Wedding bands made from black tungsten, blue titanium, and other colored metals are in high demand. Do you realize that these rings have a coating which can detoriate rapidly, causing them to chip and lose their color? You should certainly give thought to the good and bad aspects of fancy, non-traditional wedding rings before you get excessively excited about them, and this article will help you make the best choice.
What Types of Wedding Bands Have Plated Metal?
Any non-silver color variant of tungsten, titanium, cobalt chrome, silver or stainless steel is produced through an external plating process. Examples of tungsten include: black titanium, black tungsten, blue tungsten, and gold tungsten. It is a typical practice in the jewelry business for the majority of white gold to be coated with rhodium in order to make it appear more white in color. However, we do not do this.
How Do I Know If A Ring Is Plated?
A reputable jeweler will disclose it to you. Here are some more clues:
- A low price is a dead giveaway. Generally, plated rings aren’t (and shouldn’t be!) priced over $50 unless they also contain another valuable element such as a gemstone. One exception is a solid, white gold ring with rhodium plating.
- The hallmark/stamp inside the ring:
- GP = gold plated
- GEP = gold electroplated
- HGE = heavy gold electroplate
- HGP = heavy gold plate
- 925 = silver, but if the ring is yellow or rose in color, it’s plated
- Any tungsten, titanium, cobalt chrome, silver or stainless steel that is not “silver” is plated.
Are Gold Plated Wedding Bands Valuable?
Gold plating jewelry involves coating a very thin layer (ranging from .17 microns to 2.5 microns, with the latter being classified as heavy gold plating) of gold that is not able to be recouped in a substantial quantity for resale. A solid gold ring coated in rhodium is viewed as very valuable, due to the fact that it is made up of a core of solid gold and is encased with a thin layer of rhodium to give it a white hue.
Did you know that an Italian chemist, named Luigi Brugnatelli, developed the technique of electroplating back in 1805?
Cost of Plated Vs. Solid Metal Ring
Rings with a metal coating, particularly those made of gold, are incredibly inexpensive. Most are of a mediocre quality and do not withstand wear and tear well. If you are looking for an enduring representation of your affection, you will be unsatisfied. When you factor in long-term maintenance or replacement expenses associated with a plated ring, the cost often turns out to be greater than the original buying price.
Why Are Plated Rings So Cheap?
Materials that are economical (e.g. negligible amounts of gold) and easily manufactured in large quantities.
A lot of international producers provide gilded rings at a very inexpensive wholesale price. The items are being sold again via internet shops, as well as by vendors on platforms like Amazon and the Wish app.
We purchased a rosy-hued tungsten wedding ring from the Wish program and took a more detailed examination of it. Take a look at our video that demonstrates why it is a good idea to think twice before purchasing a plated ring, even if it’s only 81 cents.
We acquired this wedding ring for eighty-one cents via the Wish app.
Black Tungsten vs Black Zirconium
Gold Tungsten vs Solid Gold
How Much Does It Cost to Get A Ring Replated?
The typical cost of replating is $75 and it is suggested to do it every two years, particularly when it comes to rhodium replating of white gold. It is probable that dark or tinted plating will need to be redone more quickly. In some cases, the price of having the ring re-plated will be more expensive than the initial cost of the ring!
Where Can I Get My Wedding Band Replated?
It is not easy to locate services that specialize in black and colored ring plating. It could be anticipated that this assistance would come from the original provider, yet most shop owners are redistributors and not producers or jewelers. Even if you are ready to have it recoated, it might not be a viable choice.
Luckily, because white gold plating is typical in the jewelry business, pretty much every jewelry store has the ability to offer rhodium and gold plating. If you are a crafty person, you can purchase a do-it-yourself gold-plating kit like the one available on Amazon.
Is A Plated Ring The Best Choice For YOU?
OPT FOR A PLATED RING IF…
You don’t wish to shell out a large sum of money for a ring.
It is alright for you to spend roughly $75 each time you have to have it replated.
If you are unable to locate a business that provides replating services, you are prepared to replace it.
DON’T OPT FOR A PLATED RING IF…
You require a job that involves manual labor and would like to wear your ring every day.
You want a ring with the ability to be passed down for generations that is capable of surviving the test of time.
You place emphasis on backing businesses located in America that genuinely build their products by hand (hint, hint).
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