A fashionable and more inexpensive alternative to gold plated jewelry. It's critical to understand how they vary so that you can make the best decision for you.
Everything You Need to Know About Gold Plated Jewelry, From How it's Created To How to Take Care of it, is covered below.
Discovering Gold Plating
A particular form of electroplating called gold-plating employs electricity to bond a tiny layer of gold to the surface of another metal. This method is frequently employed to create inexpensive costume jewelry because it gives the item a more solid gold appearance.
Gold Plating: How Is It Done?
The beginning piece needs to be exceptionally cleaned and clean for the gold plating process. The base metal components are normally cleaned by the factor based on acid or ultrasonic bath. The object is then deep cleaned with steam or ultrasound before being polished with a rouge wheel at a higher Speed.
The plater coats the base metal with a thin layer of nickel after cleaning and polishing the jewelry's surface. This layer, also known as a "struck layer" or "flashing layer," guards against base metal contamination of the gold tanks. Keeping the base metals from bleeding through layers of gold, also increases the piece's lifespan.
Are Gold Plated Jewelry Viewed as Real Gold Jewelry?
The gold plating on jewelry that has this finish is unquestionably regarded as real gold. Gold-plated jewelry, as opposed to a piece made wholly of golden mixtures, should be identified as "gold plated" either on the jewelry itself or on the packing to show that it is not gold plated jewelry. The majority of gold jewelry is an alloy, a combination of gold and some other metal.
Which Metals Are Plated With Gold?
Any metal can be given a gold finish. The most popular base metals for gold plating are copper and silver, however other metals that are frequently plated include:
- stainless steel
- Silver
- Copper
- Brass
- Nickel
- Tungsten
- Titanium
Can Material With Gold Plating fade or Tarnish?
Yes, metals with a gold finish will tarnish and fade more quickly than those composed wholly of gold alloy. Gold is a very soft metal that is easily damaged unless it is mixed with metals that are more resistant to wear. The layer will eventually wear away, exposing the base metal underlying, which might tarnish. The gold itself does not tarnish.
How Is Gold Plating Thickness Measured?
Micrometers, or one effectiveness based on a meter, or micro-inches, or one-millionth of an inch, are used to measure the thickness of gold plating. To be marketed as "gold-plated," a piece's gold layer needs to be at least 20 micro-inches thick (0.50 microns); any slimmer, and the item can only be marketed as "gold cleaned," "gold started flashing," or "gold electroplate." A piece with a gold layer thinner than 7 micro-inches cannot be marketed as "gold" at all.
A Few Important Facts About Gold Plated Jewelry
Cheap costume jewelry is frequently created using a gold-plating technique. People who might not otherwise have the money for solid gold now have access to more expensive-looking items thanks to gold plating. Here is all the information you need to decide if wearing gold-plated jewelry is suitable for you.
What is the Value of Gold Plated Jewelry?
Most often, buying real gold jewelry is more expensive than buying gold-plated jewelry. However, it usually won't keep its value as well, so if you try to sell it again in the future, you probably won't get much of your money back.
How To Identify Gold Plated Jewelry?
Typically, you don't need any specialized chemicals or testing tools to determine whether a piece is gold-plated. The jewelry will probably be less expensive than comparable pure gold ingots, to start with. Additionally, you might see a hallmark, such as "GP," "HGP," "GEP," or "HGE," which could reveal additional information on the gold layer, such as whether it is made of 14k gold, 18k gold, etc.
You must also visually scrutinize the jewelry because not all gold-plated jewelry needs to have a hallmark. An item is likely gold-plated rather than real gold if it has uneven coloring, flaking metal, discoloration, or extremely intense yellow hues.
Gold Plated Jewelry is Hypoallergenic?
The majority of gold-plated jewelry has at least a base layer of nickel that is only lightly topped with gold, which will gradually wear away over time and expose the skin to the nickel. Even white gold can have nickel and rhodium plating applied to it to make it appear whiter. Therefore, the only jewelry that can be deemed hypoallergenic is gold plated jewelry composed completely of hypoallergenic alloys. If you are sensitive to any metals, it is crucial to take note of this.
What is the Longevity Of Gold Plated Jewelry?
Each gold-plated object is distinct, and a variety of factors affect how long they last. Regardless of the makeup of a piece of jewelry, there are things you can do to extend its life.
The only real repair for tarnished gold plated jewelry is replating, though you can enhance its appearance. You might have a skilled jeweler take care of this for you, but be sure they know how to recover the base metal. Keep in mind that while the underlying metal may tarnish, gold does not.
Jewelry's longevity will be increased by moderate use and routine maintenance. You can extend the life of your pieces by using the care suggestions shown below.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Gold Plated Jewelry
Gold-plated jewelry need not be superior or inferior to other types of jewelry. Before you decide to make a purchase, you'll want to take into account certain obvious benefits and drawbacks.
The Advantages:
- Gold-plated jewelry is far cheaper than gold jewelry.
- More outlets than solid gold jewelry carry gold-plated jewelry, including pharmacy stores and specialty jewelers.
- Jewelry lovers can purchase more gold plated jewelry due to the reduced price, which enables them to explore and experiment with different accessories.
The Drawbacks:
- Gold-plated jewelry has a far higher resale value than gold-plated items.
- Over time, the thin layer of gold that shields the underlying metal may deteriorate, revealing the metal below.
- The piece's appearance may deteriorate due to a tarnish in the base metal.
Do you Need to Buy Gold Plated Jewelry?
Purchasing gold-plated items have some important benefits, but there are some drawbacks as well. Gold-plated items should be avoided if you have allergies or metal sensitivities unless you are certain that they are constructed of hypoallergenic metals. You should probably stick with solid gold if you want a piece of jewelry that will endure and possibly be passed down through generations as an heirloom.