Gold-Plated, Gold Vermeil, Gold-Filled and Solid Gold

What's the difference between gold-plated jewelry, gold vermeil, gold-filled and solid gold jewelry?

What's the difference between gold-plated jewelry, gold vermeil, gold-filled and solid gold jewelry?

Gold jewelry can be both timeless and modern, but in order to make sure you are getting your money's worth when shopping for gold pieces, it is important to understand the differences between types of gold – including gold-plated, gold vermeil, and gold-filled. From knowing what karat stands for to judging the quality of a piece from its weight and color, this guide will provide all the essential information you need to purchase high-quality gold jewelry at the best prices.

Gold-plated jewelry

Gold-plating is like giving metal a one millionth of a meter thick golden makeover - achieving this involves dipping the item into some special chemicals and whizzing up electric current to attract gold ions onto it. Depending on what jeweller you visit, they typically apply about 0.5 microns for those sparkly results - but if extra luster is required then more layers could be added which will also prolong its gorgeousness!

 Gold-filled Jewelry

Gold-filled jewelry may sound like it's the next closest thing to solid gold, but this age-old technique from early 1900s is actually a misnomer! Rather than using thin sheets of gold plating, the item has at least 5% (measured in weight) of its total mass accounted for with real gold. Although manufacturers no longer produce these pieces due to them being time and labor intensive, as well as not yielding something that’s better quality than other forms of jewelry – such as electroplated - if your piece starts wearing away you can always seek out services to re-plate it.

 Gold-vermeil jewelry

Gold vermeil is the luxurious process of coating sterling silver with a thick layer of gold. In order to be legally labeled as "vermeil", there are various regulations that must be met – in the US, its 10K or 14K gold plating at least 2.5 microns thick while in Canada it could potentially go as low 1 micron! If you're interested in buying authentic pieces made with 'vermeil' make sure they meet these standards. some places have much lower requirements resulting in significantly less quality than what was originally expected.

 Solid Gold Jewelry

Gold items can be found in a variety of karats, each with its own unique look and feel. 24k gold is the purest form but it's too soft to use everyday, so 18k (75% gold) and 14K (58.3%) are popular choices for jewelry as they feature more hard-wearing metals within their makeup - making them much less prone to scratches! Plus, if you're looking for that classic golden hue then14K has got ya covered!

 Jewelry is a delicate and intimate investment - something you want to enjoy for years. When looking for long-lasting jewelry, steer clear of gold plated or flash plated pieces (which have a very thin layer of gold). These types of jewelry can tarnish quickly - sometimes within days. At Mali's, we sell only the highest quality gold vermeil and solid 14k gold pieces because we believe in providing our customers with excellent value for money. All of our products are priced competitively so that you can shop with confidence knowing that you're getting a great product at an even better price. Thanks for shopping with us!