If you are planning to buy gold plated silver jewellery, here is everything you need to know about it. First and foremost, you should know that every piece of jewellery is valuable. While nobody buys jewellery in order to sell it later, it is nice to know that’s you have a valuable asset and if you need quick cash in the future, you could sell this piece of jewellery to get money quickly.
What is gold plated silver jewellery?
It is known by various names but one of the most common names is gold vermeil. In simple terms, it is a piece of jewellery where sterling silver is covered by gold with a minimum thickness of 2.5 µm. Most of the fashion jewellery available in the market today is gold plated, we recommend buying from top retailers such as burrenjewellery.ie. In some cases, the base metal is brass. The main reason for using brass is that it is cheaper as compared to sterling silver.
Pros and Cons of Gold plated Silver Jewellery
Pros:
It is Valuable
Even though gold plated silver jewellery does not have too much gold, it is still a valuable piece of jewellery, especially when it is made of high-quality silver. While it is nowhere near the value of a piece made of solid gold, it still has some value. The base metal, silver in this case, is valuable and even the gold layer on top has some value though gold used for plating in such cases is often just 10 carat which means 10 parts of gold and 14 parts of some other metal. You shouldn’t forget that the real value of jewellery lies in the love and feelings of the person who has gifted it to you.
It is Beautiful
Jewelry pieces that are plated with gold look immaculate and beautiful though a lot depends on the design and the finish. However, if done well, nobody will be able to tell that it’s a gold plated piece of jewellery and not real gold.
It is Affordable
Gold is expensive and there is only so much gold available in the whole world. If you plan to buy a piece of jewellery that is made of 18 karat or 22 carat gold, you will have to pay a really high price for that piece of jewellery. However, a gold plated silver jewellery piece allows you to buy a beautiful piece of jewellery at a much lower price and it will look like real gold to an untrained eye.
Excellent Design
Talented designers can create unique designs with sterling silver. Adding gold on top allows them to create truly unique designs that can be tailored for various occasions.
Availability
Since gold plated jewellery is affordable, it is widely available and you have tons of designs to choose from which is not the case with jewellery made of pure gold. Not everyone likes to buy solid gold jewellery which limits their availability. Since there aren’t that many buyers of solid gold jewellery, the design availability is also rather limited.
Durability
One of the most unique things about gold plated pieces of jewellery is that these jewellery items tend to be much more durable as compared to jewellery pieces made of solid gold. One of the main reasons gold is used for jewellery (apart from its rarity) is that it is a very soft metal. The higher the purity level of gold, the softer and more malleable it is. The durability makes them an affordable option for memorial plaques.
Jewellery pieces made of 24 karat gold are too soft and solid gold is not really suitable for making jewellery. This is why gold is mixed with various other metals in order to create a material strong enough to be shaped into a jewellery piece. Sterling silver provides a strong base that can be covered with gold to give the appearance of true gold while being durable at the same time.
Cons:
It Requires Proper Maintenance
If you do not take good care of your jewellery, it is going to tarnish with time. In fact, it won’t take long and might lose its shine in days. On the other hand, jewellery items made of solid gold are not going to damage as they are made of solid gold. The gold covering on the top will slowly start disintegrating and the base metal will eventually be uncovered. This is why these jewellery items require frequent polishing in order to maintain their shine and look.
It Gets Chipped or Scratched
All the items that are gold plated are prone to chipping or scratching. It happens as the gold layer on top is really thin and not that durable. It is also due to the reason that gold is a soft metal and can be easily scratched.
Cannot Be Submerged in Water
Gold plated jewellery can never be submerged in water for long periods of time. This is why you should never wear these pieces of jewellery to the pool as it will cause the gold layer on top to tarnish and you will end up with a piece that’s not shiny.
Tips to Keep Your Gold Plated Silver Jewellery Clean and Shiny
One of the most important things you need to do is to clean your jewellery regularly. Cleaning is easy. Take your regular dishwashing detergent and mix a few drops in warm water. Dip your jewellery in the solution and let it dry for some time. It is recommended to avoid antibacterial soaps as these have chemicals that might tarnish your jewellery.
Always use a soft microfibre cloth for drying and buffing your gold plated silver jewellery piece. Do not apply too much pressure or the gold layer will start to come off.
It is recommended to keep your jewellery items safe in a plastic bag when you do not want to wear them for long periods of time.
Some people are in the habit of leaving their jewellery items in the bathroom. Humidity is not good for jewellery and this is why experts recommend trying to keep your jewellery items as dry as possible.
If you regularly go swimming, don’t forget to take off your gold plated jewellery to preserve the shine and lustre.
Always apply lotions or perfumes after taking off your jewellery. Some of the chemicals in regular nail polish, oils, perfumes or nail polish removers can interact with the metals in your jewellery and cause the item to tarnish.
Conclusion
To conclude, a gold plated piece of silver jewellery allows you to own an intricately designed and beautiful looking piece of jewellery at an affordable price. It looks like real gold to an untrained eye. However, it is important for you to take care of your jewellery if you want to preserve its shine and lustre in the long term.
