Whenever I do markets, I try to make it clear that the gold-tone findings I use are, for the most part, gold-filled instead of gold-plated. But what’s the difference between gold-filled and gold-plated, and which one is better for gold-tone jewellery?

Solid gold is always the best gold-tone jewellery to have, but it’s spenny

When we say something is made of solid gold, gasp!, it’s actually not made 100% of gold. Any piece of solid gold jewellery needs to have at least a liiiittle bit of other metals to keep its shape, as 100% gold would be too delicate, if that makes sense. However, there are different degrees of purity of solid gold, which are signified by the number of karats a piece has.

For a piece of jewellery to be classified as solid gold, it needs to be at least 9kt, which means 16.7% of its weight is made of gold. The remainder is usually a metal alloy made of cheaper metals. The more karats a piece has, the more expensive it can be, and the most karats a piece can have are 24kt.

Gold plate is the cheapest alternative to solid gold to achieve gold-tone jewellery

Gold plating is a technique used to make cheaper metals look gold by adding a thin layer of gold over the cheaper metal. Because it’s such a thin layer, it's very easy for the gold tone to wear off (i.e. get tarnished, lose its lustre). Usually, only 0.05% of a plated piece's weight is made up of gold, making it the cheapest option between solid gold, gold-filled and gold-plated.

Gold-filled jewellery, on the other hand…

With gold-filled jewellery (also called rolled gold back in the day), the gold is bonded with the cheaper metal (usually brass or copper), not just plated over it. That means a gold-filled piece is much more likely to resist long-term wear and tear! 5% of its weight is gold, so it's made up of up to 100x more gold than gold-plated alternatives, whilst being much more affordable than solid gold.

You do pay for what you get

Here we can see, on the left, that 10 pairs of a gold-plated hook costs £2.52. The same design in gold fill, on the right, costs £6.31 for 3 pairs only. That means a pair of gold fill hooks costs almost 10 times the same design in gold plate (£2.10 per pair vs £0.22 per pair). This is the case, as we know, because gold-filled findings have up to 100 times more gold in them than gold-plated alternatives. So whilst they are a more expensive upfront cost, they will last you much longer than their gold-plated counterparts, which you’ll either need to substitute more often or get re-plated with time.

In summary

Here at Luneta, I choose to use gold-filled findings when possible. That does mean my materials cost around 10x more than if I used gold-plated, but it also means my creations, with the proper care, will stay looking new for longer. I want the jewellery you get from me to last you a lifetime and be passed on as an heirloom!

Shop below some of my gold-filled pieces, paired with vintage beads, as always - made to last!

As a reminder, here’s how to take care of your jewellery so it stays looking shiny and new for longer:

• Store your Lunetas in the cute box they came in, or in your preferred jewellery box. Minimizing contact with air will ensure the metal bits stay shiny for longer!

• Do not shower, exercise, go in a pool or into the ocean whilst wearing your jewellery.

• Clean them gently with a damp cloth - don’t use abrasive products.

• Avoid dropping your jewellery onto hard surfaces as the impact can weaken or break the piece. Do keep in mind that some of our beads are 100+ years old!

• Metals are easily damaged by soap/creams/sprays/perfumes, so avoid using these in areas of contact with our jewellery.

Check out our FAQs for other common questions!