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Are all Chrome plated products Nickel Free?

I would like to know that if a piece of jewellery has Chrome plating on it then can it be Nickel free. Also is there any procedure which is cost effective and can increase the longevity of Nickel free Flash plating?

Gautam Bhalla
Craft Artist - New Delhi, INDIA
2005

Dear Mr Bhalla,

All chrome plated jewellery will have a nickel plated undercoat; in fact the chrome may make it carcinogenic as well.

By 'nickel free flash' do you mean white bronze? If yes then a clear Electrophoretic lacquer may help, but if plated properly to a thickness of 2-4 microns instead of 'flash'; bronze would take a long long time to tarnish and it might not be necessary.

Khozem Vahaanwala
Saify Ind

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

2005

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2005

I am not sure I agree with all of Mr Vahanwala's comments. Whilst it is usual for chrome plated articles to have a nickel sub-layer, this is not always the case. Since it is now illegal to sell jewellery containing nickel in Europe, some manufaturers have gone over to white bronze as the barrier layer, thereby making the article "nickel free". The idea that "chrome plated" articles can be carcinogenic is rather misguided. The term "chrome" is colloquial for chromium, but in recent times it has also doubled up as a term covering chromium oxides, some of which are classified as carcinogens. Chromium metal is not carcinogenic, but some salts of chromium, namely those where the chromium is in the hexavalent state, can be carcinogens. Problems can also arise when articles are treated by chromate passivation layers or conversion coatings, as these can be classed as carcingens due to their hexavalent content.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK

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2005

Mr.Vahanwalla's comments to the question is appropriate as question has originated from Delhi, India.
In India imitation jewellery manufaturers to cater to the Indian market has to yet to come in terms such as Nickel free and Nickel Allergy.
In Europian Contries the supplier has to follow the legal requirements of those countries.
Switzerland-Swiss Federal Law
In the USA-Federal Trade Commission etc.
Now coming to the question.In India if it is mentioned as chrom plated, it has to be Nickel uder coated.
Lately is is being replaced with white bronze plating which looks like nickel- chrom or rhodium.
All the exports are met with either white bronze or rhodium as the top coat or palladium as under coat to comply Nickel free regulations.

T.K. Mohan
plating process supplier - Mumbai, India