Is rhodium plating the same as white gold plating on silver?

ZKZ Editorial TeamMain answer · Product & gemmology desk

No, they are different. Rhodium is a platinum-group metal. "White gold plating" would mean a thin layer of white gold alloy on the surface. On silver, rhodium is the common bright white finish, and it is mainly there to look white and slow tarnish. A seller should say which one is used, and what the base metal is.

What each term means

Fact The FTC Jewelry Guides name rhodium as one of the platinum-group metals and say it is deceptive to use the word if it misrepresents the product's true composition (16 CFR 23.6). They also say it is deceptive to fail to disclose a surface layer of rhodium on a product described as precious metal (16 CFR 23.7).

Fact For gold, the Guides say the word "gold" should be qualified to show a product is only plated, and that a plated product should say so, with the karat of the alloy (16 CFR 23.3). White gold is a gold alloy, so "white gold plated" is a claim about a gold-alloy layer, not about rhodium.

Fact Trade guides explain that most white gold jewelry is itself rhodium plated for a brighter finish, and that rhodium plating on sterling silver acts as a barrier against tarnish.

What this means for wear

Our advice Both finishes are thin coatings, and thin coatings wear. Rings wear fastest on the inside of the band and the high points, and once the layer wears through you see the base metal. On silver that can mean dark patches, because the silver tarnishes where the coating is gone.

Uncertain Jewellers quote very different lifespans for rhodium plating on silver, from under a year on daily-worn rings to several years on pieces that do not rub against anything. There is no reliable single figure, because it depends on thickness, wear and chemicals. Ask your seller what thickness they apply.

What to look for in a listing

• The base metal, such as "925 sterling silver".
• The finish by name: "rhodium-plated" or "gold-plated", and the karat of any gold layer.
• Whether the finish can be redone and what it costs.
• Whether the plating covers all significant surfaces.

Our advice If a listing says "white gold finish" or "white gold tone" without saying what it is, ask. The phrase does not tell you whether the layer is gold, rhodium or something else, and the Guides expect plating to be described honestly.

Our advice Whichever finish you choose, re-plating is normal maintenance, not a defect, as long as it was disclosed.

Related reading: Rhodium Plating on Silver Jewelry: What It Does and How Long It Lasts · Sterling Silver vs White Gold: Which Should You Choose?

Sources

• 16 CFR 23.6, FTC Jewelry Guides: misuse of "platinum", "rhodium" and other platinum-group metal names
• 16 CFR 23.7, FTC Jewelry Guides: disclosure of surface-layer application of rhodium
• 16 CFR 23.3, FTC Jewelry Guides: misrepresentation as to gold content and plating
• J.M. Scully Jewelers, Rhodium plating: does it tarnish, cost, lifespan and care

Fact = stated by the cited source. Our advice = editorial recommendation. Uncertain / it depends = limits of what can be said in general.