June 2020
Deep dive into Metals that go into making your jewelry
What is gold filled? Quick Definition: A heat bonded layer of gold plating that won’t come off in normal use. Detail Definition: Gold filled is one level down from pure gold. As per United States laws gold filled must contain 5% gold which is heat and pressure bonded to a base metal, often jeweler’s brass or brass copper alloy. The process of heat bonding the gold to the base metal means that the gold covering on the top will last quite a long time (30+ years) before coming off. Because gold doesn’t tarnish and 100% covers the base metal, it will never tarnish. The 5% marking of gold filled is written as 1/20 gold by weight. Because all our gold-filled items are 14K gold filled the markings on our pieces are marked as 14/20 or 14KGF.
Pro’s
· Last’s long
· Will not tarnish
· Cheaper than pure gold but has similar properties
Con’s
· You must be more careful because intentional scraping and the gold plating will come off
So, what is Gold Plate? Quick definition: Base metal / brass covered with a layer of gold. Detailed Definition: Gold plating is a minuscule layer of solid gold applied to a core metal base. The plating does not compose any measurable proportion of the products total weight. It is estimated to be 0.05% or less of the metal product. Gold plating will generally wear off rather quickly and expose the base metal / brass product. It does not stand up to heat, water or wear over time.
Pro’s
· Cheaper
· Get the look without the price
Con’s
· Gold layer wears off
· Not as long lasting (few years)
· Can tarnish – can’t withstand humidity and wear
And now Vermeil? Quick Definition: Silver covered with a layer of gold. "Vermeil" (pronounced vehr-MAY), which is a thicker level of gold plating over sterling silver rather than a base metal. To truly qualify as Vermeil, the plating should be a minimum of 2.5 microns thick and always over sterling silver.
Pro’s
· Heavier plating
· Cheaper than gold or gold filled
· Holds value as silver would
Con’s
· Plating wears off - few years
· Tarnishes easily
Finally, what is pure gold? 100% pure gold is marked as 24K (K for Karats) and is priced per troy ounce (currently at around $1743.47 *June 2020*) Solid gold though can come in many karatage, the most common being 10K, 14K, and 18K. Everything other that 24K gold has some other metal mixed into it, depending on the color of the metal and how much of it is mixed in you can get different colors. White gold (silver), Yellow gold (brass), and Rose gold (copper) or a mixture of all three and other metal. All the solid gold that we use, often found in items of our collection, is 14K yellow gold.
Pro’s
· Will last forever (lifetime+)
· Won’t tarnish
· Won’t ever lose value
Con’s
· Expensive
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