[Jewelry making - Article 00256] - Re: [Orchid] Rhodium plating platinum?

[richard hart]

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>     I still belive the best solution is to use materials that don't
>     require plating but you obviously have a different view of the
>     process and strive for a high quality plating job. To each his
>     own. 

    There are opinions and there are facts. There were two posts relating
    the experience of two people that deal with many customers who
    purchase rhodium plated white gold. I have years of experience. I am
    the owner of my business and have quite a lot to lose if I have an
    unhappy customer. 

    There are "jewelers" who don't know what they are doing. As one that
    does, and consider myself of high integrity and honesty, I would not
    do something that I though would be shoddy. 

    I believe that if you were serving the customers I am, you would do
    what I do or you would lose these customers. Out of the options they
    have, one that actually is a standard in this industry, is that if
    they cannot afford platinum, and they want white, rhodium is the
    answer. It is not a problem, it is an answer. 

    I know my customers, I do see the repeat customers that come in for
    retipping, cleaning, polishing. I have actually polished deep
    scratches in rings and not gone through the rhodium. Because some
    people are not knowledge able is not a reason to be so adament about
    discrediting a process you do not need to use in your business. 

    For those of you who have your negative experience or concept of the
    process, please understand there are people of integrity and
    honestly that give our customers knowledge, and use our skill to
    produce a beautiful, durable, and cherished piece of jewelry that
    will be passed down as keepsakes. 

    The negative posts about rhodium bothered me and I started putting
    time and energy into trying to be spotlessly esoterically precise,
    and prejudiced, against the use of rhodium and meet the standard of
    the posters that were so moral about their stand. 

    I tried using precise white nickel, and had porosity, miscasts and
    started taking up too much time with the learning curve. Time and
    money I cannot afford, to end up with other negatives that I believe
    was a trade down from using rhodium. 

    It's probably quite nice to be "right". I get a lot of referrals,
    and I am quite clear that my customers trust me and are very happy
    with the jewelry they get from me. 

    Just to be clear, I made a diamond ring, 1.5 ct princess center with
    2 1/3 ct trilliant side stones, in white gold ($12,000). I saw the
    ring recently, after a year to tighten the stone. It is still
    beautiful, and I am proud of the work I did, and the plating was
    intact. 

    At Las Vegas JCK show, I saw one of your competitors mokume work,
    and I could see the solder pit porosity without magnification on his
    pieces, between laminates.  could not in good conscience sell his
    work in my store. That looks shoddy, and there is no rhodium. Just
    poor craftsman ship. 

    Sorry for the rant, perhaps I take it too personal,  I feel attacked,
    indirectly, but none the less.... 

    I am glad to report, yesterday was the start of the Season of Mass
    Buying and Consumption (that I am so thankful) for and we did great
    Friday and Saturday after a dismal depressing November that was down
    from 03 by $5000. 

Richard in Denver

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