Gilded silver: pros, cons and care rules

Gold accessories are considered the most popular jewelry in recent times. But the cost of this precious metal is growing every year, and therefore not every person can afford to buy an expensive product. If jewelry is worn only on holidays, then there is no point in spending a lot of money on it. There is an alternative to expensive accessories that also look prestigious and stylish.

Gold-plated silver jewelry is a popular type of jewelry that costs much less than gold jewelry. But keep in mind that such jewelry is short-lived and wears out over time, so you won’t be able to wear it all the time. Many buyers are interested in the question: how long does the gilding effect on accessories last? In this article we will tell you how long gilding on silver lasts and how you can clean the product yourself.

Gold-plated elements are used on decorative items, furniture, works of art, building facades, and tableware. They are used to make paintings, art objects, and figurines. Spraying is also used for the manufacture of religious paraphernalia, tableware, mechanical engineering, and dentistry.

International standards for gilding silver set the shade 4N. Dinner sets look very harmonious and are suitable for any interior. The devices themselves are convenient and light, due to the fact that they are based on silver.

Everything about gilding silver at home: what it is, pros and cons, TOP 3 methods

Jewelry that has lost its former attractiveness does not have to be hidden in a box until better times, because you can restore the metal yourself and visually increase its value without going to a jewelry workshop.
If your missus has been sighing for a long time over her favorite earrings, which have become dull with time, now is the time to please her. Although numerous videos on how to gild silver at home can instill fear, in fact, getting a beautiful product without large material and time costs is very simple.

What determines the quality and service life of gold coating?

In Russia, when covering silver with gold, a metal of high standard is used - at least 750. But most often this value reaches 999. There are also gold-plated products of 585 standard, equal to 14 carats, but they are extremely rare in jewelry workshops and stores. In foreign countries, metals with a value of 12 carats and below are plated for gilding.

In order for gilding to last as long as possible, the silver standard must be at least 925. The percentage of applied gold must be at least 42%, the fineness must be 99%, and the thickness of the metal must be more than 2.5 microns. If these rules are followed, the gold coating will last for several years. The thicker the coating layer, the longer the decoration does not lose its appearance.

The service life and how long jewelry is worn depends on the rules of use and storage of the jewelry. When purchased from a specialized jewelry store with the necessary quality certificates, the product will retain its presentable appearance for more than two years. The coating lasts the longest on pendants, earrings and products that are least subject to friction and contact with the skin.

It is not allowed to store accessories near heating devices or in places exposed to direct sunlight.

Customers often ask the question in stores: is gilded silver washable or not? The answer is yes. And even if proper care is taken, the coating will be erased after 2-3 years.

What is gold plating and why is it applied?

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.

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.

What is silver hallmark?

Silver is one of the noble metals that are not susceptible to oxidation or corrosion. In the periodic table D.I. Mendeleev's silver is designated Ag (from the Latin Argentum) and is listed at number 47. It is a silver-white metal characterized by high ductility.

Pure silver is quite soft, so it is not suitable for the production of dishes, jewelry and other products. To prevent silver from bending and breaking, other metals are added to it. Since the amount of such impurities has varied since the beginning of silver production, it became necessary to introduce the concept of “fineness.”

The sample shows how much silver is contained in a particular alloy. For example, 800 fineness means that 1000 g of alloy contains 800 g of silver and 200 g of impurities. In the future, this information is used to use specific silver alloy samples for the production of certain products. For example, 800 hallmark is more suitable for making cutlery, while 925 hallmark is used for jewelry (more on this below). Hallmark is also a name stamped on a silver item.

Brand A.M. Postnikov on a silver item.

How long does it last

The durability of the coating is affected by how carefully the silver is stored and worn. If an item is purchased in a jewelry store and has quality certificates, it will delight the owner for more than 2 years. Earrings and brooches that have little contact with the body will retain their visual appeal longer than a chain or bracelet.

Factors that negatively affect the durability of gold-plated items:

• contact with water and chloride compounds contained in it;
• exposure to concentrated chemicals;
• improper care;
• constant friction against the skin, interaction with sweat.

Why does the gold plating wear off?

Do not think that gilding is erased by contact with water. No, even if left in water for a long time, the decoration will not lose its appearance and the spray will adhere perfectly. But you still need to wash your hands without rings, so that the gilding does not wear off due to friction and hygiene products.

Gilding on silver will sooner or later be erased from mechanical damage and prolonged wear; it is very resistant to scratches, so you need to store accessories in special boxes. The metal binds to the treated surface during gilding at the molecular level - this explains that abrasion is possible only from mechanical movements.

When in contact with substances containing sweat, the precious metal causes oxidation. Therefore, during sports and hormonal changes in the body, it is not recommended to wear jewelry. When cleaning the house, washing, or using cosmetics, you need to remove accessories to prevent contact with aggressive substances.

