Finishing

Rhodium Finish

Why so much silver jewelry is brighter than silver.

Some Sana Jewels pieces carry a rhodium finish — a thin plating applied over silver or white gold. It is why a white gold ring looks brighter than the metal underneath it, and why plated sterling silver stays bright far longer than bare silver. Here is what it does, and what it does not do.

What Is Rhodium?

Rhodium is a silvery-white metal from the platinum family — one of the most reflective and corrosion-resistant metals there is, and rarer than gold. It is applied as a plating, not used as a solid metal, because it is too brittle and too expensive to make jewelry from outright.

What It Does

A Brighter White

Rhodium is more reflective than silver or white gold, which is what gives a plated piece its mirror-bright finish and makes set stones read as livelier.

Slows Tarnish

Bare sterling silver oxidizes and yellows with exposure to air and skin. A rhodium layer sits on top of it and does not, so a plated piece keeps its color far longer.

Harder Than What's Beneath

Rhodium is harder than both silver and gold, so the plating takes the everyday scuffs that would otherwise land on the metal itself.

A Barrier Against The Alloy

The plating sits between your skin and the alloy underneath, which can help people who react to nickel. Because it is a surface layer, it thins with wear rather than lasting indefinitely.

Living With A Rhodium Finish

Plating is a surface, so treat it like one. Clean with a soft cloth and mild soap, and skip abrasive polishing cloths — they take the finish off. On rings and bracelets, which get the most contact, the plating will eventually thin at the high points. That is normal wear, not a fault, and most jewelers can re-plate a piece to bring it back.

Bright white