QuestionI have a gold bangle bracelet. I guess plated. Is it possible to have it redipped in gold, and if so, about how expensive is it? The bracelet is about 7 inches around.
AnswerHello,
This sounds quite straight forward and most good jewellers should be able to organise this for you. I'm guessing by your description, that you are i the US, and it would be a simlarly easy process as it is in Australia.
You havent metioned what the base material of the bracelet is, so here is a quick lesson.
When electroplating, the piece will come out as well as it goes into the bath ie if it is dull and scratched, it will also be be dull and scratched after electroplating. The gold plate is a very thin coating of gold which is held as a liquified gold cyanide solution until the current is passed through the eltrolyte causing the molecules to adhere to the master piece.
Prior to the plating process you will likely need to have the bracelet re-polished, which should be quite straightforward. You may wish to look at the bracelet yourself to see how much scratching their is along with dents and most importantly pitting, which occurs with some metals as a result of a reaction with skin acid. Pitting will look like tiny eaten away holes which should be able to be polished away.
Also, you may wish to ask for the piece to be hard plated, which occurs as a result of some differnet additives in the solution.
I woouldnt expect to get this done for less than $50, and for a good job involving a re-polish you may be looking at $80~100, but I wouldn't expect for it to be more than that.
Hope this is of assistance.
Cheers and good luck, P