Sometimes in jewelry stores you can see goods from which the gilding has worn off and dark spots have appeared. The material darkens from frequent fitting of jewelry, contact with skin and friction against clothing.

Do not think that the darkening of the jewelry is caused by its contamination. The coating begins to wear off when exposed to oxygen, and therefore this jewelry is not suitable for wearing every day.

Unfavorable factors that shorten the service life of gold-plated accessories include:

• chemistry;
• sweat and other secretions from the human body;
• high humidity;
• friction;
• Sun rays;
• lack of care.

Methods of gilding silver

The quality of the resulting coating depends on the chosen technique for creating gilding at home.

The most popular methods:

All of these options are suitable for doing at home and involve the use of a reaction of special chemical compounds.

Chemical method

This option of gilding involves applying gold chloride to silver or other material at home.

• prepare aqua regia (a compound of concentrated acids);
• dissolve the gold product, divided into small fragments, in the resulting substance;
• evaporate the water until a dry residue is obtained;
• mix the resulting substance with calcium carbonate and a solution of potassium cyanide until a paste-like consistency is obtained;
• apply the mixture to the silver with a brush;
• After drying, rinse the item under running water and polish.

How to extend the life of gilded silver

In order for gold-plated products to retain their original appearance for as long as possible, you must follow these tips and properly care for them:

• before going to the bathhouse, sauna or gym, remove jewelry from your body;
• avoid intense friction;
• Do not store accessories in cardboard boxes that emit sulfur;
• do not allow contact with household chemicals;
• Remove rings while cleaning and wear gloves.

These tips will help ensure that your jewelry lasts for a long time. Do not forget about the correct storage system for gold-plated jewelry. To do this, you need to get a small box, which will be lined with soft fabric. If there are few accessories, they can be stored in small velvet bags.

In order to extend the life of a solid silver plated item, you will need the following ingredients:

• Vinegar. The essence is used for severe contamination. You cannot use a 100% product; 9% vinegar is suitable for cleaning. For a liter of water, 30 ml of table vinegar is enough. Place the jewelry in the resulting mixture and leave for 25 minutes. After this, the accessory must be washed in running water.
• Ethanol. This method is great for regularly wiping away dust, sweat and dirt. You need to use cotton pads or a soft, lint-free cloth moistened with the product.
• Beer. This ingredient is used to restore shine to a product. First you need to prepare 1 glass of the drink and keep the accessory in it for no more than 20 minutes. After this procedure, gold-plated items should be washed and wiped with a suede cloth.
• Ammonia. This treatment option is suitable for gentle cleaning of products that have become covered with a green coating. You need to heat a liter of water, add 10 ml. dishwashing detergent and 5-6 drops of ammonia. The next step is to immerse the contaminated items in the solution for half an hour, rinse thoroughly under running water and wipe dry with suede.

Preparing a composition for gilding at home

You can prepare the solution for gilding yourself.

To do this, mix:

• water (1500 ml);
• gold chloride (10 g);
• potassium cyanide (30 g);
• salt (20 g);
• soda (20 g).

To obtain a thinner layer of gold plating you will need:

• water (2 l);
• gold chloride (15 g);
• yellow blood salt (65 g);
• carbonic potassium salt (65 g);
• table salt (65 g).

All components must be well dissolved, otherwise the gilding layer will be uneven, and even thorough polishing will not help. When the product is immersed in liquid, it is necessary to lower a zinc stick into the container (zinc contact method).

Coating Methods

Sputtering with gold at home is not as difficult as it seems. You can extend the life of your jewelry or other metal accessories using gilding. By studying the features of different techniques, you will be able to avoid unnecessary costs for purchasing new products. You only need to purchase certain tools, equipment and components for chemical formulations.

Gold chloride is a solution often used to coat silver. First, “regia vodka” is prepared, which is a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid in proportions of 1:3. Gold is placed into the solution, and then the liquid is evaporated. As a result, dry matter is formed. All actions must be performed carefully to avoid burns to the skin and respiratory tract.

Then gold chloride is mixed with a solution of potassium cyanide and washed chalk. The resulting slurry is applied to the silver item using a brush. The substance is kept for some time, then the accessory is thoroughly washed and polished.

A thicker layer of gold plating on silver is done using a zinc contact. The composition will require the following components:

1. 15 grams of gold chloride;
2. 65 grams of carbonic potassium salt;
3. 65 grams of yellow blood salt;
4. 65 grams of table salt;
5. 2 liters of water.

All substances are mixed, the composition is used heated. The silver product that will need to be processed is thoroughly cleaned of grease and dirt and placed in the prepared solution. The product contained in the composition is connected to a zinc stick, which is used as a contact.

Another application method will help fix the gold plating on silver for a long time. Electroplating is performed in special electrolytic solutions. This technique is similar to galvanizing.

The chemical solutions used in this method have different compositions, so the future gilding may be reddish or light yellow. Typically, one of two types of solutions is chosen for silver.

