When a layer of gold is applied to another metal (like silver or copper), the process is known as gold plating. Jewellery plating is a time-consuming process with numerous steps. Before it can be plated, the base metal needs to be cleaned and made pollution-free. Usually, this is done to prevent interaction between the base metal and gold as well as metal mixing. Only after using this procedure is jewellery given a gold plating.
Gold plated jewellery is one the most sought after, and widely bought jewellery in the market. Not all gold plated jewellery is safe and has high quality though. So you need to keep in mind the following points before buying gold plated jewellery. We have listed 7 things that you must know before you buy gold plated jewellery. Read on to know more.
1. Best Brand
Gold plated jewellery should always be bought from a brand you know and trust. We recommend Blingvine, as the quality of the jewellery is very good. Their products are made in a high-grade lead and nickel free environment. This ensures that with proper care, your gold plated jewellery will last for a long time, and you won’t have allergic reactions to them too.
2. Resale Value
Gold plated jewellery is very affordable for the reason that only the top layer of the jewellery is made with real gold. For this reason, your gold plated jewellery doesn’t really have any resale value. Since the gold layer is quite thin, the only value you might get if your jewellery is in great condition is for that layer.If the layer is made with high quality gold, you can get a better resale value for it.
3. Better Investment
Gold plated jewellery is very affordable and can be a much better invesment than gold or diamond jewellery. You can also get gold of different qualities if you want it to last longer - 10K to 24K. While the cost may go up depending on the karats of gold, gold plated jewellery is much more affordable than real gold. And since they look the same, you can buy more pieces of jewellery, and change it up according to the dress, season or occasion.
4. Hallmarks
Hallmarking is the way to certify the purity and fineness of any precious metal. But for gold plated jewellery, it's not so much about the hallmark as it is about the quality of plating technique and materials used. The quantity of precious materials used are really miniscule in gold plated jewellery, so always go for brands that are proven to provide high quality products rather than any claim about percentage of precious metals used.
5. Material
Gold plated jewellery is usually made with other metals as the base for the jewellery. The most common metals that are used in the gold plating process are silver and nickel. But your must always ensure that the jewellery manufacturer is using high quality alloy that is free of any harmful elements. That's why blingvine doesn't use any nickel, cadmium or lead in the jewellery.
6. How Long Does It Last
By taking good care of your gold plated jewellery, it can last you for a couple of years. You must wash it with water and detergent, use a soft microfibre cloth to clean it and store it in a plastic bag away from your other gold plated jewellery. You should remove the gold plated jewellery when you’re in the swimming pool or taking a shower, as the water can react with the metal below the gold plating. By doing these simple and easy steps, you can ensure that your gold plated jewellery lasts for a good amount of time.
7. Guarantee
Since gold plated jewellery isn’t made out of real gold, it can tarnish over time. For this reason, most jewellers don’t give a guarantee on gold plated jewellery. But because we have perfected the quality of our materials and plating, we are able to offer you an unprecedented one year warranty on polishing as well as stones.
These were some of the things you should keep in mind while buying gold plating jewellery. While there are some cons, the pros really outweigh them. Gold plated jewellery looks just like real jewellery and will shine just the same. It’s more affordable and you can buy a lot more pieces of jewellery. And if you’re looking for a place to buy good, high quality gold plated jewellery, we would recommend Blingvine.
