If you want to buy gold jewelry, you’ll likely come across gold-plated and solid gold jewelry. However, this might make you wonder about the differences between gold and gold-plated jewelry. We also wondered about this and decided to research the difference between gold and gold-plated jewelry.
Gold jewelry consists entirely of a gold alloy and has all the properties of gold. It’s scratch and tarnishes proof, waterproof, and long-lasting. Gold jewelry is also quite expensive. On the contrary, gold-plated jewelry is cheaper because it is a thin layer of gold plated onto another metal.
Knowing the differences between gold and gold-plated jewelry is essential before buying gold jewelry. Therefore, we will discuss the differences between gold and gold-plated jewelry to help you understand the key differences. Furthermore, we’ll discuss what you can expect from gold or gold-plated jewelry.
How Is Gold And Gold Plated Different?
There are many differences between gold and gold-plated jewelry. These differences affect the price, durability, and value of the jewelry and make a big difference to the buyer. Therefore, depending on your budget, you might have to settle for one or the other. Therefore, you must know the differences between gold and gold-plated jewelry to help you decide which one to choose.
Gold and gold-plated jewelry may look similar, but they are entirely different. We will consider how gold and gold-plated jewelry differ regarding composition, durability, and price.
Gold Vs. Gold Plated: Composition
The first difference between gold and gold-plated jewelry is the composition of the materials. Gold jewelry is made from pure gold mixed with alloys. These alloys help to strengthen the gold, giving it shape and making it more pliable so that you can shape it into jewelry. Although this type of gold contains traces of other materials, it is what we consider solid gold jewelry.
On the other hand, gold-plated jewelry is not made from solid gold. Instead, gold-plated jewelry is made of cheaper metal, such as copper or steel, which is electroplated with a thin layer of gold. This means that gold-plated jewelry isn’t solid gold.
Gold Vs. Gold Plated: Durability
Gold is highly durable. It is scratch-proof, tarnish-proof, and waterproof. If you take care of it, gold will last a long time. You can shower with gold jewelry and also melt and reuse it. Therefore, solid gold jewelry is durable, and you can wear it daily.
Gold-plated jewelry isn’t nearly as durable as solid gold jewelry. It isn’t scratch-proof or tarnish-proof. Gold-plated jewelry isn’t waterproof, meaning you cannot wear it in the shower or pool. With frequent wear, the gold layer will rub off on gold-plated jewelry. Therefore, you will not get as much wear from gold-plated jewelry, and you cannot wear it daily for too long.
Gold Vs. Gold Plated: Maintenance
Despite being extremely durable, gold jewelry gets dull with time. This is because soap and other substances build up on the surface of the gold, dulling it and making it appear dirty. Fortunately, you can clean your gold jewelry with soap and a soft rag. You can also have your gold jewelry professionally cleaned. Doing so will make it look new again and ensure the color and shine remain.
Gold-plated jewelry doesn’t share these features with real gold. Instead, with gold-plated jewelry, you have limited cleaning options. Using soap or water to clean it will also remove the layer of gold plating. Unfortunately, the gold plating comes off the base layer in any case. So the only way to fix gold-plated jewelry is to have it replaced.
Gold Vs. Gold Plated: Price
Because gold jewelry is made of pure gold, is durable, and can be cleaned, maintained, and reused, it is far more expensive than gold-plated jewelry. This is why gold-plated and gold-filled jewelry was created and is a popular choice. Solid gold jewelry is considered an investment. And, as with all investments, you pay for what you get.
Gold-plated jewelry is considered a fashion piece. However, it is much less valuable than solid gold jewelry and doesn’t last nearly as long. Therefore, gold-plated jewelry is much cheaper than solid gold jewelry, and you can buy it for a fraction of the price.
Gold Vs. Gold Plated: Value
As you can imagine, solid gold jewelry is much more valuable than gold-plated jewelry. Gold will increase in price with time. In addition, gold jewelry won’t lose value even if the economy crashes, making it a solid investment for many years. Because you can melt and reuse gold, a piece can also be updated as trends change, making it even more valuable.
The same is not valid for gold-plated jewelry. Because it is much cheaper to begin with, and there isn’t much gold involved, gold-plated jewelry is far less valuable. It doesn’t keep its value and will become less valuable with time. If the gold plating rubs off, the jewelry will be worth less than what you paid.
Therefore, if you want to invest in a piece of jewelry that will increase in value over time and is durable and suitable for everyday wear, you should only consider buying solid gold jewelry. Gold-plated jewelry is more suitable as a costume or fashion jewelry, and it won’t last as long as solid gold.
However, as it is much cheaper, it is a good alternative if you don’t have the budget to buy solid gold but want a beautiful piece. Also, because gold and gold-plated jewelry look so similar, you might wonder if there is a way to tell them apart.
Can You Tell The Difference Between Gold And Gold Plated?
Looking at it, you cannot tell the difference between solid gold and gold-plated jewelry. However, there are other ways to establish if your jewelry is made of solid gold or not. The first way to determine what your gold jewelry is made of is to look at a stamp. Jewelers are required to stamp their jewelry so the client knows what they are buying.
Solid gold jewelry is often marked with 9k, 14k, 18k, or 24k. The number indicates how much of the alloy is pure gold. For example, 9k gold has the lowest amount of pure gold, while 24k consists only of pure gold. Therefore, if your jewelry has one of these numbers, it is solid gold.
Gold-plated jewelry is marked with a GP, GEP, HGE, or RGP. These stamps all mean some electroplating was used to create the gold surface. Another way to test the difference between solid gold jewelry and gold-plated jewelry is to see if it is magnetic.
This test doesn’t always work, as a thicker layer of gold plating will also show non-magnetic. However, gold is not magnetic and will not stick to a magnet. Gold-plated jewelry may be magnetic depending on how thick the layer of gold plating is.
You can also do an acid or scratch test to see if the jewelry is gold throughout or if there is another metal under the surface. However, these tests damage your jewelry. Therefore, we don’t recommend these tests unless you have some jewelry to spare.
Conclusion
There are many differences between gold and gold-plated jewelry. Gold jewelry is much more valuable because it is more expensive and durable. Gold also grows in value and can be melted and reused. On the contrary, gold-plated jewelry is much less valuable. It isn’t as durable as solid gold and cannot be reused. It will also fade with time and doesn’t experience any value growth.
