How to Replate Rose Gold Jewelry
Written by Annabelle
March 20, 2020
Rose gold jewelry has become the recent rage thanks to its unique color and aesthetic! Solid gold jewelry can be expensive to purchase, so many people opt for plated jewelry instead. While it’s affordable and pretty, the color fades over time. Here’s how to replate rose gold costume jewelry so you can restore the appearance of your item.
What’s Rose Gold?
Rose gold is a commercial alloy made from gold and copper. The red color of the copper gives rose gold its signature pinkish tone. Unlike pure yellow gold, rose gold does not occur naturally and has to be man-made for jewelry and other items.
Two rose gold rings.
Getting an Item Rose Gold Plated
The first thing to do is to check for a jeweler who can replate your item in rose gold. Some jewelers are very limited in terms of color, while other jewelers don’t even have a plating tank.
Once you’ve found a jeweler who has the capability to do the work, the next thing to understand is that rose gold plating is not always consistent in color. Different jewelers and facilities have different plating solutions, and the metal of your item will also affect how the final result comes out. While the rose gold plating will always be pink in color, it may be lighter or darker based on these factors.
The Rose Gold Plating Process
After you turn your jewelry over to the jeweler, the process to replate the rose gold begins! The jeweler first polishes the piece to remove all existing plating. This is to ensure that the existing plating doesn’t show up underneath the new plating and cause a bumpy texture.
An imitation bangle with remnants of rose gold plating.
Next, the jeweler checks the newly exposed base metal. If the item is sterling silver, it can go straight into plating. However, other base metals such as copper, brass, bronze, and unknown costume jewelry alloys will need chemical treatment before they can go into the plating tank.
The jeweler may plate them with a layer of palladium or nickel to ensure that the rose gold plating takes to the surface.
Once the item is polished and treated, it’s placed into the plating tank. This tank contains a solution of metal salts, including the rose gold. Electricity runs through the water, attaching a thin layer of the rose gold to the top of the jewelry. The rose gold only sticks to the metal, and will not adhere itself to any stones in the design.
The bangle, after rose gold plating.
Maintaining Your Rose Gold Plated Jewelry
Once you receive your item back, remember that it’s not solid rose gold! In order to make sure that the plating lasts a long time, you should be mindful of the following:
- Don’t swim with your jewelry on: Chlorine is an extremely harsh chemical and will destroy the gold plating almost immediately. The salts in seawater can also wear down your plating very quickly as well.
- Take it off and wipe it down after wear: Don’t sleep with your jewelry on! Your skin creates sweat and oils that will cause the plating to fade over time. To extend the lifespan of your plating, make sure to remove it and wipe it down gently with a soft cloth to remove the residue from your skin.
Now you’re all set on how to replate rose gold jewelry! Touch up your favorite pieces or restore a sentimental item today with gold plating. If you’re ready to get started, comment below.
25 Comments on “How to Replate Rose Gold Jewelry”
Can you rose gold plate a yellow gold diamond ring? Will the playing last better on gold?
Hi there, we definitely can! Send us an email at [email protected] for more details
Can you plate a rose gold ring to sterling silver ?
Hi Rayas, yes we can! That will fall under rhodium plating. Here is a link with more info on this service and how you can place an order with us. https://quickjewelryrepairs.com/repair/jewlery-maintenance/plating/
I have a silver adjustable childrens bangle can I get this made rose gold plated ?
Hi Monique, we get definitely rose gold plate this for you if it’s made of silver. We’ll reach out via email with further details. 🙂
Where in Las Vegas can I get this done?
Hi There, we are located in New York City but have mail-in services for out of town customers!
Is there anything you can coat it with to make the plating more durable?
If rose gold/white gold ring is sent in for repairs and the whole this is dipped in rhodium can you restore the rose gold to its original color?
Hi Liz, yes we can! We do have the capability to plate only specific areas of jewelry!
Hello, I have a rose gold bracelet that I would like changing to yellow gold.
Is this possible?
Thank you, Ellie 🙂
Hi Ellie, we’ll reach out via email with further details!
Hello can rose gold plated be melted down and mixed with sold rose gold to help keep the colour for longer?
Hi There, we do not have the capability to do this but correcting the color of a ring can be done with flash plating!
I brought my yellow gold ring to get resized, and when I got it back it was more rose gold than yellow, is that possible? And if so, can it be plated back to yellow gold?
Thank you for reaching out, this is definitely something we can help with! I’ve responded directly via email 🙂
Will this work and last for a ring made of pure titanium steel? Would you recommend coating the ring at all?
Unfortunately, we are not able to able to plate titanium with gold at this time. Stainless steel, we are able to plate! Gold plating on stainless steel, or any metal which is plateable, is expected to wear over time – the good news is that it can always be reapplied!
Hi. I have watch, the rose gold is fading. Can it be fix ?
This should be no problem at all! The work required, and the quote, will depend on the watch’s design and base metal. I’ve followed up with next steps via email 🙂
Can I get a rose rose gold. Replated.
Also I have a yellow gold cuban that I would like to get converted to rose gold
Hi, Shameel! Thank you for your comment 🙂 We reached out via email to help you get your pieces replated!
Can rose gold plating be removed from yellow gold
Yes, rose gold plating can be removed from yellow gold. A jeweler can strip away the rose gold plating through a polishing or chemical process, revealing the yellow gold underneath. This is a fairly routine process, and afterward, the piece can be re-polished or even re-plated if desired. 🙂