As jewelry, Gold's softness and natural beauty makes it attractive and appealing. It also doesn't corrode or tarnish. However, pure gold is so soft that it's rarely used in jewelry. It's important to balance gold purity with the durability when you're selecting jewelry. The karat is a very old measure of how much gold is in an alloy, or gold-blend. A measure of 1 Karat is where there is 1 part of pure gold and 23 parts of metal alloy - or 4% gold. So 24K is 100% pure gold. 9K is 37%, 14K is 58%, 18K is 75%. Some people have allergic reactions to some plating. The most common is nickel-plating- possibly up to 10% of people react to nickel. Unfortunately nickel is used to color gold, as an alloy, and sometimes in the electroplating process. If allergy is a problem, most jewelry makers like to use surgical steel, sterling silver, vermeil, or gold-filled items. Gold filled jewelry uses a technique in which thin layers of gold are bonded by heat and pressure to a base metal center, such as brass. Several layers of a core metal are surrounded by at least 10k gold. Gold filled is the next best, quality alternative to solid gold. Compared to gold plated, gold filled is more valuable and tarnish resistant. Gold filled jewelry has the same care as gold jewelry: keep jewelry away from chemicals and clean regularly with a mild, soapy, solution, rinse, pat dry with a gentle cloth, and gently polish with a jewelry polishing cloth. [review] We often get asked about the difference between 14k gold, 14k gold filled, gold plated and gold vermeil jewelry. It is a good question and anyone who wears jewelry should know what they are buying when it comes to different types of metals, especially if there are any metal allergies. 14k Gold: Pure 100% gold is 24 karat gold. This means that 24 out of 24 parts are gold. Pure gold is not very useful for jewelry because it is too soft so it is alloyed with other metals in order to make it durable, cost effective or to effect colour. 14 karat gold is 14 parts gold to 10 parts alloy (14 + 10 = 24). 18 karat gold is 18 parts gold to 6 parts alloy (18 + 6 = 24), and so on until you reach pure gold at 24 karat. Depending on the colour of gold the other parts may be copper, silver, nickel, zinc, tin, palladium, and/or manganese. 14k Gold Filled: It is made of a base metal (usually brass or copper) covered by sheets of gold in a mechanical bonding process. The coat of gold is thick making it last as long as 14k gold jewelry. Gold-filled items are usually used for top-of-the-line jewelry by designers who want the quality as well as the ability to provide a more affordable piece. It is safe for most people with sensitive skin or allergies. Gold Plated: A base metal such as steel or brass is dipped into a bath of electroplating solution, with a lump of solid gold. When an electric current is applied, a thin layer of gold is deposited on the metal. Since the plating is quite thin, the plate, and therefore the colour, on the piece can wear off. Gold plated jewelry has a thin layer of gold overlaying a base metal such as zinc, copper or nickel. By law, gold filled items must be at least 1/20th gold by weight. The time-span of gold plated jewelry depends on several factors. It largely depends on your care of it. More care is required to get the most longevity out of your gold plated jewelry. Gold Vermeil: Vermeil is sterling silver that has been gold-plated. This is a good combination for those with allergy to normal, plated jewelry items. The layer of gold used for vermeil jewelry is very thin so extra care should be used to protect it from scratching and from the elements. Gold vermeil is sterling silver which has been gold plated. The highest quality Gold Vermeil is 24K, but it can be made with varying qualities. A higher Karate will result in better quality. Hopefully this information helps you when shopping for jewelry on our store!
