The Difference Between Gold-Filled and Gold-Plated Jewelry Sterling silver and gold-filled link necklace Gold-filled jewelry is jewelry composed of a thick layer of gold bonded to the outside of a high quality jeweler's brass core. The gold-filled jewelry we use is solid 14k gold over the base which means that the gold on the outside is "real". Click here or here to see examples of my handmade jewelry using gold-filled wire! The 14k gold that’s on the outside of gold-filled is the same gold as you would get from a solid 14k piece so gold-filled pieces have the same appearance as solid 14k gold jewelry! It's interesting that all the gold on "gold-filled" jewelry is on the outside - there is actually no gold "filling". Pretty confusing terminology!  Gold "plating", on the other hand, is a minuscule layer of solid gold applied to a brass base. The plating does not compose any measurable proportion of the product’s total weight. Gold plating can wear off quickly and expose the brass base product. It does not stand up to heat, water or wear over time. If you want jewelry that lasts, avoid anything "plated". By comparison, gold-filled contains 5% gold by weigh. All the gold is on the surface is solid, "real" 14K gold, which offers product protection from tarnish and wear. Click HERE to see an example of my handmade jewelry using gold-filled wire! So, there you have it! Now you are an informed jewelry shopper so get out there & have fun!
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I am Laura Teague, a metal smith living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Categories
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January 2021
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