Silver jewelry with gilding: advantages and care rules

May 18, 2021

How to distinguish gilded silver from gold is not an idle question, because modern jewelry making technologies have also made it possible to develop a market for counterfeits. Unscrupulous craftsmen surprise with tricks due to which the noble metal becomes less and less distinguishable from a cheap replica. However, there are a number of methods that allow you to quickly determine the authenticity of gold jewelry without laboratory examinations.

In this material you will learn how to check whether it is gold or gilding, as well as what are the different methods for making gold-plated products.

What is the difference between gilding and gold?

According to the international standard of the Guild of Jewelers, gilding is a product made of 925 silver, or an alloy based on it, which is coated with a thin gold layer using the galvanic method. The thickness of the layer varies - depending on the country of origin, a minimum mandatory threshold is set from 0.5 to 2.5 microns.

Gilding in its modern sense was invented in 1838 through the efforts of the great Russian physicist Boris Jacobi. Since then, technology has stepped far forward, and international markings began to be placed on jewelry created in this way:

• GP (Gold Plated) is the same electro-galvanic coating; it has not fundamentally changed since the 19th century. Several layers are alternately applied to a high-quality product, which allows you to extend its lifespan along with its natural shine. If there is only one layer, then wearing such jewelry on bare skin is not recommended. Long-term contact with a sweat-fat environment or cosmetics will lead to inevitable damage.
• GF (Gold Filled) is an improved rolling method. A blank made of a substrate and gold filler is placed in an airless chamber heated to +900 degrees Celsius. After this, hydraulic compression occurs - it allows you to obtain raw materials with a thickness of up to 10 microns. The most popular option on the market is indicated by the tag 14K/20, that is, 14-karat gold weighing 1/20 (5%) of the product.
• GS (Gold Soldered) is the most expensive technology that has proven itself in Swiss watches. It involves tinning using lead-tin solder. Thanks to it, the layer of noble metal reaches 17 microns, which is practically indistinguishable from genuine 585 standard. Branded accessories made in this way are much more expensive than regular gold items.

In Russia and the countries of the former USSR, it was not customary until recently to put a stamp on gilding. This served as the main marker that the buyer was not looking at real metal, but over time, this approach provoked an influx of low-quality fakes. Now, to be on the safe side and maintain their reputation, many brands are trying to meet the standards.

Pros and cons of gilding silver

Restoring silver at home will allow you to obtain an aesthetically attractive product without large material costs.

Advantages of using this technology:

• the opportunity to experiment with the appearance of jewelry. If desired, you can order additional engraving or a complex design from the jeweler, which is difficult to reproduce at home;
• silver objects are lighter than gold. Weight is important for both jewelry and cutlery. For example, a gilded silver pendant with stones will please its owner much longer than a gold one due to its light weight;
• affordable price. Silver is much cheaper than gold, and with high-quality work, gold-plated metal at home does not differ visually from gold;
• damaged coating, if necessary, can be easily restored at home. It is less expensive than purchasing a new item;
• variability of coating colors;
• When properly used, gilded silver is durable;
• Gold-plated silver is thicker and has better thermal conductivity, which is why it is used in elements for mechanical watches.

Before gilding silver at home, you should familiarize yourself with the disadvantages of such a procedure:

• Gold-plated items are difficult to care for. It is necessary to constantly ensure that jewelry comes into contact with skin and liquids less often. Dishes with such a coating are contraindicated to be washed in a dishwasher or with the use of chemicals. There are special solutions for cleaning gold plated utensils at home;
• high-grade gold, which is used for gilding, is very shiny, so it is unlikely that it will be possible to hide the true material from the experienced eyes of jewelry lovers and specialists;
• gilding does not prevent the oxidation of the metal, so spots may appear on the treated silver, especially if the operating conditions are not met.

How to distinguish gold from gilding visually?

