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Jewelborn

Gold-plated silver jewelry

In short

Gold-plated jewelry has a thin layer of gold applied over another metal. Ours is planned as gold over sterling silver: it has the colour of gold at a lower price, but it is not solid gold and the layer wears with time. We only offer it once the plating process has been qualified, and the base metal and the plating specification are stated on your approval page.

Last updated . Written and maintained by the Jewelborn team.

A layer, not an alloy

The piece is cast in sterling silver, finished by hand, and then plated with gold. The coating comes after polishing, because polishing a coated piece would remove the coating.

Not solid gold

Gold-plated is never labelled “gold” at Jewelborn. We also don’t call it vermeil: that term has specific requirements for the base metal and the layer, and we only use it when we can prove them.

How plating wears

  • Rings wear faster than pendants because they touch surfaces all day.
  • Perfume, chlorine, sweat and abrasive cleaning speed up wear.
  • Where the plating wears through, the silver underneath shows; a jeweler can usually re-plate the piece.

When it’s available

The order of polishing and plating must be agreed with our jeweler and plating specialist, so gold-plated is offered only once that process is qualified. Until then it shows no price and can’t be ordered.

Prices by product and material
MaterialRingPendant
Gold-plated silverNot yet availableNot yet available

Prices include VAT. Shipping is shown at checkout.

Care

Clean only with water, mild soap and a soft cloth, never with polishing cloths or ultrasonic cleaners. See the care guide.

Questions and answers

How long does gold plating last?

It depends on the thickness of the layer and on how the piece is worn. We state the plating specification on your order rather than promising a number of years.

Can a gold-plated piece be re-plated?

Usually, yes. A jeweler can clean and re-plate it.

Sources

External references for facts on this page.

Spotted something inaccurate? Tell us through our contact page. Contact

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