It’s easy to get lost in the terminology when describing and labelling gold jewellery today. Beyond the different amounts of pure gold in an item—measured by carat, like 9-carat, 14-carat, 18-carat, and 24-carat—you'll also encounter terms like gold-plated, gold-filled, and gold vermeil.

But what does each of these terms truly mean? And how do you know if you're getting quality for your money? In this expert guide from Carathea, we’ll demystify gold-plated jewellery (also known as gold electro-plating) and answer all your questions, such as:

• If something is gold plated, does this mean it is actual gold, or is it fake?
• Is gold plated jewellery worthless?
• Will gold-plated jewellery irritate your skin?
• Does gold-plating last?

Once seen as a less fashionable choice, modern gold-plated jewellery has experienced a fantastic revival. Thanks to much-improved plating techniques that offer incredible coverage and impressive longevity, it's now a popular choice, particularly within the "demi-fine" jewellery category offered by many designer brands. A gold-plated collection offers a fabulous, stylish alternative to solid gold jewellery without the hefty price tag.

Read on, and we’ll cover all this and more, helping you make informed choices about your next treasured piece.

What is Gold Plated Jewellery?

Gold plating is a process where a thin layer of gold is bonded onto the surface of another metal, typically using a technique called electroplating. The thickness of this gold layer, as well as the carat (purity) of the gold used, can vary significantly.

Common base metals that are gold plated include copper, brass, or silver. When gold is plated specifically onto sterling silver, it's often referred to as Silver-Gilt, or, more specifically, Gold Vermeil when the plating meets a particular minimum thickness. Gold plating is also extensively used in the electronics industry due to gold's excellent conductivity, but our focus here is its widespread application in jewellery.

What are the Advantages of Gold Plating?

The most obvious advantage of gold plating, as opposed to crafting in solid gold, is the significant cost saving. Gold is a very expensive precious metal, with the price increasing notably with higher carats.

• Cost-Effective: Having a piece of jewellery made from a more affordable metal, then plated in gold (whether yellow gold or rose gold), is considerably more cost-effective than using solid gold.
• Design Versatility: Gold plating allows intricate designs, such as those found on some fancy-link chains, to be beautifully highlighted with gold elements, accentuating the craftsmanship without the prohibitive cost of solid gold throughout.
• Rich Appearance: A higher-carat gold plating, such as 18-carat, can give an item a richer, deeper lustre than even a solid 9-carat gold piece, offering a luxurious look.
• Affordable Variety: For those who love to regularly change their fashion jewellery to suit different outfits or moods, gold-plated pieces offer a fantastic way to build a diverse collection without breaking the bank.
• Travel-Friendly: Gold-plated jewellery is also a great option to take with you on holiday, easing worries about mislaying more precious, solid gold pieces.
• Designer Trend: Increasingly, designer jewellery brands UK are embracing gold-plated designs, often on silver or brass, or skillfully mixing gold and silver for an on-trend, layered look.

A Quick History of Gold Plating

Metal plating dates back surprisingly far, with evidence of gold foils hammered around other metals as early as 250-500 BC. This evolved into techniques involving gold leaf and a process of brushing gold mixed with mercury onto surfaces, then heating the item to evaporate the mercury and leave the gold behind.

The more modern method of plating metals, known as electroplating, was a product of the Industrial Revolution. Its invention traces back to Alessandro Volta's electric battery in 1800. Shortly after, in 1805, chemist Luigi Brugnatelli successfully coated silver medals with gold using a battery and a gold solution. This breakthrough immediately allowed the wealthy to display their status by having various items coated in gold.

In recent years, a more advanced process called ion-plating (or IP/PVD) has emerged. This technique, often applied to stainless steel or tungsten carbide jewellery, creates an incredibly thin, strong, and significantly more durable layer than traditional gold plating. If you'd like to learn more, read our blog post: 'What is Ion Plated Jewellery?'.

Understanding Gold Plating Thickness

The thickness of the gold layer used in jewellery plating is measured in "microns" (one micron being a millionth of a metre; for perspective, a human hair is approximately 50 microns thick). Generally, the thicker the plating, the longer it will last.

• Gold Flashed: Gold plating less than 0.5 microns thick is often referred to as "Gold Flashed" and was typically used in cheaper costume jewellery.
• Gold Plate: Gold plating greater than 0.5 microns thick is simply known as "gold plate."
• Gold Vermeil: To be classified as Gold Vermeil, the gold plating must be greater than 2.5 microns in thickness and applied exclusively onto sterling silver. This is considered the highest quality of gold plating.
• Ion Plating (IP or PVD): While often thinner (0.3 to 2 microns), ion plating is a much more advanced and durable technology than traditional gold plating. For example, ion-plated watches are typically 5 to 8 times more durable than traditionally gold-plated ones.

For the best quality in gold-plated jewellery, look for Gold Vermeil or pieces that have undergone ion plating.

What Materials Can Be Gold Plated?

Gold plating can be applied to almost any metal, but it is most commonly used on base metals, copper, brass, and sterling silver. Modern processes even allow for gold plating on materials like plastics.

Gold has good "adhesion" to silver, meaning the plating tends to last longer on silver than on base metals. Consequently, some base metal items are first plated with a thin layer of silver or rhodium before the gold is applied. Interestingly, gold plating lasts even longer when applied over solid gold. For instance, an 18-carat gold plating on a 14-carat gold bracelet will create a longer-lasting finish than gold plated on silver. A similar rhodium plating process is carried out on white gold jewellery to give it its brilliant white lustre.

