Gold Fill vs Gold Plate
Just like a leprechaun’s pot of gold, a piece of jewelry crafted from this lustrous metal holds significant value. Gold jewelry has had a major renaissance over the last few decades, with many of the trendy minimal pieces being created in gold tones. These stunning pieces add warmth to a look, and particularly complement skin with yellow or olive undertones.
When we talk about jewelry, much of the discussion is around the argument between silver and gold. However, we have another angle for you to consider: if you’re more drawn to gold jewelry, what type of gold was used to create your piece? After all, not every technique is created equal.
When it comes to jewelry there are a few popular options and techniques: solid gold, gold plated, and gold filled. Sold gold is used in fine jewelry and, though beautiful when available, can be incredibly expensive. If you’re looking for an exceptional piece of jewelry at a more reasonable price point, your options typically come down to gold filled or gold plated jewelry.
What is gold fill?
14K gold fill is a professional jeweler's grade metal. This option will not tarnish, crack, chip, peel, or turn your skin green (like lower quality jewelry might). Under normal circumstances, and if taken care of correctly, it will last an entire lifetime.
Gold fill is a tube of solid 14K gold mechanically bonded to a brass or sterling silver base. There is 100 times more gold in gold filled than in something that has been gold plated. This layer of gold must be a minimum of 1/20th of the total metal weight to be called gold filled. The color looks exactly like 14k gold.
What is gold plated?
Gold plated jewelry is jewelry that is created using a base metal layer (like copper or silver) that has an extremely thin layer of gold applied to the top. This is the type of jewelry that may turn your skin green, and can tarnish easily. In some cases, you can even rub off the gold layer with an eraser! There is no inherent value from the gold used in gold plated jewelry - it is essentially a layer for coloring.
Is gold fill better than gold plated jewelry?
In our opinion, gold filled jewelry is a better choice than gold plated jewelry. Cire’ Alexandria jewelry uses gold filled jewelry because we strive for a higher quality product. We believe in investment pieces, jewelry that will last you a lifetime both in sturdiness and its style. Gold filled jewelry is the best choice when you are searching for something that is handmade with you in mind.
When you are choosing your next gold jewelry piece, be sure to check the technique that was used to create that stunning gold color. Is the piece solid gold, gold filled or gold plated? The answer will impact how you care for your piece, how long it will last, and the price tag. As always, we are here to answer your jewelry questions. Send us a DM on Instagram (@cirealexandria) or use the contact form on our website.