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Gold-Filled vs. Gold-Plated and Other Gold Options
Gold-Filled
Gold-Plate
Vermeil
Brass
14kt to 22kt Gold
It is a layer of 10Kt
or better gold mechanically bonded under heat & pressure to one or
more surfaces of supporting base metal, then rolled or drawn to a given
thickness.
In the jewelry industry the quantity of gold must be at least 1/20th by
weight of the total product. Under FTC (Federal Trade Commission) regulations,
a product may be marked as 14, 12 or 10Kt Gold-Filled. Karat measurement
of the gold content MUST be part of the marking or designation.
The finished product thus has a surface layer of gold of the appropriate karatage, which is very thick compared to rolled gold plate or the heaviest electroplate (gold-plated) material.
Gold-Filled items are generally considered life-time products, and the gold layer will not quickly wear off, as it will in electroplated products. Rarely is there an individual who cannot wear this material.
Gold-Plate is a very thin deposit of gold, electroplated or electrochemically applied to the piece. (The industry standard is .15 to .25 mils thickness of gold-plated to the surface of the base metal.) It is a very small fraction of an inch thick (1/1000 inch to 1/1,000,000 or so of an inch thick). Heavy gold electroplate might be .002 or .003 in. thick. Gilt is another term used, which means there is a very thin finish of gold color over the base metal (may or may not actually be gold). This is not a life-time product, and care must be taken to not rub off the gold finish. Perfumes, hairspray, chemicals, water, and skin oil will take off the finish quickly. General items that you buy in a department store (Monet, Napier, etc) fall into this catagory. Many of the more expensive brands have a much higher plating on them, but eventually, it will still rub off. Plating works best on low wear items that aren't constantly touched by skin and sweat.
Vermeil is sterling silver, heavily electroplated with yellow gold. Usually of a much higher quality than regular plated objects, it has a much longer life. However, it is gold-plated, so the same rules apply. Avoid perfume, hairspray, sweat, rubbing, etc. Because sterling silver is underneath, and sterling tarnishes, vermeil will gradually darken with time, or with prolonged exposure to air. Vermeil can be really expensive due to the high amount of actual gold plated onto it. With proper care, these pieces can last a long, long time.
Brass is great because it is inexpensive. It can be used raw in several ways. Left natural it will darken over time but can always be repolished. It's a little like Sterling Silver, after awhile it needs a little attention. Polish it up, and it's good as new. Depending on the type of gold finish you are looking for, brass may not be appropriate. In some cases, the color isn't exactly like gold. In other cases, it's hard to tell the difference. Personally, I love working with brass and sterling silver. You end up with a high quality look that lasts a lifetime. Sure, you need to polish it now and again, but I think it is well worth the cost savings.
Can't forget the most important one. Almost anything is available in the real thing. Let me know, I'll quote you some prices. White, rose, and yellow gold is available.
