Solid Gold vs. Gold-Filled vs. Gold-Plated

Gold-plated, gold-filled, or solid gold—it’s all too easy to get swept up in the confusion surrounding jewelry materials. With so many terms out there to describe gold jewelry, it can be difficult to know exactly what you’re buying, the value of your pieces, and how to properly look after them. Knowing the difference between solid gold, gold-plated, and gold-filled jewelry is vitally important, so below we have compiled the key differences between the three.

Gold-Plated

Gold-plated jewelry is made by using either electricity or chemicals to deposit and bond a very thin layer of gold over another metal. This process creates a layer as thin as 1/1000 to 3/1000 of an inch of gold over a more affordable metal, which is usually silver or copper. When something is gold-plated, its gold content is typically less than 1%.

The downside of gold plating is that the gold layer eventually fades and tarnishes over time. As the piece ages, the molecules of the base metals slowly transfer into the thin layer of gold, causing it to break down. Most fashion jewelry is gold-plated, as this process allows the final cost of the jewelry to be as low as possible.

Gold-plated jewelry is the cheapest and lowest quality of the three metal types. They have an average lifespan of up to one year (with minimal exposure to moisture) and require regular replating to maintain their polished gold appearance.

Gold-Filled

Gold-filled jewelry is more economical than solid gold but still serves as a beautiful option. Jewelers create gold-filled jewelry by pressure bonding an actual layer of gold to another metal. Although a gold-filled piece of jewelry is not solid gold, it does hold the same desirable properties and appearance of a solid gold piece.

The good news is that this material won’t tarnish in the short term and will not rub off or become discolored. People who are sensitive to certain metals can also safely wear gold-filled jewelry without risking an allergic reaction.

By law, gold-filled jewelry must contain 5% gold by weight to be categorized as such, which means the gold coating is generally much thicker than that of gold-plated jewelry. Because of this, the inside of a gold-filled jewelry piece will still be stamped with a karat number (the measure of the purity of the gold). However, this designation only applies to the filled coating. 

While gold-filled jewelry will maintain its gold cast for longer, it will inevitably undergo discoloration and tarnish after some time. In addition, repairing and restoring the gold color on gold-filled jewelry is difficult and often involves plating rather than the original process of bonding. It is also worth noting that the resale value of gold-filled jewelry is not great, as the base metal is usually cheap brass or copper.

Solid Gold

Solid gold jewelry is the option highest in both price and purity. Solid gold’s value comes from its radiant color and shine, and it is also highly valued because it will not tarnish over time. Oftentimes gold is made into an alloy by mixing it with other metals to create a stronger metal compared to pure gold. These alloys are often cheaper than pure gold as the carat decreases. However, these alloys still retain the desirable properties that cause people to seek out pure solid gold jewelry—its shine, color, and inability to tarnish—all while creating a more practical metal for jewelry.

You can be certain that solid gold pieces will always remain valuable, last longer, and require less maintenance. These pieces also encourage sustainability due to the longer wearing nature of fine jewelry pieces. Solid gold will always be a good investment