Re-plating
Restoring a worn plated finish. Routine maintenance for white gold and plated pieces, not a repair.
Plating wears at friction points, so rings go first, then bracelets, and pendants last the longest.
The piece is cleaned, polished and re-dipped, which also removes fine scratches in the process.
Pearls and soft stones usually have to be removed first, since the chemical baths and heat would damage them.
When you are buying
Ask at purchase whether a piece can be re-plated with its pearls in place. If not, factor in the cost of unsetting and resetting them each time.
Rhodium Plating
A thin layer of rhodium over silver or white gold, giving a bright white finish that resists tarnish.
Gold Plating
A thin layer of gold deposited over a base metal. Gives the colour of gold at a fraction of the cost, and wears off over time.
White Gold
Gold alloyed with white metals and then usually rhodium plated. The white you see is a coating, not the metal.
Micron Plating
The thickness of a plated layer, in thousandths of a millimetre. The single number that determines how long a finish lasts.