Do you replate your white gold rings?

[Katie-ryn]

Exactly what the title says... Do you replate (with rhodium) your white gold rings?

I never have. My white gold ring was never plated with rhodium in the first place. I clean it and get it polished like every couple of years, but that's it. It's white/silver looking, it doesn't look yellow. I have a cheapey silver watch and my ring matches.

[FFC]

If you mean dip, then yes. I've taken mine in to get re-dipped once, and it's screaming for another dip. My ring is scratched and worn looking when I don't. Which reminds me - I gotta get it in there :)

[firespirit]

Nope. Mine wasn't plated in the first place.

[Katie-ryn]

If you mean dip, then yes. I've taken mine in to get re-dipped once, and it's screaming for another dip. My ring is scratched and worn looking when I don't. Which reminds me - I gotta get it in there :)

Yes, "dipping" is what some people call replating.

My ring gets scratched and worn looking, but I just get it polished. I'd never heard of replating or dipping before I joined wedding forums.

[WBandMe]

No, mine was never plated in the first place. I had it polished right before the wedding and that took care of any scratches that were on it.

[SkippyNXC]

i haven't had my rhodium'd yet n i've had it for about a year... i need to get it polished n whatnot soon tho... i've just been too busy n not wanting to give it up LOL

just an fyi sometimes when a jeweler says "polished" and it's white gold... that's short for "rhodium polished" meaning they use rhodium to make ur ring look brand new... at least that's our jeweler did it... he never worked on a white gold piece w/o rhodiuming it b/c all white gold is plated... "white" gold doesn't really exist it's naturally got a yellow tint to it n is plated w/a white metal to make it look "white" i'm thinking the need/frequency for re-plating depends on the alloy used in the ring...

[Kirby]

I have gotten my engagement ring dipped a few times. I really need to go get the set done since it's been a year. All of my white gold jewelry tends to look yellow after awhile.

[Katie-ryn]

just an fyi sometimes when a jeweler says "polished" and it's white gold... that's short for "rhodium polished" meaning they use rhodium to make ur ring look brand new... at least that's our jeweler did it... he never worked on a white gold piece w/o rhodiuming it b/c all white gold is plated... "white" gold doesn't really exist it's naturally got a yellow tint to it n is plated w/a white metal to make it look "white" i'm thinking the need/frequency for re-plating depends on the alloy used in the ring...

Not all white gold is plated. It all depends on the colour of the white gold underneath. White gold alloys are still yellower than platinum or rhodium, but some look acceptably white/silver when not directly beside platinum/rhodium. Some look very yellow just by themselves, and even worse beside platinum/rhodium. It all depends on the alloy used. Some alloys can get away without ever needing plating, some are laughable for being called "white gold". The yellower white golds need replating more often because there is more of a contrast between the white gold and the rhodium, and look awful without being plated. The whiter end can get away with never needing plating, and if it does get plated can last longer between because it's less noticeable when the plating wears.

[pinkbride]

just got mine back from being done, i didnt notice it needed doing til i was trying on wedding bands and it looked all dull.. got it back now its soooo shiney!!!! :w00t: xx

[f77g4]

I need to take my ering in to get done...noticed last week on the honeymoon that it was more yellowish then the band.

[ChristineLS]

This is why I wear yellow gold rings - I never have to worry about it. :) I'm also too lazy to do it, if I needed too...

How does one go about "polishing" a metal that is not supposed to tarnish? I'm not trying to be funny, I'm curious. When you polish silver, you are taking the tarnish off... the only thing that could pull the scratches of my ring is coating it again...

[KMS]

Yep, I've gotten mine done once recently. It looks nice and new!

[MrsGrady08]

Yes, I try to get mine done once a year. I just got them done a couple of weeks ago and the look like new!

[tootsie]

Both of my rings are white gold. I just got them polished/whatever the term is, don't know if it was dipped/replated, but they look brand new now.

[aznative371]

I make jewelry and you can purchase a tumbler which is made for polishing rocks. You use buck shot in it and put your ring in there with some dish soap for a few hours. It will not take out the deep scratches but it makes it look much better. I actually put all my metal jewelry in every so often and it keeps it looking great.

You can find these tumblers at most jewelry supply web sites. Mine is made by Loratone.

[Thalia_themuse]

I assume you mean rhodium coated, so yes I plan to this week! :)

I don't know about the term "plating" is in this instance, as it is just a coating, not like things that are genuinely "gold-plated"... But terminology is used differently in the US, so that probably explains it!

[Katie-ryn]

I don't know about the term "plating" is in this instance, as it is just a coating, not like things that are genuinely "gold-plated"... But terminology is used differently in the US, so that probably explains it!

It's the proper use of the word plating. Rhodium is electroplated onto the white gold. It's the same as gold plating something. Same technology, different metals.

[ChristineLS]

It's the proper use of the word plating. Rhodium is electroplated onto the white gold. It's the same as gold plating something. Same technology, different metals.

I've actually heard "dipped" used more in the US, at least in the Buffalo/Central New York areas. If I've learned anything, it's that language use is sometimes a touch arbitrary :)

[f77g4]

I've actually heard "dipped" used more in the US, at least in the Buffalo/Central New York areas. If I've learned anything, it's that language use is sometimes a touch arbitrary :)

Dipped is the term I am most familiar with here too!

[Thalia_themuse]

It's the proper use of the word plating. Rhodium is electroplated onto the white gold. It's the same as gold plating something. Same technology, different metals.

Hmm, if this is true then my jeweller told me the wrong thing.... Off to search the web! :laugh:

[weddinglover]

Yes I will do the replate but not with white gold but with rodium.
As far as I know rodium is used for plating on white gold or on normal gold for giving it shining white color.