What is "rhodium-plated-silver" ? My wife id allergenic to silver and wears stainless steel.

Hi! Your wife is most likely allergic to nickel, an alloy found in silver jewelry. The higher the nickel content, the more allergic people are to it. Before I get to Rhodium, it's good to have a basic understanding of metal used in jewelry. To be labeled "Sterling Silver" in the USA, the metal must be .925 pure silver. Other countries have different standards, so read product descriptions carefully and if you are unsure, ask the seller to verify if what they're selling as "Sterling" or "Silver" is, in fact, .925 Sterling Silver. Ask if the jewelry is stamped .925 & look for that hallmark on the metal. You may need a magnifying glass to find it. Many people allergic to nickel, including me, have no problem wearing .925 Sterling Silver jewelry. Rhodium: Rhodium is a white metal in the same family as Platinum, and Rhodium looks brighter and whiter than Platinum, as well as not being as heavy as Platinum, or as expensive. I'm unaware of people being allergic to Rhodium or Platinum, but you can check. The beauty of plating Sterling Silver (or another metal) with Rhodium (or Platinum) is that it will never tarnish or lose it's bright, beautiful appearance, as long as the plating is done properly, with the appropriate thickness. Rhodium and Platinum are stronger than Sterling Silver, and all gold at 10kt, 14kt, 18kt, 22kt, and 24kt (pure yellow gold). In fact, the higher the karat of gold, the softer it is. That's why the finest gold jewelry is usually 18kt or less, especially for rings that are subject to lots of wear and tear. You might find 22kt gold as an accent on jewelry, but it's so soft, the parts that need to be durable will be 18kt for most jewelry. Platinum became popular for wedding rings due to it's exceptional durability. Rhodium is lighter and easier to work with than Platinum, less expensive and has that bright white, high-shine, durable, tarnish-free finish, making it ideal for plating jewelry. I would say you can order Rhodium-plated or Platinum-plated jewelry with confidence for your wife.

are these heavy? I only wear studs most of the time and want as lightweight as possible.

I purchased these in yellow gold in 9mm and they are very lightweight. I love the lever backs also. I am able to sleep in them and they don't come off, nor do the posts poke me.