The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

Cleaning jewelry

My bf just bought me some rings. They are 18k white gold plating with a platinum finish and the other is with a setting in rhodium finish over solid sterling silver. How can I clean them? also, one of them has a lab created diamond and the other has a synthetic diamond, how can I keep those shiny and protect both the diamond and the ring? Can you tell that those stones are not real diamonds?-- please help me, I really want to enjoy my rings for a lifetime.... Thank you

Caty Preciado
student - Santa Cruz, California, USA
2004

---

2004

Caty,

I know it doesn't sound very technical, but the wife uses toothpaste and a soft toothbrush (not mine I hope). Seems to work just fine.

Trent Kaufman
electroplater - Galva, Illinois

Well the quickest and easiest way to find out all the information about the rings is to have them professionally appraised by a jeweler, go to the mall and ask if they know of anyone that that does appraisals. They will be able to tell you all you need to do to keep your rings in good shape and what the value the stones are.

In addition the ring with the Rhodium plating should not require frequent cleaning if any at all. Rhodium is a coating used over gold/silver/platinum etc... because it has a high reflective index, doesn't tarnish, and is rather hard. The only problem is going to be if you ever need to get the ring repaired, it will have to be stripped and replated afterward.

Most likely you will just need to use normal jewelry cleaner on the ring, and that is only if they get dull/tarnished.

Marc Banks
- Elizabeth City, North Carolina
2004