What is 14k gold plated mean

Most likely this jewelry was gold plated. Frankly most gold tone jewelry sold is plated, because its cheaper to manufacture. There is a big difference between "gold filled" and gold plated". Its really good to know the difference so that you know what to shop for and what you are getting for your buck. Bottom line your going to pay a little bit more for gold filled jewelry, but it will stand the test of time, and in our opinion its well worth it.

Heres why:. Gold Plated: The process of gold plating is one where a minuscule layer of gold is applied over a base metal usually brass. The amount of real gold that is used is actually so tiny that its technically considered unmeasurable less than. This is why gold plating will wear off actually pretty quickly. Many of my customers tell me they are also much more relaxed about wearing 14K gold fill jewelry, making it their jewelry of choice for travel. If it gets lost or stolen it is still sad, but it isn't the nerve-wracking financial disaster it could be.

They are also more apt to wear 14K gold fill jewelry every day without worry. It's so much easier just to grab your favorite bracelet and go when you don't have to remove it from the safe first! So there you have it - the three reasons why I think that 14K gold fill makes the perfect choice for jewelry wear. Did I miss any reasons? In general, plating can last for up to two years with proper care. The best way to deal with tarnished pieces is to have the piece replated when required.

How often you need to do this depends on the thickness of the plating, the quality of the piece, the color of the base metal and how much wear and tear the piece sustains. By taking proper care of gold-plated jewelry, you can extend its life and keep it bright and beautiful. Here are some steps to take:. Black diamond ring in gold plated setting by Delarah. Your jeweler should indicate that the gold is plated. However, here are some ways to identify for yourself:. However, there is no hard and fast rule that gold plated jewelry must be stamped.

This depends on the thickness of the gold and whether the piece contains metals that cause allergies, like nickel, zinc and cobalt. In general, gold plating is not hypoallergenic and can cause skin reactions for people with metal allergies.

This is because of the nickel content that is in the piece. When the gold layer wears down or flakes off, the nickel in the jewelry comes into contact with your skin, causing reactions.

Before you buy gold plated jewelry, check the metal alloys in the piece. Avoid metal allergens if you have metal allergies. Home gold plating kits like this one are usually fun and easy to use. If you have a lot of gold plated jewelry, this might be a good way to keep them perpetually shiny and lustrous. Your best bet to find gold plated jewelry is to check at costume jewelry stores.

These affordable and come in a range of styles. Check on Etsy for unique finds. Gold plated jewelry can handle the abuse of everyday wear more so than solid gold. Gold plated jewelry items will definitely tarnish over time, though solid gold items will not tarnish at all. Gold plated items have a base metal underneath the gold plate, like copper or silver, which makes the jewelry piece stronger and less likely to bend, though these jewelry metals tarnish.

In a gold plated jewelry item, the metal beneath the gold plate will eventually come to the surface and become discolored, so it will need to be polished frequently to keep its shine.

The reason that gold plated jewelry tarnishes is because the molecules of the base metals eventually transfer into the thin layer of gold, causing the gold layer to break down. After a few weeks of wearing your gold plated jewelry item, the gold plate is likely to start chipping, wearing, or flaking off.

The reason for this is because the gold layer is so thin and not very durable itself. Gold is a very soft metal and can easily be scratched unless alloyed with other metals to make it stronger.

The layer of gold on gold plated items is the least amount of gold when compared to gold filled or solid gold items. Thus, the gold plate is very thin and susceptible to flaking off. Since the gold content is so low in gold plated items, the value is low. Showering with gold plated jewelry or immersing the item under water for long periods of time can cause the gold layer to completely wear off. The reason for this is that the coating, or layer, of gold on the outside of the item is so thin that there are only a few microns of gold in the plating.

Gold filled jewelry might have some value and might be worth something, however! Following a care regime for your gold plated jewelry is essential to making your jewelry last longer. It can be difficult to know exactly how long does gold plated jewelry last or how to clean tarnished gold plated jewelry, but we can help!

If you want to keep the brightness and luster of the gold plating, there are a few care regimes you can follow:. To make your gold plated jewelry gold again, you can have the item re-plated. The process is simple and inexpensive!