Types of Gold Jewelry Explained
Will my gold-filled jewelry tarnish?
Tarnish is the result of corrosion that affects all metals (yes, even fine jewelry) when exposed to air and moisture. It's similar to the rust you see on bridges or a bike left out in the rain. While tarnish may not look great, the good news is that it can be cleaned off. In fact, all jewelry will need cleaning at some point. The challenge is that not every type of jewelry can be cleaned as easily.
This is where Gold Filled really shines!
The thick gold layer on Gold Filled jewelry is guaranteed to last for decades! Because the gold layer is so thick, and because it is actually fused to the base metal, you don't need to worry about the gold coming off. The gold thickness also makes Gold Filled hypoallergenic for most people. If you can wear 14K Gold on your skin without having an allergic reaction, you should have no problem wearing 14K Gold Filled.
On top of that, because of the thickness and durability of the gold layer on Gold Filled jewelry, you can safely and easily remove tarnish by cleaning it, just like you can with Fine Jewelry! This is a HUGE advantage that Gold Filled has over Gold Plated.
What is Gold Plated Jewelry?
Gold plated jewelry is a very light layer of gold on top of a base metal (usually brass or copper). The thin layer of gold is plated onto the base metal to create gold plated jewelry. To give our earrings an extra layer of durability and protection,
Since the gold plating is very thin, the gold can rub off easily. It is also more prone to tarnishing when exposed to any kinds of liquids or chemicals. Although gold itself does not corrode, copper and brass will, especially when exposed to liquids (in the air, sweat, lotion, perfume, etc). Gold plated jewelry is much, much cheaper than the other types of gold jewelry because it uses a tiny amount of gold on top of a base metal. Gold plated jewelry is a good option if you need jewelry for just an occasion, or for trying out new trends.
What is Gold Vermeil?
Gold vermeil (pronounced ver-may) is thick gold plating on top of sterling silver. US standards require there to be at least 2.5 microns of gold plated on top of sterling silver, but some other countries require less, such as Canada only requiring 1.0 micron. It is hypoallergenic, so people with metal allergies can wear it safely. Since the gold plating in vermeil is much thicker than gold plated jewelry, the gold lasts much, much longer. Over years, with lots of excessive use, the gold can wear off in areas with a lot of contact.
We recommend purchasing gold vermeil products from trusted brands because some companies can claim their products are vermeil, but their products don't actually have 2.5 microns of gold. 2.5 microns converted to inches is .0001", so as you can imagine, it's quite hard to measure without proper equipment.
Many charms can’t be made of gold filled due to its limitations, so we use gold vermeil instead. A few of our necklaces have gold vermeil charms on gold filled chains, and we absolutely adore our gold vermeil rings. Gold vermeil jewelry is a great choice for those who want something to wear daily while still being affordable.
What is Gold Filled?
Gold filled is a solid layer of gold mechanically bonded to a base - jeweler’s brass. US standards require the gold layer to consist of 1/20th (or 5%) of the jewelry’s total weight. The gold is usually 14k gold, but sometimes may be 12k gold (sometimes stamped with 14/20 or 12/20, respectively).
Gold filled has some limitations because of the way it is manufactured; it is only available in wire or sheet form, so it cannot be casted or poured into a mold. Gold filled charms are either flat (made from sheets), or hollow (two pieces of sheet metal soldered together). Whenever charms or rings can't be made out of gold filled, gold vermeil is used instead.
Gold filled jewelry has almost 100x more gold than gold plated jewelry. Since the gold is mechanically bonded to the base rather than plated, it can’t rub off. It has the same qualities as solid gold jewelry at a fraction of the cost. Gold filled jewelry is also great for people who are allergic to metals, as the material will not cause an allergic reaction.
US gold filled jewelry is our material of choice; we use gold filled where ever we can because it is higher quality than gold vermeil and gold plated, but still not as expensive as solid gold.
Overall - gold filled jewelry is perfect for everyday wear because it can handle the wear and tear of daily life, and it's very affordable. With proper care, gold filled jewelry can last a lifetime!
What is Solid Gold?
Solid gold jewelry is just as the name suggests - the whole jewelry piece is made entirely of gold (no base metal). There are many different karats of gold, which determines the amount of gold vs alloy. Pure gold (24k) is too soft and malleable to wear in jewelry, so the gold must be alloyed with other metals to give it strength and durability. 14k solid gold means 14 parts gold (58.3%) and 10 parts alloys (41.7%), while 18k solid gold means 18 parts gold (75%) and 6 parts alloys (25%). The lower the karat, the less expensive it is because it is using less gold.
Solid gold is the best quality of gold there is - it’s great to wear everyday, won't fade, and is hypoallergenic. However, since the entire piece of jewelry is made of gold, it is very expensive and unaffordable to many people. Many retailers of solid gold jewelry also have high markups, so one simple necklace can be hundreds of dollars.
What’s the Best for Me?
The best type of gold jewelry that's suited for you depends on a number of factors, such as your budget, how often you wear your jewelry, whether you’ll be able to take good care of it, and more. We love gold filled and gold vermeil because they're both affordable, yet high quality enough for everyday wear.