Help with Rhuthenium hardware issue

[msjackson]

Hi. The Rhuthenium hardware on my Birkin is badly scratched. Is this normal? Can it be fixed/replaced?

 

[CleoChinChin]

what has happened to this?? How old is it?

Yes hardware can be polished or replaced

 

[S'Mom]

They can polish it...but.....how did it get this bad?

 

[Bag*Snob]

Was this brushed hardware? If so, it doesn't look scratched - it looks like the plating is wearing off.

 

[msjackson]

All I know is it has a D stamp so it's from 2000. I don't know how it got this bad. Is there a difference between brushed and Ruthenium?

 

[S'Mom]

I'd just take it to the store and have them do a spa treatment and see how that works....ask them to replace it if they can't polish it. I'm sure there will be a cost to that so be prepared...

 

[msjackson]

What is the difference between "brushed" and Rhuthenium? Or, is it brushed Palladium. I'm confused! Sorry. Do you have an idea of what they might charge to fix/replace the hardware?

 

[Winston]

What is the difference between "brushed" and Rhuthenium? Or, is it brushed Palladium. I'm confused! Sorry. Do you have an idea of what they might charge to fix/replace the hardware?

I had rhuthenium hardware replaced on my BBH last year and it was around $400-$500 dollars; I can't remember the exact figure.

 

[birkel]

yes this hardaware is a bit more delicate it could of happened with the actual strap holders

as a question in general can the hw be replaced with out changing the actual straps ?

 

[perlerare]

yes this hardaware is a bit more delicate it could of happened with the actual strap holders

as a question in general can the hw be replaced with out changing the actual straps ?

Yes absolutely !

I have the plates changed once in a while on the bag I use most.

 

[mistikat]

This actually looks corroded. Not sure if you are in a damp environment but that could be the cause. Ruthenium is part of the platinum group of metals and is considered to be a fairly hardy metal.

 

[msjackson]

Thank you all. I'm going to send it in and see what they say. I will keep you posted.

 

[birkel]

perle rare did you send it in to paris or could it be done in NYC ?

 

[mudmud]

It looks like brushed hardware. The brushed pattern is very uniform across the whole plate so it doesn't look like it's scratched. "brushed" refers to the plate having a "matte" effect instead of a shiny (polished) effect and ruthenium is the metal used to plate over the brass(?), so they have either gold plated (gold), palladium plated (silver coloured) or ruthenium plated (dark greyish colour). But I agree with bag snob, it looks like the plating's come off. msjackson, would you by any chance have applied any sort of metal polish on it (like some kind of 'Brasso')? Otherwise it might be the plates scratching against the 2 strap holders over time. Luckily H can replace it!

 

[castorny]

Have you tried a jeweler's silver polishing cloth? Perhaps it is just oxidation? I agree that it looks more like brushed hardware.