Genuine Murano glass bead and freshwater pearl jewellery made with gold-filled findings.
With gold and silver prices having rocketed in the past five years, buying a piece of gold jewellery is a considered purchase these days. An affordable alternative is gold-filled jewellery, but this is little known outside America. What follows is some information to help you make an informed choice when considering this option.
Long lasting, hypoallergenic and affordable, gold filled jewellery has several advantages. It can be worked into many different designs, it is stronger than ordinary gold because the inner brass core provides structural strength, it is extremely durable and tarnish resistant if cared for properly and it provides the rich colour and appearance of 14 carat gold at a fraction of the cost. It is real gold but not solid gold.
Gold filled sheet and wire consist of a laminate of at least 10 but more usually 12 or 14 carat gold which has been mechanically bonded by heat and pressure (using a process of fusing and rolling) to a layer of jeweller's brass, making a sandwich with the brass in the middle and the layers of gold on either side. This is then rolled through a mill or drawn down to make a particular thickness of sheet or wire in the usual way. It is much thicker and more durable than normal gold plate, which has been electroplated by a chemical process whereby the piece of jewellery is immersed in a solution containing gold and then an electrical current is passed through the solution, causing the gold in the solution to deposit a thin layer on the piece. The actual thickness of the gold plate is controlled by the amount of current and the length of time the article is immersed. In many cases the thickness of the gold is minimal, only a few microns, and can easily flake off, rub off or wear away.
Gold filled articles, on the other hand, have a thick layer of 14 carat gold, representing 1/20th or 5% of the weight of the article. Gold filled metal does have some design limitations as it cannot be cast or melted, so its' uses are limited, but where sheet or wire can be used, it provides an economical alternative to solid gold, and has excellent wearing properties if cared for properly. Gold filled (or rolled gold as it used to be called) jewellery dates back to Victorian times, although the process used to bond the gold to the base metal is done differently nowadays.
With normal wear and tear, goldfilled jewellery will not change colour, peel, chip, flake or wear off, unlike a lot of electroplated gold jewellery. Allergies are not a problem - anyone who can wear 14 carat gold can wear 14 carat gold filled jewellery, as all that is in contact with the skin is gold. Everything you can see and touch is solid gold.
In most cases goldfilled jewellery can be repaired if damaged or badly scratched. It can also be carefully re-polished several times. With proper care, a goldfilled item of jewellery will last many years. There are rolled gold Victorian cameos which still look as fresh and beautiful as they did over a hundred years ago.
All our gold filled jewellery is made of 14/20 goldfilled metal components, that is 14 carat gold bonded to jeweller's brass giving a gold content of 1/20th or 5% by weight.
CARE OF GOLD FILLED JEWELLERY
Generally the same as gold jewellery, but with the added proviso that you should clean gold filled metal gently to avoid scratching the outer layer of gold. Keep away from harsh chemicals, don't wear the jewellery in the pool, clean in mild soapy water, rinse well and dry with a soft cloth. Polish gently with a jewellery polishing cloth. Always make sure your jewellery is dry before putting it away. If you can, keep it in a soft cloth pouch or box.
FAQS
I'm allergic to base metals - will this affect me?
No, because all your skin will come into contact with is a solid layer of 14 carat gold, so if you can wear 14 carat gold, you can wear this.
So it's real gold?
Yes, it's real gold but it's not solid gold.
Will it tarnish?
No, with care and as long as you don't scratch through the outer surface layer of solid gold, it won't tarnish.
Will it last?
Yes, with the sort of care you would give to any special piece of jewellery. As cited above, there are cameos from Victorian times set in 14 carat goldfilled settings which still look beautiful.
IF YOU BUY A PIECE OF GOLDFILLED JEWELLERY FROM US AND SUFFER AN ALLERGIC REACTION, WE WILL REFUND YOUR MONEY IMMEDIATELY
Long lasting, hypoallergenic and affordable, gold filled jewellery has several advantages. It can be worked into many different designs, it is stronger than ordinary gold because the inner brass core provides structural strength, it is extremely durable and tarnish resistant if cared for properly and it provides the rich colour and appearance of 14 carat gold at a fraction of the cost. It is real gold but not solid gold.
Gold filled sheet and wire consist of a laminate of at least 10 but more usually 12 or 14 carat gold which has been mechanically bonded by heat and pressure (using a process of fusing and rolling) to a layer of jeweller's brass, making a sandwich with the brass in the middle and the layers of gold on either side. This is then rolled through a mill or drawn down to make a particular thickness of sheet or wire in the usual way. It is much thicker and more durable than normal gold plate, which has been electroplated by a chemical process whereby the piece of jewellery is immersed in a solution containing gold and then an electrical current is passed through the solution, causing the gold in the solution to deposit a thin layer on the piece. The actual thickness of the gold plate is controlled by the amount of current and the length of time the article is immersed. In many cases the thickness of the gold is minimal, only a few microns, and can easily flake off, rub off or wear away.
Gold filled articles, on the other hand, have a thick layer of 14 carat gold, representing 1/20th or 5% of the weight of the article. Gold filled metal does have some design limitations as it cannot be cast or melted, so its' uses are limited, but where sheet or wire can be used, it provides an economical alternative to solid gold, and has excellent wearing properties if cared for properly. Gold filled (or rolled gold as it used to be called) jewellery dates back to Victorian times, although the process used to bond the gold to the base metal is done differently nowadays.
With normal wear and tear, goldfilled jewellery will not change colour, peel, chip, flake or wear off, unlike a lot of electroplated gold jewellery. Allergies are not a problem - anyone who can wear 14 carat gold can wear 14 carat gold filled jewellery, as all that is in contact with the skin is gold. Everything you can see and touch is solid gold.
In most cases goldfilled jewellery can be repaired if damaged or badly scratched. It can also be carefully re-polished several times. With proper care, a goldfilled item of jewellery will last many years. There are rolled gold Victorian cameos which still look as fresh and beautiful as they did over a hundred years ago.
All our gold filled jewellery is made of 14/20 goldfilled metal components, that is 14 carat gold bonded to jeweller's brass giving a gold content of 1/20th or 5% by weight.
CARE OF GOLD FILLED JEWELLERY
Generally the same as gold jewellery, but with the added proviso that you should clean gold filled metal gently to avoid scratching the outer layer of gold. Keep away from harsh chemicals, don't wear the jewellery in the pool, clean in mild soapy water, rinse well and dry with a soft cloth. Polish gently with a jewellery polishing cloth. Always make sure your jewellery is dry before putting it away. If you can, keep it in a soft cloth pouch or box.
FAQS
I'm allergic to base metals - will this affect me?
No, because all your skin will come into contact with is a solid layer of 14 carat gold, so if you can wear 14 carat gold, you can wear this.
So it's real gold?
Yes, it's real gold but it's not solid gold.
Will it tarnish?
No, with care and as long as you don't scratch through the outer surface layer of solid gold, it won't tarnish.
Will it last?
Yes, with the sort of care you would give to any special piece of jewellery. As cited above, there are cameos from Victorian times set in 14 carat goldfilled settings which still look beautiful.
IF YOU BUY A PIECE OF GOLDFILLED JEWELLERY FROM US AND SUFFER AN ALLERGIC REACTION, WE WILL REFUND YOUR MONEY IMMEDIATELY
