Gold-plated jewelry is some of the best inexpensive types of jewelry you can get! It’s trendy and versatile. But how much is it really worth?
Simply put, gold-plated jewelry is not worth much. Almost nothing at all. You can expect to get around $15-$20 for each pound (455 grams) of gold. In rare cases, you may even get up to $50. If your piece is flashed gold-plated, it will have no value at all.
This article will give you information on gold plating, what gold plated jewelry is worth, how to look after it, and the pros of purchasing this type of jewelry.
How Much Is Gold Plated Jewelry Worth Exactly?
To make money off your gold-plated jewelry, you need to know what pieces are worth keeping and which aren’t.
Knowing if your piece is 14 or 18-carat gold plated is also important. If it’s the latter, you can expect to get around $15-$20 for each pound (455 grams) of gold. In rare cases, you may even get up to $50.
If your piece is flashed gold-plated, it will have very little value. Remember, whatever gold-plated jewelry you have will tarnish and wear down after a while.
What Exactly Is Gold Plating?
Gold-plated jewelry is not worth much. It’s almost not worth anything at all. Gold plating is when you take a thin layer of gold and put it on top of another metal, mostly copper or silver, to make it look gold. It gives the jewelry a shiny golden look. The problem with this is that the gold will eventually wear off, leaving you with a tarnished item.
While it is covered with real gold, the layer is extremely thin, and the core of the metal is not gold.
Why Do People Buy Gold Plated Jewelry?
People love gold-plated jewelry even though it’s not worth much. So why do people love it so much? Well, for starters, they are trendy and versatile. It also looks extremely attractive and is very cheap.
Some people want jewelry that looks like it’s made out of gold, and they don’t care whether it’s gold or not. Most of the time, it doesn’t matter that it’s not solid gold because they won’t really wear the jewelry as much. Maybe just for one or two occasions.
Most people are very into costume jewelry and want to be able to change their looks by changing their jewelry to match their outfits. Gold-plated jewelry is a way for them to do this without spending much money on solid gold items.
So if you have an item made out of a material that is not solid gold and want it to look like gold, then gold plating can be useful. For example, if you have a brass key chain that you like and want it to look like gold, then this would be perfect for you. It’s important to know, though that even if you get your item gold plated, it will never last as long as solid gold.
Since gold-plated jewelry is not worth much money to sell afterward, it’s always best to buy jewelry made out of solid gold if you’re looking for timeless gold pieces. This way, you’ll get the best quality, and it will last for a long time without ever wearing off.
Gold-plated jewelry can be fun to wear sometimes, especially if it’s just for a few occasions. However, if you want something durable, you should stick with solid gold items.
How Long Does Gold Plated Jewelry Last?
Whatever gold-plated jewelry you have will tarnish and wear down after a while. This is because the base metal underneath the gold plating is exposed to air and moisture when you wear it. This causes the gold layer to diminish. It can also easily scratch.
If you want to get rid of your gold-plated jewelry, there are some things that you should know before doing so. When something has little to no value, there’s not much point in keeping it around.
If you don’t want it anymore, it would be better to get rid of it rather than just letting it sit in your jewelry box. You can do this by either selling (but you will probably get close to nothing for it) or disposing of the piece.
How To Look After Gold Plated Jewelry
Please be mindful of the fact the gold exterior of gold-plated jewelry may become dulled through exposure to your skin, perfume, cosmetics, and other chemicals used in your everyday routine. You can help keep your gold jewelry looking its best by taking off your jewelry before applying any perfumes, lotions, or other products to your skin and by avoiding contact with harsh chemicals.
Instead of buying a new piece of gold-plated jewelry when the gold plating starts to tarnish, you can get it re-gilded. You will probably need to do this about once every year, which will cost some money.
Remember, your objective should be to increase the amount of time before the gold layer starts to peel off. If you do not want the gold layer to peel off quickly, do the following:
- Do not use any harsh chemicals while wearing delicate jewelry.
- To avoid any damage, be sure to carefully apply perfume, make-up, body lotions, and hairspray without directly touching the gold layer.
- It is important to clean your jewelry regularly and to store it in a separate box from other pieces of jewelry to avoid damage.
- You should always avoid wearing gold-plated jewelry while cleaning the house, exercising, or doing anything that will work up a sweat.
Conclusion
As you can see, gold-plated jewelry is not worth more than $50, and that’s if you are lucky! However, they’re a great buy if you love trendy and versatile jewelry that you won’t wear often.
If you want jewelry worth a lot and lasting a very long time, you will need to invest in real gold. While more expensive, it will last a very long time when looked after.
