[Jewelry making - Article 00030] - Re: [Orchid] Rhodium plating platinum?

[James Binnion]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========

>         What do you advise for satisfying my customer who wants her
>     diamonds reset in white gold settings that have that slight yellow
>     tinge as they come from the manufacturer, and I show them to her
>     for approval before I set them,and she asks, "they won't be that
>     color when they are finished, will they?" 

    Educate your customer as to the realities of white gold  i.e. that
    you or your setter and every other goldsmith have great difficulty
    in setting in high nickel white and that it is just plain difficult
    to work in whether cast or fabricated. Tell her that to get around
    this that many (most) manufacturers have shifted to pale yellowish
    golds ( I will not call most of what is sold as "white" gold by that
    name because it just isn't white) and rhodium plate the goods, and
    that this plating wears off in a very short time on high wear areas
    like the heads and back of the shank and that if she wants to keep
    that rhodium white finish she can come back in to your shop every
    couple of months and have it re-plated or she can opt for true white
    metals like platinum or palladium white golds  or high nickel whites
    with platinum heads then leave the choice to her.  If your customer
    wants the rhodium so be it but at least you have advised her as to
    its limits. I can't tell you how many people ask me to look at their
    ring that they thought was white gold and they are wondering why it
    is looking so yellowish in areas, most are truly offended that the
    jeweler who sold it to them did not disclose the fact that it was
    rhodium plated pale yellow gold. 

Jim Binnion

James Binnion Metal Arts
Phone (360) 756-6550
Toll Free (877) 408 7287
Fax (360) 756-2160
http://www.mokume-gane.com
jbin AT mokume-gane.com
Member of the Better Business Bureau

____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________