Rhodium Plating
Rhodium is a hard durable metal and is considered by many as the brightest “white” metal of the entire platinum metals family. It has exceptional resistance to oxidation under very extreme environmental conditions.
Similar to stainless steel in color and reflectivity, objects plated with rhodium finishes remain unusually durable, pristine in appearance, and easily maintained for many years.
If you are tired of polishing your jewelry, heirloom silver, and other tarnish prone objects, this is the plating finish you should consider! Our customers report to us their delight and complete satisfaction with the remarkable appearance of rhodium plated jewelry. Resistance to discoloring from incidental contact with perfume, natural skin oils, and household chemicals, have made this one of our most popular plated finishes.
Items most often plated with rhodium include silver chains, bracelets, necklaces, and previously plated silver items. If you are sensitive to nickel and its alloys, a rhodium plate will eliminate this annoyance.
If you have an item such as cuff links, or an “heirloom” wrist watch that needs a hard, abrasion resistant finish that will stay bright and attractive for years to come, rhodium is clearly the best choice.
Please keep in mind that rhodium is a rare metal with extensive industrial applications. The good news is that a relatively thin layer of rhodium (.1 micron) is needed to protect most items from tarnish and oxidation.
Rhodium Data Sheet
| From the Greek word "rhodon" (rose), rhodium was discovered in 1803 by William Wollaston. As a member of the platinum family, it is used industry wide in numerous applications as a coating to prevent corrosion and to increase mechanical wear when exposed to high temperatures. It is primarily obtained as a byproduct from nickel production. Rhodium will maintain a bright metallic white color under all atmospheric conditions at ordinary temperatures. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melting Temperature | 3570.8°F | |||
| Finish Appearance | Shiny white/metallic | |||
| Typical Plating Thickness | 0.5 microns–2.5 microns | |||
| Plating Hardness Vickers 101 | Hard - Excellent resistance to incidental abrasion and handling | |||
| Corrosion Resistance | Best in Class | |||
| Cost Per Troy oz. | Ranges from $425-$500 | |||
If you have a decorative item that you would like to have plated with rhodium, please navigate to the pricing page. We have provided a price estimate on our most frequently plated items. Of course the pricing estimates serve only as a guide. We will be happy to provide you with firm pricing after we have examined the actual piece.
Rhodium: Engineering Applications
We also provide rhodium plating services for engineering applications. Based on Mil-R-46085B, we offer both Type 1 and Type 2 finishes.
| Plating Hardness: Rhodium MIL-R-46085B |
|
|---|---|
| Type 1 | Type 2 |
| Over nickel, silver, gold, or platinum | Over other metals, requires pre-plated undercoat |
| Plating Thickness: Rhodium MIL-R46085B |
||
|---|---|---|
| Class | Microns | Micro-Inches |
| Class 1 | .0508 | — |
| Class 2 | .254 | 10 |
| Class 3 | .508 | 20 |
| Class 4 | 2.50 | 98.4 |
All rhodium plating services for engineering applications are by quote only. We will be happy to provide you with firm pricing after we have examined the actual piece(s) and understand the scope of the project.
If you are interested in learning more detail about the electroplating process, we invite you to visit our FAQ page located on this web site.
[fblock title=”For additional Information…” icon=” fa-book fa-fw”]For additional information regarding electroplating and metal refinishing, be sure to visit our faqs section located on this site. If we can assist you in your custom plating and metal refinishing needs, please contact us.[/fblock]
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