Resizing Rhodium Wedding Bands: Is It Possible?

Wedding rings are often resized, and this is usually done to accommodate weight fluctuations or to allow the wearer to don the ring on a different finger. While resizing is a common practice, it cannot be done for all rings. The ring's material and design are the main factors that influence whether it can be resized. For instance, soft metals like gold, silver, and platinum are easy to resize, but harder metals like stainless steel and titanium require special tools, and tungsten is almost impossible to resize.

Rhodium is a rare and precious metal that is often used to plate other metals, especially white gold rings, to increase their strength, durability, and shine. It is also hypoallergenic, highly reflective, and extremely resistant to corrosion, tarnishing, and scratches. However, rhodium plating is not permanent and will wear off over time, especially for rings that are worn daily, like wedding bands. Therefore, rhodium-plated rings will need to be re-plated every 1-3 years, which can be costly and time-consuming.

When resizing a rhodium-plated ring, the band is cut and additional metal is added to make the ring larger. The ring is then refinished, which includes stripping the old plating, re-plating with rhodium, and polishing to achieve a perfect finish. The cost of resizing a rhodium-plated ring has increased due to the rising price of rhodium, which is driven by its use in automotive catalytic converters and the recent surge in demand from countries committed to reducing toxic emissions.

Rhodium is a rare, precious metal

Rhodium is considered the rarest and most valuable precious metal globally, far more so than gold or platinum. Its rarity and large global demand from various industries, particularly car manufacturing, drive up its price. Rhodium is also challenging to work with due to its high melting point and hardness. These characteristics make it difficult for jewellers to manipulate, and any plating is thin and wears off quickly.

The largest rhodium deposits are found in South Africa, Russia, and North America, with South Africa accounting for nearly 80% of global rhodium output. The metal is always found as a byproduct of platinum, copper, or nickel refining and is never found in its purest form. Its scarcity and the complexity of its mining process further contribute to its high value.

In the jewellery industry, rhodium is used as a plating over other metal alloys to enhance their appearance, protect against allergies, and improve their colour and durability. Rhodium plating increases the strength, shine, and scratch resistance of silver, platinum, and white gold rings. However, the plating is not permanent and will wear off over time, requiring replating every one to three years for rings that experience daily wear.

In addition to its use in jewellery, rhodium is crucial in catalytic converters in automobiles, where it reduces harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Rhodium is highly effective in catalysing the conversion of NOx into harmless gases, making it the metal of choice for controlling these emissions. Its catalytic properties are also utilised in the chemical industry for producing nitric and acetic acids.

Overall, rhodium's rarity, coupled with its high demand and challenging extraction, make it a highly valuable and precious metal with diverse industrial applications.

Rhodium is hypoallergenic and highly reflective

Rhodium is a rare and precious metal, a member of the platinum group, and is highly valued in the jewellery industry. It is hypoallergenic, meaning it will not irritate skin or cause reactions. This is because rhodium does not contain any allergens, such as nickel, and is a stand-alone metal.

Rhodium is often used as a plating to enhance the durability and shine of the underlying metal, usually white gold or silver. It is highly reflective, with a bright white colour, and is extremely resistant to corrosion and tarnishing. This makes it ideal for jewellery, as it can withstand daily wear and tear. The metal is also highly resistant to scratches, which is another reason it is often used as a plating.

The rhodium plating process involves electroplating a thin layer of rhodium onto the surface of the metal, creating a protective barrier that enhances the overall aesthetics of the jewellery. This barrier also acts as a protective layer between the wearer's skin and the metal, further minimising the risk of irritation.

The thickness of the rhodium plating is important. If it is too thin, the metal underneath will show through, and the coating may also wear off faster. If it is too thick, the coating will crack. The ideal thickness of rhodium on a ring is between 0.75 and 1.50 microns.

While rhodium plating is hypoallergenic, the metal underneath may not be. For example, white gold is often alloyed with nickel, which can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, it is important to know what metal is under the rhodium plating, as the plating will wear off over time.

Rhodium plating is not permanent

The rhodium plating process involves coating the jewellery in an extremely thin layer of rhodium, usually between 0.75 and 1.5 microns. If the rhodium plating is too thick, it can crack due to the metal's brittleness. On the other hand, if the plating is too thin, it can cause the jewellery to become discoloured.

While rhodium is highly durable and resistant to corrosion, tarnish and scratches, it is a very brittle metal that is difficult to shape or form. As a result, pure rhodium cannot be made into jewellery. However, when used as a plating on other jewellery, rhodium enhances the durability of the metal.

The decision to rhodium plate jewellery comes with some downsides. Firstly, there is the ongoing cost and time involved in re-plating over the years. Secondly, the electroplating process used to apply rhodium plating is incredibly toxic to the environment. Finally, jewellery will need to be taken to a jeweller for re-plating, which means being without the item for a period of time.

Rhodium is expensive

Firstly, rhodium is extremely rare. It is the rarest precious metal in the world and is difficult to find in its pure form. Rhodium is not found in its purest form but is collected as a minuscule byproduct of platinum, copper, and nickel refining. The rhodium content in the earth's crust is extremely low, and the metal is often mined as a byproduct of platinum and palladium mining or nickel mining.

Secondly, rhodium has a high global demand due to its various industrial applications. Rhodium is used in catalytic converters in the automotive industry, where it helps to reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions. In 2019, almost 90% of rhodium demand came from this sector. Rhodium is also used in other industries such as jewelry, chemical, electrical, and glass manufacturing. Its corrosion resistance, high melting point, and reflective properties make it a valuable material in these industries.

Thirdly, rhodium prices are influenced by supply constraints and market dynamics. South Africa is the largest producer of rhodium, contributing between 80-90% of global production. However, the rhodium supply from South Africa has been affected by issues such as aging mines, labor disputes, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, there has been limited investment in new mines, and the lack of primary rhodium mines further constrains supply growth.

The combination of high demand, limited supply, and market dynamics contributes to the high price of rhodium, making it a valuable and expensive precious metal.

Rhodium is difficult to work with

Rhodium is also very hard to work with. It has a high melting point, and it is not malleable, meaning it cannot be easily moulded into shapes. It is so brittle that it will crack and break if manipulated. For this reason, pure rhodium rings are not available.

Rhodium is also difficult to obtain. It is not mined for its own sake but is obtained as a byproduct of platinum mining and refining. When the demand for platinum is high, rhodium is readily available, but when demand is low, rhodium becomes virtually unavailable.

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