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To replace rhodium and use palladium instead?

Hello
I am a jeweller manufacturing gold and silver jewelery. Because of very high price of rhodium and the relative low price of palladium, I have a question. Is possible to use palladium plating solutions instead of rhodium plating solutions. What results can we get.
If anybody has some experience in this matter, I will thank your help.

Victor
Local Jeweller

Víctor Cabrera
Jeweller - Guatemala
May 23, 2008

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May 28, 2008

Hi,

You can use Pd solution but it is not as white bright then Rh.

Also Pt is better to use.

I'm using Pt and flash of rhodium plating which last longer and white bright finish I get.

Good Luck.

Dipen Pattni
jeweler/goldsmith - Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania

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Victor,
It is true that Palladium is not as white as Rhodium, and has less hardness as plated than Rhodium. There have been jewelry manufacturers that have made the switch to a decorative Palladium bath. Many made the switch back in the early nineties when Rhodium went over $50.00 per gram. It's about 6 times more expensive now, so I'm sure many more companies have followed suit. Have a few samples plated, submit them to your customers, see what they think. Platinum is good, but you will pay through the nose for it. I think your inquiry was based on saving money, right? Good Luck to you.

Mark Baker
Process Engineer - Syracuse, NY USA
May 29, 2008