Has your gold-plated jewelry rubbed off on your skin or become discolored? Find out the difference between gold plating and real gold.
Gold-plated jewelry can be beautiful, affordable, and perfect for varying your style. But they don’t work quite the same way as real gold jewelry.
If your jewelry has darkened, lost its color or left green marks on your skin, it may be because it is gold-plated. Here we explain what gold plating means, why the surface can wear and how to tell the difference between gold plated and real gold.
Gold plating means that a piece of jewelry has a thin layer of gold on top of another material, such as silver, brass or steel.
This gives the jewelry a golden surface, but the whole piece is not made of gold. Therefore, the color may change over time, especially if the piece is worn frequently.
Gold plating can be affected by everyday use. Water, perfume, skin creams, sweat and friction can wear down the thin gold layer.
When the metal underneath starts to show, the jewellery may darken, brown or sometimes discolor the skin. This is common and doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong – it’s mainly a matter of how the jewelry is made.
The difference between real gold and gold-plated gold is about the content.
For example, 18k gold jewelry contains gold throughout. Gold-plated jewelry, on the other hand, has only a thin layer of gold on the surface.
Therefore, real gold usually lasts longer, retains its color better and has an actual material value even after many years. See the current gold price here!
Look out for stamps like:
You may also see markings such as ‘GP’ or ‘gold plated’, which means that the jewelry is gold plated. The stamps are usually found at the lock of the jewelry
If you are unsure, you can have your jewelry professionally checked.
If you want jewelry that won’t tarnish as easily and will last over time, real gold is often a better choice. Gold-plated jewelry can be a nice option for occasional use, while real gold is better suited for jewelry you want to wear often and for a long time.
Do you have old jewelry at home and wonder if it is real gold? At Smyckesguld.se you can get help to check and sell gold jewelry from 9 carats and up.
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