Plating is the process by which a piece of jewelry made of a particular metal or alloy is covered with another layer of precious metal.
When you think of plated jewelry, I bet what comes to mind is costume jewelry, but fine jewelry can also be plated.
And what is the difference between costume and fine jewelry?
Costume jewelry is made of cheaper metals, such as copper, bronze, or a mixture of non-precious metals. This means they lose their color over time and become rust, black, green... yuck!
So the plating process helps give this type of jewelry a longer life-span. They receive a coating of precious metal, such as gold or silver, and, thus, they look like they are made entirely of gold or silver, but for a more affordable price.
Fine jewelry, on the other hand, is, in fact, entirely made of precious metals, such as platinum, gold, or silver.
So why plate them? Simply to achieve a certain color. It's standard, for example, to treat white gold with rhodium plating to make sure it looks the right color.
Either way, in both cases — costume or fine plated jewelry — the coating will wear off, and then comes the question: can you replate these pieces?
It depends.
To know for sure whether you can replate your jewelry or not, you need to understand a bit more about the plating process.
How does plating actually work?
This is a process that involves lots of chemical products and steps that must be followed thoroughly. The preparation depends largely on the metal that is going to be plated and its condition.
The surface of the metal to be plated must be very clean, so any trace of oil or dirt must be removed, and the piece must be polished. Once the cleaning is done, the piece should be put into a tank containing the precious metal that will serve as the outer layer.
But... cheap metals contaminate these tanks. So if you’re talking about costume jewelry, they need something called a buffer layer.
Yep, that’s right, double plating.
This in-between layer prevents contamination and it also helps the gold or silver layer adhere better.
So the person replating your jewelry basically needs lots and lots of specific knowledge, experience, and equipment.
So that means I can replate anything
Well, fine jewelry is easier to replate when or if that’s the case. Usually, when you buy fine jewelry at a trusted store, replating is part of the maintenance process that is offered.
When talking about costume jewelry, it’s a matter of finding a person that is qualified and has all the tools they need to replate your piece.
Zinc, for example, is a metal that is extremely hard to plate without the proper machinery and someone with a long experience in plating metals.
If you truly love a piece of jewelry that is tarnishing, and plating is not an option, it’s worth thinking about a long-term investment, such as replicating it in precious metal.
This is a way to make sure your jewelry lasts longer (hopefully forever) without needing frequent maintenance.
