Once the operations described above are finished, the jewel goes to the quality check department, and afterwards it is electroplated. Electroplating is the only operation which is not performed in our company, but by reliable third parties. Electroplating is an electrochemical procedure which consists in coating the silver with an extremely thin layer of other metal. This has a double function: gives a brighter shade to the silver and protects it from the oxidation process, keeping the surface unaltered. The silver is electroplated with other metals: gold, rhodium, palladium or even silver, according to the desired color. Over the last few years, electroplating was subject to strict norms, both at the national and the European level, which forbade the use of nickel, metal responsible for numerous allergic phenomena. Our company stopped using this metal several years ago, even before this norm became law. « »