When you come across a product that raises questions about its authenticity, you should definitely check it both by careful inspection and with the help of improvised means. There are several ways to distinguish a gold-plated product from an expensive metal:

• Find the mark of the Federal Assay Office - on Soviet jewelry it consisted of a designation of the hallmark, a five-pointed star with a hammer and sickle, now instead of it there is a miniature female profile in a kokoshnik.
• Examine the joints of the product - there should be no rough scratches or traces of a needle file on them. The surface color is always even, without white or dark spots.
• Buy a lapis pencil at any pharmacy, soak it in water and touch the jewelry. There is always a matte trace of charcoal black left on the gilding.
• Holding the ring or earring on long tweezers, bring the flame of a lighter or match to the flame, and after a few seconds sharply lower it into cold water. 585 standard will remain unchanged, low-quality gilding will produce an unpleasant rainbow stain.

The time-tested “grandmother’s” method of magnetizing metal has long been out of date. The fact is that fakes use special alloys of copper and lead, which are also not attracted to the magnet.

The Line of Love online store guarantees the highest quality of gold products, confirmed by all necessary documents. Our catalog will offer you a huge selection of jewelry for every taste, with or without inlays with precious stones.

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What is gold plating and why is it applied?

Gilding is a coating of high-grade gold that is applied to the surface of a selected item at home or by a professional jeweler in a workshop. The item being processed can be made of any metal, but in most cases silver is used for this.

Gilding is done:

• to give a golden hue and emphasize the individuality of the product;
• updating the appearance of items;
• durability of a metal item.

How the process works

Before gilding silver items at home, it is important to ensure your own safety, for which this is perfect:

• rubber shoes;
• gloves;
• glasses for eye protection;
• apron.

Regardless of the method used, restoring silver at home always consists of the following steps:

• metal surface preparation;
• spraying or other coating;
• final processing.

Gilding metal is not enough. I recommend creating a protective layer on gold-plated silver. Nitrocellulose varnish is suitable for this.

Methods for determining the authenticity of gold products

All the differences between gold and gilding lie in the composition of the products, because... visually it is difficult to immediately determine who is who. Don't pay attention only to the price. Some sellers, on the contrary, may overestimate it in order to confuse an uninformed buyer. If you have doubts about the authenticity of the purchased jewelry, you can carry out a number of activities and find out whether you were deceived or not.

Visual inspection

You can perform a similar verification method immediately before purchasing. Having carefully examined the gold jewelry, there should be no abrasions, chips, or blurred colors on it. A clearly visible sample must also be present. The precious metal has a characteristic cold shine and uniform color. No dark stains or stripes are allowed.

The easiest way to figure out whether there is gold in front of you or not is to test it with light and shadow. The precious metal shines equally in the shade and in the sun. If under the rays of the sun the jewel sparkled with new colors, but in the shadow it looked faded and unattractive, then it is a fake.

Real gold is stamped with hallmark data.

Marking

The higher the grade indicated on the jewelry, the more expensive it is. However, it should be remembered that pure gold is extremely rarely found in stores. The most popular samples are 585 and 750. Silver, copper and other less valuable impurities are mixed into the base metal. Thus, the strength of the alloy is achieved and the ability to create jewelry of various shapes and sizes from it.

Real gold is marked with information about the fineness, manufacturer, price per gram and for the entire piece of jewelry. In addition, the Quality Control Department stamp must be present.

No matter how much one would like to believe that the presence of a sample is a guarantee of the authenticity of the product, this is not always the case. The fact is that bracelets, chains and earrings have clasps. Unscrupulous suppliers most often send these parts for testing and, having received a positive result, put the gold part on a cheap gold-plated piece of jewelry.

Determining the authenticity of gold using vinegar

Vinegar

Another quick and affordable way to distinguish real gold from other metals is to use vinegar. Everyone probably has acid at home, so testing for originality is not difficult.

Pure vinegar is poured into any suitable container and the product is dipped into it. Wait 2 to 4 minutes. If the surface does not darken during this time, then the jewelry is indeed made of precious metal. But obvious darkening indicates that you were given gold plating. After the experiment, the product is washed with clean water and dried with a soft towel.

Determining the authenticity of gold using iodine

Using iodine, you can quickly and accurately determine gold. To do this, you will need a bottle of liquid, a cotton swab and toothpaste.

