Today I'm going to demonstrate how to rhodium plate. Whether you're using standard rhodium, or black rhodium, the process is basically the same. Now we're going to go over the items we'll use.

So here's what we'll need: rhodium, activator, electrocleaner, four beakers, a thermometer, a gold or platinum wire, platinized titanium anode, stainless steel anode, and a rectifier. Now all of these items are available in one kit through Stuller.com, except for the rhodium and wire.

Most importantly you want ventilation and eye protection in this process.
Place a stainless steel anode and 2 teaspoons of the electrocleaner powder in a 600ml beaker that is ¾ filled with distilled water.

Place 2 teaspoons of activator powder in another 600ml beaker, that is ¾ filled with distilled water. Pour this solution into a 600ml beaker, with a platinized titanium anode.

Set the rectifier to 6 volts and heat the electro clean and rhodium solutions to 100 degrees. Place the positive lead of the rectifier on the stainless steel anode, and the negative lead to a hooked gold wire or platinum wire. Suspend the jewelry piece from this wire. Lower the piece into the electrocleaner and agitate for 2 minutes, then remove and rinse in distilled water.

Next, lower the ring into the activator, which should be at room temperature with no volts, for 30 seconds, then remove and rinse in distilled water.

Place the positive lede of the rectifier to the platinized titanium anode in the rhodium and set the volts to 4. Lower the piece into the rhodium for 25 seconds.

Once rinsed in distilled water, your piece is complete.

Here you can see the difference in standard rhodium and black rhodium.

For more tools and tips, visit Stuller.com/tools.