may discolor and the surface may form dark areas which are almost impossible to remove. In the case of "faked" rhodium, the metal may bubble on the surface and even crack, making for a very unsightly piece of jewelry. There is not a practical or economical means for a jeweler to remove all the original plating and redo the work in the proper manner. That in a nutshell is why rhodium plated sterling is not resized.
Silver presents another problem. The metal is one of the best conductors of electricity and heat of all metals. Heat is the concern here. Either stones must be removed prior to soldering or must be protected in some way from the heat of soldering. Depending on the weight of the ring, locations of the stones and manner in which the stones are set into the metal, it might be easy or very difficult to protect the stones from heat. This procedure only adds to the labor and difficulty of the work and is one reason many jewelers will not work on sterling items. Of course, this last paragraph is about heat and has nothing to do with the rhodium plate.
Karen, your two problems are first the sterling has gemstones and secondly the item is rhodium plated. Generally the stones may be protected and the sizing done by a competent jeweler who knows how to work with sterling and that part is less dire than the previous paragraph could make you believe. Yet, there is the rhodium and that is the very reason I would not accept the ring for sizing, even if the stones could be protected from the soldering heat.
Is is possible the seller can provide a larger size?
Karen, I do wish my answer included a way to easily do the work. Unfortunately, the answer is not positive regarding the sizing. I do wish you the best and a very happy new year. Sorry for this news but I must tell it like it is.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
