Beads of Bali

Silver-plated beads, findings and finished jewelry get no respect. They are perceived by some to be cheap when they are merely inexpensive. However, with the skyrocketing price of silver in recent years, the reputation of silver-plated jewelry may be improving.

The silver-plating process is fairly simple. Items made from an inexpensive base metal, such as brass or copper, are given a very thin outer skin of silver through electroplating. Plating can be used to given metal items their first coat or to refinish plated jewelry that has begun to show its wear and tear.

Electroplating is an easy process that can even be done at home with the right equipment and solutions.  Rio Grande, a leader in jewelry-making supplies, offers some fabulous plating stations for under $1000.  For people who don't want to mess with the process, many jewelry stores and virtually all jewelry repair shops offer replating services. The process is as follows:

• Clean the item to be plated of all dirt, grease and grime using a professional solution made explicitly for this purpose.
  
  
• Attach a negative charged cathrode to the item to be plated.
  
  
• Dip the item into a positively charged solution (commercially available) that contains silver particles. Turn on the electrical source.

Plate thickness is determined by the concentration of silver in the solution, the strength of the electrical current, and the amount of time the item is left in the solution.

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Gallery of Silver-Plated Beads and Findings