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Buyer be aware... there are many different types of gold out there! It pays to know the difference!
The price of gold has skyrocketed in recent years so more and more jewelry designers have to find ways to make their work more affordable. Increasingly, this means using vermeil or plated metal instead of solid gold. As a retailer that specializes in handmade jewelry I am often asked the following questions, “What is vermeil?”, “Will this gold become tarnished?”, “What is the difference between Gold Filled and Gold Plated jewelry?” Although in some cases you can quickly guess the difference by the price (a 14KT solid gold pendant will be significantly more pricy than a 14kt gold filled piece) when it comes down to the difference between Gold Filled, Gold Plate and Vermeil a little knowledge can help you make an informed purchase.
Let’s start with the solid variety. Solid 24KT gold, meaning 24 out of 24 parts are gold, is as pure as it gets. But gold this pure is too soft to be functional for jewelry. To make it more functional, affordable, and to influence the color (rose, yellow, white etc…) gold is alloyed with other metals. 14KT Gold is the most common type of solid gold meaning there are 14 parts of gold and 10 parts other metal.
Next comes gold plate which is a very thin layer of gold, electroplated or electrochemically applied to the base piece. This is a much thinner layer of gold than occurs in a gold filled piece and can easily expose the base metal causing allergic reactions.
Gold fill is made by using heat and pressure to apply a layer of karat gold to a less costly base metal. This produces a surface with karat gold. By law, 14KGF has 1/20th by weight layer of 14 karat gold permanently bonded over a core of base metal. It has far more gold than the thin layer of gold in gold plate. Under normal wear with reasonable care 14KGF jewelry will not peel, flake, or wear off. It is tarnish-resistant like solid 14 karat gold and is safe for most people with sensitive skin who can wear solid 14 karat gold jewelry.
Lastly comes vermeil which is made from a base of sterling silver that is coated or plated on its surfaces with a very thin layer of gold. This layer is thinner than gold filled and may tarnish and definitely has a brighter overall appearance. However, it can be easily polished up with jewelry cleaner or a tarnish cloth and is a very popular alternative.
Just having this basic knowledge of the different types of gold products will help you make an educated choice on your next handmade jewelry piece!
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