Polishing Platinum

Started by Fired Silver, March 19, 2010, 09:13:50 PM

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Fired Silver

Hi guys,

My wedding ring is looking decidedly sorry for itself.  I don't quite know how to attack it though!  Any suggestions for polishing it??

Becci
x

mizgeorge

Almost all platinum has been rhodium plated Becci - it's probably time to have it replated. Most good jewellers can offer this service.

Fired Silver

hhmm, thats what i thought, oh well!  My engagement ring is white gold so that needs doing all the time its a nightmare!

Thanks George

B
xx

mizgeorge

You could polish it with dialux green, but it will be much greyer than the engagement ring then. I'd have them both replated at the same time. I have the same problem with my rings, and it is nice if they match.

Fired Silver

Nope, a trip to the jewellers it is.  I love it when my engagement ring first comes back from the jewellers, pity it doesn't last  :D

Thanks for the help  :-*

B
xx

theflyingbedstead

I do wonder - why is one precious metal plated with another?

My white gold engagement ring looks pretty good without the gilding. The colour has more depth, but then it wasn't plated in the first place.
Charlotte x

mizgeorge

Lots of reasons Charlotte. The two main ones are firstly that we've come to expect a really 'silver white' look from white gold (which actually has a slight golden cast to it, unsurprisingly) and from platinum (which is greyer than white). Rhodium plating gives that look with very little effort. The second is that it hides a mass of imperfections in manufacture. Almost all commercial silver findings are silver plated over silver, which removes the need to clean up any solder marks or firescale and saves polishing. They're still sterling throughout, but made much more quickly.

theflyingbedstead

I can understand the process with mass produced findings but for quality pieces it does strike me that it is 'cheating'!

I prefer the look of white gold to the Rhodium plating, which is too bright and 'blingy' for my taste. The white gold isn't pure white as you mention, but the slightly golden cast has warmth and depth, and doesn't require re-plating every year. And the reason that we have come to accept this - is it because the industry has already done it rather than us desiring it?
Charlotte x

Redhotsal

Quote from: mizgeorge on March 19, 2010, 11:06:42 PM
Almost all commercial silver findings are silver plated over silver, which removes the need to clean up any solder marks or firescale and saves polishing. They're still sterling throughout, but made much more quickly.

Wow - I never knew that but it makes sense. I've always wondered why commercially made jewelery always looks so "perfect".

Fired Silver

What a great chat this turned out to be, I'm glad I asked now!!!

Sorry, but I prefer the bling look!

B
xx

Amber

I didn't know any of that!  :o I have to admit that I haven't done anything to my platinum wedding ring or white gold engagement ring since I got them 10 years ago...they still look fine, though!

Bee

I've polished off the rhodium on both rings and they now look great!