1. One end of a cotton swab is dipped in iodine and a dot is placed in any less visible place of the product being tested.
2. If after a few minutes the iodine dot remains the same dark, you have gold. If the speck has acquired a light, milky hue, then it is anything but a precious metal.
3. After the test, the stain should be wiped off with toothpaste. A small amount is applied to the iodine point and wait 5 minutes.
4. Then gently rub your finger over the surface and after no traces of iodine remain, the jewelry is washed and wiped.

lapis pencil

Lapis pencil can be bought at any pharmacy. This is a means to stop bleeding, but in this case, it will help distinguish gold from gilding. A small cut is made on the reverse side of the product being tested and the area is washed with water. Then they run it with a lapis pencil and see if the metal has changed color. If this doesn't happen, then it's real gold.

Determining the authenticity of gold using nitric acid

Nitric acid

Nitric acid is another way to distinguish a fake from a noble metal. The product is placed in a metal container. Pipette the acid and gently drop it onto the test sample. If the place where the acid entered does not change color, then it is a gold product. If the color has changed to milky, then the decoration is made of gilding.

Needle test

A needle or other sharp object will be a great help in determining the authenticity of jewelry. You need to make scratches in an inconspicuous area. After such manipulations, the gilded layer will immediately peel off, and not a trace will remain on pure gold.

Silver with gold plated: reviews how long does it last, erasing time

I purchased a women's gold plated chain. The “sunny” color has lasted for years! I try to take care of the coating so that it does not darken. We can say that I received gold at the price of silver, although the chain was relatively cheap.

Masha L., Kostroma

Vitaly N. g, Chelyabinsk

I wore a gold-plated ring for a couple of years. Recently I discovered silvery stripes on it, apparently the top layer had worn off. I didn’t restore it, I took the ring to a pawnshop. I plan to buy a similar decoration.

I wanted to buy a gold-plated men's chain as a gift. I was attracted by the relatively low cost and the appearance of natural gold. Friends dissuaded me, saying that there was no point in such a gift, the owner would quickly wipe off the coating.

Angela L. g, Moscow

Selection criteria and recommendations for purchasing

The first thing you should know when going to a store to buy gold jewelry is that it must be reputable and certified. It is highly not recommended to buy such products in small shops, kiosks, and especially on the Internet on dubious sites.

You don’t need to trust your intuition and especially chase the cheapest. A suspiciously low price for jewelry supposedly made of gold should be the first signal that it is a fake. All high-quality jewelry made of precious metal must be hallmarked, even if it was made to order.

If you know a jeweler, it is better to ask him to check the authenticity of the selected product. You can use a paid gold determination service. Now they are provided in any specialized stores, workshops and even pawn shops.

Table: cost of gilded silver jewelry

The table below shows average prices for the most popular jewelry. Their main alloy is always lunar metal 925 marking, and the sputtering sample may vary.

If there are inserts in the form of precious minerals, the cost increases significantly. The price is indicated in rubles.

Buy gold-plated silver in the online store inexpensively. To find out the current cost of one gram of alloy in the most popular online jewelry stores, it is convenient to use the table:

Recoating

If you still decide not to part with your jewelry and leave it with gold plating, you can turn to specialists for help. Using a special device, a new coating is applied in a matter of minutes. How much does it cost to apply the coating? The cost of gilding is considerable; gilding one ring will cost about 350 rubles, and chains - from 2000 rubles. The price depends on the grade of gold used and the thickness of the applied coating.

As you can see, high quality gold-plated silver should cost significantly more. Re-gilding has other advantages. You can apply gold in a different shade, such as white, red or pink. When electroplated, the gold layer has high adhesion to the surface being treated. After repeated restoration, the product will look completely new.

To restore the coating, you need to choose only a professional master. The work must be done very efficiently, with knowledge of all the nuances and technological details.

Gilded silver looks beautiful and, when handled with care, pleases the eye for a long time. It is not intended for everyday wear, so if your favorite item no longer looks neat, it is better to remove or restore such coating.