The Process of Plating Jewelry

Gems en Vogue’s award winning designs brings you inspired jewelry from notable art movements in history and our distinctive masterpieces are set in our proprietary formula of sterling palladium alloy with 18K gold hand plated accents. The collection features intricately designed pieces with premium exotic precious and semi-precious gemstones sourced worldwide.  Our hand engraved details create an added layer to the intricacy of each piece.  Our design team strategically embraces each style to maximize it beauty. Below is a process of plating a ring

The process of plating a ring typically involves the following steps:

1. Cleaning: The ring needs to be thoroughly cleaned to remove any dirt, oils, or residues that may interfere with the plating process. This is usually done by immersing the ring in a cleaning solution or using an ultrasonic cleaner.
2. Surface Preparation: After cleaning, the surface of the ring may need to be prepared to ensure proper adhesion of the plating material. This can involve polishing or buffing the ring to create a smooth and even surface.

3. Electroplating: Electroplating is the most common method used to plate rings. In this process, the ring is immersed in an electrolyte solution containing 18K gold ions. The ring is connected to the cathode (negative electrode), and a metal anode (positive electrode) of the plating material is also immersed in the solution. When an electric current is applied, metal ions from the electrolyte solution are attracted to the ring and deposited onto its surface, creating a layer of 18K gold plate. The duration and intensity of the electrical current determine the thickness of the plating. At this stage, the entire item is plated in 18K gold.
4. Rinse and Dry: Once the desired thickness of plating is achieved, the ring is rinsed thoroughly to remove any residual plating solution. It is then dried carefully to prevent water spots or damage to the newly plated surface.
5. Masking: A masking compound is hand painted and applied to each item exactly where we want the gold plating to remain after the next step.  This is how our distinctive two-tone look is achieved.
6. Stripping: The entire item is immersed in a special solution that removes the gold plating in all places where the above noted mask has NOT been applied.
7. Mask removal: The special hand applied mask is removed which reveals the 18K gold plating beneath thus creating our signature two-tone look.
8. Cleaning: The item is once again cleaned using ultrasound and steam.
9. Finishing Touches: After plating, additional steps may be taken to refine the appearance of the ring. This can include polishing, buffing, or applying a protective coating to enhance the shine and durability of the plated surface.