Mix of 14K gold-filled necklaces in deep blue lapis and freshwater pearls from Modern Whimsy Jewelry

What Is Gold Fill and Why Does It Matter?

We all know how valuable gold is, not to mention how expensive. Gold fill is a wonderful alternative to solid gold as well as to vermeil and plated gold.

So what is it, exactly?

Gold jewelry comes in…

Although we often think of gold jewelry only in terms of karat (14K, 18K, etc.), it's important to understand that beyond karat, all "gold" is not the same.

If you're buying jewelry, here are the types of gold you should be familiar with.

  • solid gold (a.k.a. Karat gold)
  • gold fill
  • gold vermeil
  • gold plate

Solid gold

In fact, "solid gold jewelry" is not solid. Pure gold is too soft for most jewelry applications. While 24K does mean solid gold — no other metals mixed in — we generally see gold jewelry in 14K or 18K. (Note that some countries make stunning use of 22K gold.)

So what do the numbers actually mean?

In order to strengthen gold so it can be formed into wire and other components for use in jewelry, it’s necessary to mix pure gold with other metals like copper, silver and zinc. The result is a gold alloy. The percentage of pure gold and the mix of other metals influence the shade of gold. For example, rose gold uses more copper to produce its pinkish color. 

Then it’s a matter of math — if 24K is solid, then 18K is 75% pure gold, 14K is 58.3% pure gold, 12K is 50%, and so on.

If you wonder why so much jewelry is made in 14K gold, it’s because it is a lovely, warm shade and durable enough for a wide range of designs.

So what is gold fill?

Gold fill (or gold filled) refers to a thick layer of gold that has been mechanically bonded to a base metal (brass), and comprises at least 1/20th — or 5% — of the item’s total weight.

This 5% requirement represents approximately 100 times more gold by weight than what is required to meet the minimum standard for gold plate. 

In the U.S., this is regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which also requires that the gold fill layer be a gold purity of at least 10-karat. 

The advantages of gold fill

While you can expect gold-filled jewelry to be more expensive than gold-plated jewelry, the advantages of gold fill are many. With much more gold and the benefits of mechanical bonding, gold fill is…

  • more valuable
  • more durable
  • more resistant to tarnish
  • more hypoallergenic 

And, gold-filled jewelry means…

  • fewer worries about care and cleaning
  • it is generally considered the next best thing to karat (“solid”) gold.

Note that gold-filled jewelry components such as lobster clasps will be stamped with 1/20 14K or a similar quality designation.

What about gold plate and vermeil?

The terms gold plate and vermeil are also regulated by the FTC. Gold plate is a very thin electroplated layer of gold over a base metal. While there are different thicknesses of plating, it is typically approximately .05% of the component's weight — in comparison to 5% for gold fill.   

Gold vermeil is a layer of gold plating over sterling silver. The thickness of this plating is also regulated by the FTC with a (current) requirement of at least 2.5 micron-thick plating over sterling. While precious metals are used throughout the components, should the plating wear off, what is revealed beneath is silver.

What does all this mean?

Pros and cons

Generally:

  • Solid or "karat gold" jewelry is the most durable — and the most expensive.
  • Gold-filled jewelry follows in terms of expense, and also durability, tarnish-resistance, being hypoallergenic, etc.  
  • Gold vermeil takes the next spot.
  • Gold plate follows.  

Does this mean you should never buy gold-plated or vermeil jewelry?

Not at all. There are pros and cons to every option, and some lovely jewelry at every price point in a variety of metals. However, know what the materials are, and set your expectations accordingly. 

Modern Whimsy Jewelry metals

Modern Whimsy Jewelry uses 14K gold fill for its many advantages, and of course for its beauty. All of the gold wire, chain, soldered and open jump rings, ear wires, hoops, clasps and so on in Modern Whimsy Jewelry designs are 14K gold fill.

All 14K gold-filled lobster clasps are from Italy and bear the 1/20 14K stamp.

All 14K gold-fill necklaces include a small 14K gold-fill quality tag.

Close-up of a multicolor multi gemstone asymmetrical station necklace in 14K gold-fill staple chain showing quality tag and peridot dangle


14K gold-filled jewelry shown:

 

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