What actually happens during a refinishing? What is Rhodium?

When a piece of jewelry is refinished at D'Andrea's Jewelers it is essentially made to look like new. All of the stones are checked for security and tightened. Any scratches and scuffs are polished out and the original finish is restored. When a white gold piece is refinished an additional step must be done. Because white gold naturally has a slight yellowish hue because of the natural yellow color of gold, a layer of Rhodium must be electromagnetically applied after it is refinished.

Rhodium is a member of the platinum group of metals and is very rare and precious. It is what gives a refinished piece of white gold jewelry its bright white shine. When a white gold ring starts to “yellow” at places where it gets more wear it is actually the rhodium wearing off and means it is time to be refinished.