The Gold Plating Process Explained

The modern gold plating process begins with meticulous surface preparation. Any oils or debris must be completely removed, often through chemical treatments, stripping, blasting, or polishing, to ensure the gold adheres properly and to prevent contamination of the plating tank.

After cleaning, a thin 'flash' layer of rhodium or nickel is often applied to base metals or copper (and sometimes even silver). This acts as a barrier, preventing the underlying metal from contaminating the gold solution and later leaching through the gold plating to cause tarnishing.

Next, the piece is submerged in a plating solution containing positively charged gold metal ions. The jewellery itself is attached to a negatively charged cathode bar, making it negatively charged. As an electric current passes through the liquid, the negatively charged jewellery attracts the positively charged gold ions, causing the gold to bond to the surface. The longer the piece remains in the tank, the thicker the layer of gold that is deposited. Finally, the pieces are rinsed and carefully dried.

Common Issues with Gold Plating

• Tarnishing: Metals underneath the gold plating can sometimes "leach" through, causing tarnishing. This can occur over time with gold-plated silver, and is more common with gold-plated copper or base metals. Applying a rhodium or nickel barrier layer before gold plating can help prevent this.
• Wearing Off: Gold plating can wear off over time, particularly with frequent use or poor care. Very thin "gold flashed" costume jewellery, common decades ago, was prone to quick wear, potentially exposing underlying metals like nickel, which could irritate the skin. Strict regulations, such as the Nickel Directive, were introduced to prevent this.

The Nickel Directive

Introduced by the European Union in 1984, the Nickel Directive regulates the amount of nickel that can leach from jewellery or other items in direct contact with the skin. For non-pierced jewellery, the limit is 0.5 micrograms per square centimetre per week, dropping to 0.2 micrograms for pierced jewellery. This significantly reduced skin irritation issues associated with older, cheaper gold-plated pieces.

Is Gold Plated Jewellery Worth Anything?

While a gold-plated piece contains far less actual gold than a solid gold item, it's generally not economically viable to strip the gold from plated jewellery, even if it's 18 or 24-carat plated. The effort and cost of gold retrieval would typically outweigh the value of the small amount of gold recovered. The primary value of gold-plated jewellery lies in its aesthetic appeal and the accessibility it offers to the look of gold.

Does Gold Plated Jewellery Last?

The longevity of gold-plated jewellery depends on several factors:

• Plating Thickness: High-quality modern designs are often plated at 2.5 microns thick, which can last and wear very well with proper care.
• Base Metal: As mentioned, plating on gold or silver generally lasts longer than on base metals.
• Care & Wear: How well the piece is looked after significantly impacts its lifespan (see our care tips below). Jewellery subjected to more friction, like rings, tends to wear faster than necklaces and pendants, with earrings usually showing the least wear.

What if my Gold Plated Jewellery has Tarnished or Worn?

If your gold-plated necklace, bracelet, or ring has tarnished or worn, it can often be re-plated. This process is generally not as expensive as you might imagine and can be carried out by any reputable jewellery repair workshop. However, some workshops may decline to re-plate costume jewellery if there's a risk of the base metal contaminating their electro-plating tank.

How to Look After Gold Plated Jewellery

To keep your gold-plated jewellery looking fabulous for as long as possible, follow these simple guidelines:

• Apply last: Always put on your jewellery after applying perfumes, hairspray, lotions, or other chemicals.
• Remove for water: Take off your jewellery before washing, bathing, or swimming (chlorine can be particularly damaging). If immersing your hands in water, wear rubber gloves.
• Clean regularly: Gently wash with warm water and a mild detergent (like washing-up liquid or a mild liquid soap, avoiding anti-bacterial soaps) to remove oils, sweat, and debris that can corrode the gold surface. A dedicated jewellery cleaner designed for gold-plated and gold-vermeil pieces is also excellent.
• Avoid friction: Try not to wear gold-plated items in a way that they will rub or wear against other pieces of jewellery.
• Store properly: Store in a cool, dry place, ideally in a soft pouch or separate compartment to prevent scratching.

How Can I Tell if Jewellery is Gold Plated?

A hallmark will confirm if a piece of jewellery is made of solid gold. Gold-plated jewellery is often marked with "GP" (for 'gold plate'). If the item is gold-plated silver jewellery (or Gold Vermeil), it may have the "925" or silver hallmark stamped on the item, indicating solid silver underneath, potentially alongside a "GP" stamp. Visually, gold-plated jewellery can sometimes appear a brighter, more "yellow" gold compared to a solid 9ct gold piece.

Will Gold Plated Jewellery Irritate Me?

Pure gold is a very inert metal, so it rarely causes irritation. Any irritation from gold-plated jewellery is typically not due to the gold itself, but rather the underlying metal (which, in older pieces, could have contained nickel) leaching through the worn, chipped, or damaged gold plating. This is more common with pieces in constant contact with the skin, like earring backs. If a piece of jewellery is causing irritation, we would suggest getting it re-plated if it's a cherished item worth the cost.

To Sum Up...

The introduction of gold plating jewellery via electro-plating was a significant leap forward in jewellery technology. While it initially led to a market flooded with inexpensive, thinly "gold-flashed" costume jewellery that often didn't last and caused irritation, modern methods have drastically improved. Today, a well-made gold-plated item, especially one that is thicker or plated onto sterling silver, can last for years with proper care. With the advent of advanced technologies like ion-plating, the future of gold-plated jewellery promises even greater durability and quality, making beautiful gold-toned pieces accessible to all.