Letter 25083

Is rhodium plating magnetic? [Virginia] 

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I am curious to know if rhodium plating is magnetic, We had a customer come in with a piece from another store & wanted a magnet....He said that he believed the other store sold him a piece that was not 925 sterling even though it was stamped as such. I notice that it was a rhodium plated piece & the magnet did pick up on it. Things we had that were 925,but not plated did not pick up. Other pieces we had that are rhodium plated also picked up. Could you clarify this for me?

Thank you,

Hope Cyr
Retailer of sterling silver jewelry - Bristol, Va, USA

In the Rhodium plating process, 925 Sterling Silver is given a nickel underplate prior to Rhodium plating. The nickel is magnetic and causes the magnetic attraction. The Rhodium is not magnetic.

Jim Sivertsen
refining & alloys - Alden, N.Y., U S A

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