Rhodium is one of the rarest precious metals on earth. It is a white and shiny element that looks like chrome and belongs to the platinum group of metals.

Jewelers often use rhodium plating to give jewelry a bright silver-white shine and help prevent tarnishing. It is also a harder and more scratch resistant metal than sterling silver. However, if you want to keep your ring looking brand new it’s best to re-plate it once every 18 to 24 months. Depending on the wear and tear of your piece as well as your body chemistry, it may last longer or less time.

Since it is so rare, pure rhodium is only found as a byproduct when mining for platinum. This makes the price of rhodium very volatile, as it is subject to market fluctuations connected with platinum supply and demand. It is currently at a record high price per ounce, nearly three times more than gold!

Can You Get a Solid Rhodium Ring?

Pure rhodium is a very hard metal and it is essentially impossible to work with in its pure form. Taking a hammer to it would probably result in the precious metal grenade shattering and bouncing right back at you! Instead, rhodium is forged into durable pieces of jewelry using other metals and alloys.

Rhodium plated jewelry is relatively affordable and is more durable than pure silver or sterling silver. Because it is a thin coating, it will slowly fade over time and will need to be re-plated about every year or so. However, the frequency depends on how much you wear and tear your ring and how thick the original plating was.