What is Gold Filled Jewelry vs Gold Plated and why buy?

When deciding on a gold jewelry item there are always many different terms that come up. The most popular are Solid Gold, Gold Filled, and Gold Plated. It is important to know the differences between Gold Filled jewelry and Gold Plated jewelry when making your choice. Solid gold is of course an exquisite piece of jewelry. Gold filled is the next level and is an amazing, quality alternative to solid gold. Gold plating is the lower level and these items tend to tarnish and can often times turn the skin green.

Gold Filled: Gold filled is an actual layer of gold-pressure bonded to another metal. Gold filled is not to be confused with gold plating as filled literally has 100% more gold than gold plating. Gold filled is much more valuable and tarnish resistant. It does not flake off, rub off or turn colors. As a matter of fact, anyone who can wear gold can wear gold filled without worries of any allergic reaction to the jewelry. Gold filled jewelry is an economical alternative to solid gold!

Government Regulation: Gold filled items are regulated by the government. These items are therefore so much better then gold plated which has no regulations at all. Gold filled jewelry is made from solid gold and filled with other alloys such as rhodium (a member of the platinum family), brass, and sterling silver. Gold filled wears, looks and lasts like solid gold because its outer surface IS solid gold. Everything you can see and touch is pure gold. In the jewelry industry the quantity of gold must be at least 1/20th by weight of the total product.

Identification
The stamp on the article of jewelry must indicate both the weight of the gold in the piece and the karat of gold used. A stamp of 14K 1/20 means that the jewelry piece is 1/20 gold by weight and that the gold adhered to the metal alloy is 14 karat gold.

Lifetime Products: Gold-Filled items are generally considered lifetime products, and the gold layer will not wear off, as it will in electroplated products. Gold filled jewelry is often called the wave of the future because it offers all the same characteristics as solid gold such as strength, durability and beauty….but at a fraction of the cost!