Rhodium Plating on Platinum Rings: What You Need to Know

Question
Hello.
I recently left off my platinum rings to be cleaned and polished. Can you explain to me if a rhodium finish on the platinum rings would be o.k. I am not familar with this process and was unaware that the jewlery store was going to do this to my rings. Thank you!

Answer
Hi Adrienne.
Rhodium is the whitest member of the platinum family.  
Rhodium plating is routinely done on white gold to make it look as white and bright as platinum, as white gold will usually have a bit of warmth to it, since it started out as a YELLOW metal.

It is unusual to plate a platinum piece in rhodium.  There is usually no need.  Platinum is white and bright without the need to be plated.  

A rhodium plating certainly would not hurt your piece, but you may want to ask the jeweler why he thinks it is necessary.  Is he trying to cover something?

Hope this helps.
-Barbra Voltaire, F.G.G., G.G.
www.gemologyonline.com
www.sfgemlab.com