Gold Karat, Gold Filled, Gold Plated and Vermeil

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 If you're in the market to buy gold jewelery, why should you care what "karat", "filled", "plated" and "vermeil" mean?  What it all really boils down to, in the end, is the ultimate appearance,  durability and  monetary value of any gold selection.   It's  important  to be aware of what kind of gold pieces you are contemplating so you pay a price that genuinely reflects the true gold content.

Karat:

The fineness of gold is defined by a unit of measurement (purity), called 'karat'.  Pure gold, free of alloys, is termed '24 Karat' and due to its natural, characteristic softness, is not used for jewelry since its durability would deem it to be quite useless.  As a result, this type of pure gold is confined, primarily,  for collection or investment purposes.

For the sake of creating  gold jewelry that's more durable and making it more affordable, alloys are added to the gold in various amounts.
The information, below, displays units of purity to give you an idea of how much pure gold would actually be present with each measurement:
24 Karats-24K or 24/24  ..................   pure gold content is:   99.90%
18 Karats-18K 0r 18/24   ..................   pure gold content is:   75.00%
14 Karats-14K or 14/24   ..................   pure gold content is:   58.30%
10 Karats-10K or 10/24   ..................   pure gold content is:   41.75%
It's important to note that, within U.S. minimum standards, anything marked less than 10K is considered 'fools gold' or 'fake gold'.

Gold Filled:

This is an amazing quality-alternative to solid gold.   It refers to gold being pressure-bonded onto a base metal.   The resulting jewelry pieces possess the gleaming appearance of more expensive gold selections.  Because the gold layer will not wear away,  gold-filled jewelry pieces are considered life-time products.  Gold-filled jewelry offers the same strength, durability and beauty of solid gold, but at a fraction of the cost!
The sheet or layer that is applied must be 10K or higher; and the total weight of the gold must be at least 1/20 of the total weight of all the metals, combined.

The official stamp or etching on a piece that would indicate the gold content (in this case 14K) would look like this:  1/20 14K G.F.-- the 'GF' meaning 'gold filled'.

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Gold Plated:

Jewelry pieces that are 'gold-plated' are similar to 'gold-filled' in that a thin layer of gold is applied to base metals.  Again, as with gold-filled requirements, the gold content must be a minimum of 10K.
There are several terms, within the gold-plated category, that are worth mentioning:
**  Gold Electroplate:  The plating layer must be at least 7 millionths of an inch of fine gold over the base metal.
**  Heavy Electroplate:  The plating layer must be at least 100 millionths of an inch--the width of a human hair.
These types of coatings are far thinner than the layers used in gold-filled jewelry; and, additionally, durability is compromised due to the thinness of the gold layers.  One should, also, be aware that tiny pores can develop which can expose the base metal.  This allows for the very real potential for corrosion  and discoloration.
Gold-plated jewelry pieces tend to tarnish and if the plating wears away, the exposed base metal can discolor one's skin.

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Vermeil:

Here, an extremely, thin layer of at least 10K gold is deposited over pure sterling silver.  With proper care , gold vermeil can last many years without tarnishing or showing signs of wear.

To extend the life of these pieces, it's important to remember not to expose the vermeil to water, such as with swimming or showering, nor to allow the pieces to be machine polished since this would cause a thinning of the gold layering.

Know what kind of gold pieces you are selecting; and may your gold-buying experience be a delightful journey!

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Miss Carlson writes on a variety of topics including gold, diamonds, and Thomas Sabo charms.