Rhodium Plating

Rhodium plating is the further processing of metals and precious metals by a thin layer of rhodium. During this process, which is called galvanising, the coating of the surface takes place. In this process, metal ions are deposited, which adhere to the object to be coated via an electrolytic bath and harden there. This gives a piece of jewellery its resistant corrosion protection. The advantages of using rhodium lie primarily in the chemical properties of the precious metal. It has a high degree of hardness, but also good malleability and toughness, which makes it easy to process mechanically. This makes rhodium a popular material in the finishing of jewellery. The abrasion-resistant tarnish protection creates a smooth and more scratch-resistant surface than is the case with non-rhodium-plated silver. This makes constant cleaning and polishing unnecessary. Especially the latter should be avoided, as the use of a polishing cloth can damage the rhodium layer. Visually, rhodium-plated jewellery is characterised by a slightly greyish shimmer, compared to light silver jewellery.