What is Rhodium plating? And why does RIVA New York choose to use it on our silver jewelry?

As much as we love the look of sterling silver, it does have some pitfalls. Unfortunately, silver is known to tarnish from exposure to oxygen and moisture over time. And although tarnish can be avoided by cleaning, and removed by polishing, we at RIVA use a more proactive solution.

Rhodium is a member of the platinum group of noble metals. It is harder than both silver and gold making it resistant to scratches. It is also chemically inert, which makes it resistant to corrosion and oxidation. Rhodium is incredibly rare in nature, often being found as a byproduct of mining other precious metals like platinum. This makes it one of the most expensive precious metals.

The chemical properties of rhodium make it ideal for adding a protective coat around silver pieces. The hard exterior makes the jewelry piece more resistant to scratches or tarnishing and adds a brighter shine.

And, while rhodium is a very costly material, plating adds such a thin layer, that the small increase in price is well-worth the increased durability and wearability of your jewelry piece. So, in the future, if you’re looking to purchase silver jewelry, we recommend you purchase from a company that includes a rhodium plating in their manufacturing process. Like us!

[Note: the necklace featured in the above photos is our Wall Street paper clip chain necklace in sterling silver, paired with our cushion-shaped Invisible Clasp and our marquise-shaped Invisible clasp; the model is also wearing our classic hoop earrings in sterling silver.]

Article by Xavier Messado

Photographed by Chloe Tribe