If you're looking for gold earrings or a gold heart pendant, you may become bewildered by the terminology. When a piece of jewelry is characterized as gold vermeil or gold-filled, what exactly does it mean? What sets them apart from solid gold or gold-plated jewelry? What is the difference between yellow or white gold?
Let's take a closer look at this valuable metal and how to care for it.
Types Of Gold Jewelry
Gold Plated
Gold plated jewelry is the greatest choice for those who love jewelry but are on a tight budget. The thickness of the gold layer on the outside of gold-plated jewelry varies. Coatings thinner than .5 microns are frequently mislabeled as gold plated, despite the fact that they are properly referred to as "gold electroplate" at .175 microns, or "gold flashed" or "gold washed" if the coating is smaller than .175 microns.
Gold Vermeil
Gold vermeil is a sort of gold-plated jewelry that is unique. The base metal must be sterling silver, and the micron thickness must be at least 2.5 microns for an item to be labeled gold vermeil—artists who wish to make lasting jewelry without using pricey gold like this sort of gold-colored jewelry.
Gold Filled
A solid coating of gold is mechanically bonded to a substrate - jeweler's brass - to create gold-filled jewelry. According to US requirements, the gold coating must be 1/20th (or 5% ) of the overall weight of the jewelry. The gold is normally 14k gold, although it can also be 12k gold (the 14/20 and 12/20 stamps indicate this).
Solid Gold
The most expensive and pure gold jewelry is solid gold jewelry. The value of solid gold is derived from its brilliant color and gleam. It's also prized for the fact that it doesn't tarnish or fade with time. The higher the carat, the more gold is present in the metal, with 24-carat gold being the purest and 9-carat gold being the least pure.
Gold is too soft for jewelry in its purest form (24 carats) and would easily lose its shape. As a result, pure gold is frequently alloyed with harder metals such as nickel and platinum to increase its durability and strength.
White Gold
Metals including nickel, platinum, palladium, copper, and zinc are commonly added to white gold's composition. The alloy combination would vary depending on the type of jewelry manufactured. This coating gives the gold a clean white sheen.
White gold can have a warmer color tone over time as a result of little scratches on the surface. The jewelry can be replated with rhodium on a regular basis to keep it looking new.
Yellow Gold
Metals including silver, copper, and zinc are commonly utilized in the production of yellow gold. Using metals like copper and silver on the surface creates a natural layer of colored oxide, which serves to accentuate the yellowish color of yellow gold.
The primary distinction between white gold and yellow gold is the metal composition utilized to create them. These three main colors are determined by the metals utilized and the proportion of those metals present. White gold has a higher concentration of nickel and zinc, while yellow gold has a higher concentration of copper.
Caring For Your Gold Jewelry
You should take your gold jewelry to a jeweler at least once a year to have it checked for loose parts. Also, get them steamed and buffed till they're very shiny while you're there.
To keep your gold jewelry looking its best, avoid wearing it in chlorinated water like pools and hot tubs. At home, clean your gold jewelry that does not contain soft gemstones, pearls, or crystals with mild detergent and lukewarm water about once a month to keep its brilliance, using your fingers or a soft cloth. To be on the safe side, choose a non-abrasive jewelry cleaner formulated exclusively for gold.
Also, separate your jewelry pieces on velvet-lined trays, in compartmentalized boxes, or in small zipped plastic bags to avoid scratches and tangles. You can also buff your gold jewelry with a soft cloth after wearing it to remove smudges and keep it looking new.
Conclusion
Now that you know the different types of gold jewelry, the differences between white and yellow gold, and how to take care of them, you probably want to purchase gold jewellery to add to your collection.
If this is your first time purchasing a gold heart pendant or heart necklace rose gold, you can check out Dephini today. They are an online store selling high-quality pieces for an affordable price.
