The difference between gold filled & gold plated

Gold plated jewellery consists of a base metal coated with a thin layer of gold. This layer is typically applied through electroplating. Electroplating involves using an electric current to deposit a thin layer of gold onto the base metal giving the appearance of gold.

 There is usually around 0.5 microns of gold on plated jewellery. Gold filled jewellery is at least 100 times thicker than this, so although gold filled has a higher price point than gold plated, it is more durable and longer lasting. Gold plated jewellery lasts around 6 months to 2 years on average while gold filled jewellery, if looked after and stored properly, lasts from 10 - 30 years, making it an affordable alternative to solid gold.

Gold filled jewellery is perfect for everyday wear as it is highly resistant to tarnishing.

Will gold filled tarnish?

Many people believe that some metals are non tarnish. However, the only metal that will never tarnish is pure gold (24 carat). All other metals will eventually show signs of tarnish including those marketed as ‘waterproof’. How long your jewellery lasts depends on, care & storage, metals used and the thickness of the layer. We would always recommend using anti tarnish bags or anti tarnish squares and storing each piece of jewellery separately in an airtight bag.