Gold Karats - What Do They Mean?

Gold plating is a method of depositing a thin layer of gold (14, 18, 21 or pure 24 karat) onto the surface of another more affordable metal, most commonly copper and brass, but also stainless steel and silver. It is usually around 0.5 micron thick (required minimum), will eventually fade, but may not necessarily irritate sensitive skin if a hypoallergenic base metal is used (such as stainless steel or sterling silver).

Here’s a quick rundown of how gold plating works:

1. First, you need to clean the metal object really well.
2. Then, you dip the object into a solution that contains gold ions.
3. Next, you use an electric current to attract the gold ions onto the metal object.
4. Finally, you rinse off the object and dry it, and voila! It’s gold-plated.

However, gold VPD is quickly replacing traditional gold plating.

Gold PVD, which stands for Physical Vapor Deposition, is a more modern method of gold coating that's becoming very popular because of it's durability compared to traditional gold plating.

Here's why:

• Gold PVD uses a vaporization process in a vacuum, which creates a chemically stronger bond between the gold layer and the base metal.
• Gold PVD coatings are more resistant to corrosion from sweat and regular wear, so they last longer.
• Thick layer of gold - anywhere from 1 to 5 microns.
• Stainless steel is always used as the base metal.
• Even big luxury brands like Rolex and Cartier use Gold PVD for their jewelry, so you know it's high quality!

Basically, Gold PVD is a newer, better way of gold coating that makes your jewelry look great and last much longer. It is also hypoallergenic - good for all skin types.

Gold vermeil is a type of gold coating that's actually a little different from gold plating or PVD.

Here's how:

• Gold vermeil is made by coating sterling silver with a layer of gold. The gold layer has to be at least 2.5 microns thick to be considered vermeil; that results in a finish that is five times thicker than average gold plating.
• Gold vermeil jewelry is usually more expensive than gold-plated jewelry, because sterling silver is more valuable than other base metals (copper, brass, stainless steel).
• Like gold PVD, gold vermeil is more durable than regular gold plating because the gold layer is thicker.

It's a great option if you want something that looks like gold but less expensive than solid gold jewelry.

Another superb option for durable gold jewelry that is more affordable than solid gold is gold FILLED.

• Gold filled jewelry is made by bonding (not plating or vaporizing) a thick layer of gold to a base metal like brass or copper. The gold layer is much thicker than in gold plated or vermeil jewelry, usually 5-10% of the total weight.
• Gold filled jewelry is more durable than gold plated, PVD or vermeil jewelry, because the gold layer is so thick. It can last for years with proper care.
• Gold filled jewelry can be marked as "GF" or "1/20 14K", which means that 1/20th of the total weight is 14K gold.

Solid gold jewelry is made entirely of gold, without any base metal bonding or coatings. However, pure gold is too soft for jewelry, so most solid gold jewelry is made from a gold alloy that combines gold with other metals to make it stronger.

Here's a little more detail:

• The karat rating of gold jewelry tells you how much pure gold is in the alloy. For example, 14K gold is 58.3% pure gold and the rest is other metals.
• The higher the karat rating, the more pure gold is in the jewelry, and the softer and more expensive it is.
• Solid gold jewelry can also be marked with a hallmark that tells you the karat rating and the country where it was made.

So if you want to buy solid gold jewelry, look for a karat rating that's high enough to be valuable, but not so high that the jewelry is too soft. 14K or 18K gold is a good balance of purity and strength for most jewelry.

But wait, what other metals are usually alloyed with gold?

Well, here are some of the most popular:

• Silver: Makes the gold whiter and harder.
• Copper: Adds a reddish color and improves hardness.
• Palladium: Adds a whitish color and improves tarnish resistance.
• Platinum: Adds a whitish color and improves hardness and tarnish resistance.

The specific combination of metals used in a gold alloy can affect the color and properties of the resulting jewelry. For example, adding more copper will make the gold look more reddish, while adding palladium will make it look whiter. Jewelers can adjust the recipe to get the color and properties they want.