Aziza Lyons's Notebook - Solid Gold vs. Gold Plated, Vermeil, Gold Filled

Jewelry is like art, it is meant to be fun, meaningful and often tied to emotional and memorable moments in your lifetime. We believe in transparency and shopper education. Most jewelry is incredibly delicate and will show wear over time, as it should! It is meant to be worn and loved. No fine jewelry will last a lifetime without needing some care and repair. Costume jewelry may not even last a lifetime despite care and repair. So, how can you make better choices of where you spend your hard-earned money?

Today, we will talk about gold. Gold jewelry has seen its popularity skyrocket in recent years. Most people view it as looking more classic and find its universal appeal easy to style.

With the vast number of jewelry brands and options out there, it is no wonder that you might find yourself confused about brands marketing jewelry as "gold" when in fact it might "vermeil" or "gold-plated" or "gold-filled". 

Let's talk about each of them:

1. Gold-Plated: Gold plated jewelry pieces are created by bonding an extremely thin layer of gold over a more budget-friendly base material such as brass. The gold content is generally less than 1%. If you ever see expensive jewelry with gold-plated components, SKIP. The thin layer of gold will quickly wear off and often times the brass will leave a green tint on your skin. If you are buying jewelry with gold plated components, it should not be expensive or you might be falling for creative marketing. Gold plating is the cheapest form of gold and will not last long.

2. Gold-Vermeil: Similar to gold plating, Gold Vermeil is a technique where sterling silver is plated with a thin layer of gold. Generally, 925 marked sterling silver is coated with a gold layer that is at least 2.5 microns (or 0.0025 mm thick). Gold vermeil is better than gold-plated, and is similarly a more wallet friendly choice. While more durable than plating, the layer of gold will wear off over time giving a dull look. The only way to repair this is to have a jeweler replate your jewelry.

3. Gold-Filled: Gold filled jewelry is created by bonding a thick layer of gold to another metal, usually brass or copper. In the United States, the gold content is legally required to be at least 5% of the total weight so this is a much heftier option. Due to the thickness of gold used, gold-filled jewelry will hold up well to wear over time, but it is susceptible to eventually showing tarnish or a "patina". Gold-filled is the best option when you are on a budget, but want the best possible quality your money can buy. We use gold filled components in most of our demi-fine and semi-precious stone necklaces and bracelets. 

4. Solid Gold: As the name suggests, this is the highest quality gold content. Also, this is your priciest option. Solid gold does not tarnish or fade, but that doesn't mean it isn't delicate. Even solid gold jewelry can break or incur damage over time and require repair. Solid gold is classified by a number, followed by "K" or "kt" for karat. The numerical value tells you what percentage of pure gold your jewelry contains. While 24k is the purest form, it is very delicate and soft so not always the most practical choice for everyday wear. Solid 14kt gold is now commonly used by many brands to offer solid gold jewelry at relatively accessible price points. We offer a variety of 14kt solid gold jewelry including necklaces and bracelets. These are great for everyday wear and are waterproof. No matter what anyone tells you, any other form of gold except solid gold is not waterproof. We also offers semi-precious stone necklaces and bracelets with 14kt solid gold components at a higher price point.

All Aziza Lyons jewelry is made to be worn and loved. Life is too short not to enjoy your prized possessions. If you ever have questions about product care or repair, you can find more answers here.

That's all for today, we'll be back with more!