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About Gold Filled

Why gold filled?

Since starting this business I've been looking into ways of providing higher quality products, while still maintaining an affordable price point. I also want this brand to align with the things I care about, and therefore decided to promote and encourage more sustainable purchases.

As a result we're shifting our products away from using gold plated and starting to stock gold filled jewellery. Gold filled has the appearance of solid gold yet is more affordable. It lasts much longer than gold plated, which means a longer life for your jewellery and creating less waste, moving away from fast fashion repurchasing.

What is gold filled?

Manufacturing gold filled jewellery is different to gold plating jewellery. Gold plated uses electroplating, essentially "dipping" your piece in a very thin layer of gold. 

Gold filled jewellery is made by using heat to bond a thicker layer of gold (usually 14k or 18k) onto the base metal (usually brass). Gold filled jewellery contains 3%-5% gold, while gold plated can contain as little as 0.05%.

What about vermeil?

Gold vermeil is similar to gold plated jewellery, but the layer of gold used is much thicker and the base metal used is sterling silver. This is why you will typically see gold vermeil jewellery sell for a higher price than gold plated jewellery, however like plated, the thicker layer of gold will eventually wear off, and vermeil will tarnish if exposed to water.

Will my gold filled piece last forever?

Short answer is no. Solid gold pieces are the only jewellery that will last a lifetime. However, with proper care your gold filled pieces will not tarnish for a long time. 

How your skin reacts to metals and how you treat your pieces will have a large effect on their longevity. A good way to think about it is that if you had two pieces of jewellery, one gold plated and one gold filled and you wore and treated them the exact same way, your gold filled piece would last longer. 

To care for gold filled pieces, always avoid exposing them to chemicals such as chlorine from pools, spas, sunscreen, perfumes, hairsprays and lotions. For some people, their body chemistry and sweat can cause their pieces to tarnish. We're all different and our skin reactivity is no exception to this.  A small percentage of people have skin that is more acidic which unfortunately means their skin reacts to metals.

On a day to day basis you should remove any chemicals and oils from your skin from your piece by wiping it down with a soft non abrasive cloth (a piece of cotton wool will do the job).  You can also give your gold filled piece a rinse in warm water but remember to dry straight away. 

If you're worried that your piece may have been exposed to stronger chemicals, give it a clean as soon as possible. You can even add some mild soap (no harsh stripping chemicals) to make sure you remove any product build up.

To extend the life of your piece remove your gold filled jewellery before bed and store in a cool and dry location, the more airtight the better.

So what type of gold products should I be buying?

It's completely up to you! Before discovering gold filled all I wore was gold plated. Gold plated is affordable and fun for pieces that you wear a couple of times before retiring and moving on to a new style. 

For more day to day wear (while still affordable) gold filled and gold vermeil are your best options. The main difference between the two is the base metal.  Vermeil is made with sterling silver meaning it's more hypoallergenic.  If you're sensitive to brass, it's likely more suitable for you. However, if (like me) you're known for forgetting to take your jewellery off in water from time to time, gold filled may be a better option for you. If you're looking to invest in a piece that will last a lifetime, you can't go wrong with solid gold.

Here's a link to one of my favourite articles for a guide to buying better gold jewellery

What type of gold do you sell?

We're slowly moving away from gold plated and towards gold filled, but due to the manufacturing process, not all products can be easily made in gold filled. Our original gold plated items mostly use sterling silver as a base metal. Check out the product page on each item for more information on whether the piece you've had your eye on is gold plated or filled. If in doubt, feel free to drop us an email and we'll happily let you know more product details.