Electro-plating
elec·tro·pla·ting | i-ˈlek-trə-ˌplā-tiŋ
verb
The process of applying metal (most often gold) to adhere to the surface of another metal, using electrical current
Electroplating is the process by which a layer of metal is applied to another. This most typically is done with gold, gold alloys, and rhodium (a platinum group metal). Electro-plating involves placing a piece of jewelry in a solution that contains the coating metal and running an electrical current through it. Electroplating can work for most pure metals and some alloys, but it is most often gold in the case of jewelry. This process is relatively quick and inexpensive because it does not require expensive equipment. It may be used to give a piece a richer color, to hide imperfections, to change the color of a piece of jewelry, or to hide defects on the surface of a setting.