Truely ethical wedding rings, entirely hand forged and naturally polished by Kerstin Laibach, are clearly distinquishable from jewellery which depends on short-lived chemical plating to artificially embellish appearance.

Based on Kerstin Laibach's ethical principles and crafting practices she does not plate her jewellery.

Plating / galvanizing / coating (most commonly gold or rhodium), is a short-lasting micro-fine layer of precious metal alloy, partly used to prevent tarnishing on silver and low carat golds, but foremost for adding a more vivid depth of colour to jewellery. Used extensively in the industry, it can simultaneously cover up imperfections associated with cheap casting and substandard work, while the "mesmerizing" finish entices customers who may not be thinking of long-term appearances.
When plating wears off, a jewellery piece can look quite different to the radiant item you originally bought - especially on white gold and 14ct yellow gold.
Kerstin Laibach's natural finishing on her handmade work gives each collection piece its own individual essence and lasting character.

WHAT IS THE ETHICAL PROBLEM WITH PLATING?
Plating involves the use of cyanide or other toxic chemicals. Although these can be neutralized, in practice there is still a considerable negative environmental impact. As it has no long-lasting value to the appearance of jewellery, plating is essentially superfluous - and to produce and use chemicals for such a purpose it surmounts to a pointless and environmentally unfriendly industrial process.

Kerstin Laibach: "Wedding and engagement rings are life-lasting sentiments often worn on a daily basis. I believe a quality piece of jewellery, when worn over years should age with grace and therefore maintain a timeless appeal. Plated wedding and engagement rings soon look dull and unattractive as the thin finish wears off, eventually looking nothing like the radiant item bought from the jeweller a few months before. I compare plating of jewellery to artificial flavourings and colourings."
When a customer comes to me who is dissatisfied with an item they have bought from a jewellers with the plating now half worn off, I will explain why and offer ways to rework the piece so that it might look more appealing in the long term."
"For ethical and craft quality reasons I never electroplate my rings or any of my work and instead ensure that the finish looks aesthetically pleasing as the result of an entirely handmade work. I would never suggest plating precious metal jewellery to customers, and have trouble understanding why any jeweller would even recommend that couples freshen up their rings by having them plated prior to their special day. If a marrying couple had chosen fine quality "natural" engagement and marriage rings to begin with, all they might need is a simple clean, and if scratched, a light polish.
Above all, the environment takes a battering each time unnecessary plating is applied to jewellery - dipped into a cocktail of hazardous chemicals."
"As an example, if my customers want rings in white gold I encourage them to understand the pure natural look of this precious metal. Natural white gold gives a slight yellowish tinge, but many jewellers will rhodium plate on white gold and silver, and their customers won't even realise, or even be told by the jeweller that their rings are plated.* Initially, plating makes the ring appear radiant "white" but as soon as the rhodium finish starts to wear off in places, the ring looks a patchy mess. Natural white gold (and silver) can look wonderful without unnecessary plating and will mature gracefully. This goes for all colours of natural precious metals. So don't be fooled by the superficial appearance of a 9ct gold ring in a jewellery shop looking as radiant and intense as 24ct gold. It only means it has been plated with a thin layer of fine gold which will soon wear off. Plating can prevent tarnish while it lasts, but if a piece is handmade perfectly and looks attractive without any artificial embellishment (plating) then you can rest assured that with the occassional light cleaning, you'll be happy with the look and feel of your wedding jewellery for years to come."

NOTE: It is important to understand that having jewellery entirely hand crafted without short-lived embellishments such as plating, there are characteristics which you might notice on the finished piece, such as a slight colour difference at soldering points - depending on the precious metals. If these joins are executed with fine care, they will simply feel an essential and natural part of the crafting and not as something undesirable. Hand-forging (never casting) from raw recycled metals, Kerstin Laibach goes a step further by carefully fusing her band rings so off-coloured solder lines are not present.
The skill of a jewellery maker can be gauged by the standard of joins and the general finishing. (Sparkling plating can distract an unwitting eye from poor workmanship).

*A jewellery seller's justification that Rhodium plating preserves gold pieces beyond their normal life-span is erroneous. Such sales talk is contrived to support the untarnished radiance which plated jewellery offers in a shop display. Rhodium is much harder than gold, so in comparison, a piece of solid rhodium metal may technically last longer than a piece of solid gold over a time span of a few thousand years. However, a microscopic layer of rhodium plating on top of a solid gold ring will wear off within a few short years - and often just months - and as Kerstin Laibach explains, the effect is unappealing with blotchy colouration areas appearing on the surface as the real precious metal below the plating begins to show through.
We remind you that a high-quality handmade Laibach ring without plating is infinitely more appealing, both ethically and characteristically in terms of its natural surface appearance throughout the long-life of your ring.

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