What does "gold filled" mean when it comes to making necklaces, earrings or rings? Gold, in case you haven't paid attention, is currently crazy expensive and only increasing in price. As I write this in December of 2024, raw sterling silver is $29.82 per oz, and gold is $2,619.95 per oz. That makes gold more than 87 times more expensive than silver! Gold filled jewelry is a way to enjoy real gold without the associated price tag. It is more expensive than sterling silver, but far more affordable than solid gold and gives you much the same look.
Maybe you've had some gold (or silver) plated pieces. The thin layer of precious metal often scratches or wears away to show the base metal underneath. They don't stay looking nice very long, and it It is very disappointing when this happens to a piece of jewelry that you love. Unlike more cheaply made gold plated jewelry, gold filled jewelry's surface is much thicker and will not wear off with ordinary use. Gold fill contains 100x the gold of a gold plated item.
Fluxweed Artisan Jewelry always uses 14/20 gold filled metal from Rio Grande jewelry supply, a very reputable company. The term "14/20 gold-filled" means the metal must contain 1/20th real gold in relation to the base metal core. This ratio looks very much like real solid gold, which is why Fluxweed often chooses to use this type of metal when making "gold" jewelry. Fluxweed does use small amounts of real gold in some designs, so pay attention to jewelry descriptions to find out what your new favorite piece of jewelry is made from. Most importantly, we never try to claim our jewelry is made from something it isn't!
Taking care of gold fill: Especially on rings, gold fill is more likely to get discolored or tarnished if you wash your hands with soap or use lotion. Luckily, if polishes right back up with a gentle polishing cloth or compound meant for metal jewelry. We recommend the softer blue Sunshine Cloth for gold fill jewelry, and all of your other metal jewelry. (This link is for your convenience only- we don't get any benefit from you shopping at Amazon.)
Comments