Gilding in the first way is carried out according to the scheme:

1. Take a container and pour 700 ml of water into it. Add 60 grams of sodium phosphate to the liquid, which should completely dissolve.
2. Then another container is filled with 150 ml of water. Add 2.5 grams of gold chloride to it.
3. The third container is filled with 150 ml of water. 1 gram of potassium cyanide and 10 grams of sodium disulfide are dissolved in the liquid.
4. First, mix the first two solutions, and then add the third composition to the resulting consistency.
5. The prepared mixture is heated to +50 − +60 degrees. A platinum anode is used for the procedure.

Another type of electrolyte for metal spraying is called “Zelmi’s golden bath.” Tin, copper and brass are also processed in this composition. The solution is prepared in several stages:

1. 30 ml of water is poured into a porcelain container and crystalline sodium carbonate and potassium ferric sulfide are added to it. The mixture is then boiled.
2. Gold fulminate, precipitated with ammonia, is placed into the heated solution. The consistency should be boiled for 20 minutes.
3. When a fluffy red precipitate forms and the resulting liquid acquires a rich golden hue, the composition is filtered.

Processing a silver product in this electrolyte lasts 15-16 hours. For gilding, weak currents and the Daniel element are used. A beautiful matte layer is formed on the metal product.

When choosing a method for gilding silver, it is necessary to take into account the end result, since the coating can come out in different shades and shines. You should also know the safety rules when working with chemicals.

Rules for using gold-plated products

The durability of gold-plated items depends on their proper use and storage conditions.

Recommendations for use, following which you can enjoy the beauty of gold-plated products for many years:

• Are you going to take a bath or shower? Be sure to remove earrings and other gold-plated jewelry. It is important to prevent them from coming into contact with soapy water;
• store items in closed boxes, caskets, avoiding exposure to sunlight and moisture. To prevent jewelry from being scratched, you need to place each item in a soft fabric bag or place it in separate chests;
• gilding a product with a thick layer of metal is not enough; it is important to clean it properly;
• Do not store gold-plated jewelry in the kitchen, bathroom or other rooms in high humidity conditions.

Cleaning

To clean a gold-plated item at home without damaging the coating, you will need:

• suede cloth;
• vinegar;
• ethanol.

Suede is useful for polishing silver. It is used immediately after cleaning to give things shine. If a piece of jewelry that has been successfully gilded is worn every day, you should wipe it with a cloth every evening before placing it in the box.

Small stains can be removed with ethyl alcohol. Silver is treated with a cotton pad soaked in the substance. An aqueous solution of vinegar will help remove significant stains; just place a silver item in it for a quarter of an hour.

Silver gilding: features and methods

Products made of silver with gilding have a pleasant price and a noble appearance. This is what usually attracts buyers. Products, of course, have not only positive qualities, but also negative ones. There are two methods of applying gold plating, which differ in complexity. The durability of the coating directly depends on the care of the jewelry.

Which products hold gold plating longer?

Gold plating adheres best to jewelry with a thick layer of sputtering. Not only the durability of the accessory, but also its cost depends on this. The top layer of spraying ranges from 2 to 15 microns. But it is difficult to determine this parameter on the finished product; you need to study the product certificates before purchasing. Therefore, it is better to choose jewelry that will rarely come into contact with human skin - for example, earrings.

Gold plating wears off most quickly from rings, bracelets and chains, and lasts the longest on pendants, brooches and earrings. To preserve the gilding, the jewelry is coated with a protective layer and is wear-resistant.

Advantages and disadvantages

Plating silver jewelry with gold allows you to enjoy a noble-looking product at a more affordable price. Such decorations have their advantages.

1. Public availability of products comes first. The cost of gold-plated jewelry is significantly lower than gold. If the gilding of silver is done correctly, then it is almost impossible to find visual differences.
2. There is an opportunity to experiment without special financial costs. You can order complex jewelry with engraving or an unusual design from a jeweler at a reasonable price. At the same time, gilding will make the appearance more attractive.
3. Silver cutlery is much lighter than gold cutlery. However, processing allows the use of high-quality products with an expensive look. Weight also matters for jewelry. Thus, a necklace made of gilded silver with stones will last longer than gold, due to its lightness.
4. The coating can be restored if necessary. If the gilding has deteriorated somewhere or simply began to look less attractive, then any jeweler will help restore its former luster. Restoration costs a lot, but it will definitely be cheaper than buying a new piece of jewelry.
5. It is possible to change the color of the coating. You can change yellow gold to white and vice versa. The master can also compact the layer.
6. If all operating rules are followed, gilded silver will serve for a long time without losing its original appearance.
7. Gilding is simply irreplaceable for parts of watch movements and large equipment. This is how silver conducts heat better and becomes denser.

Gold-plated silver items are quite attractive and interesting. Before purchasing, you should also take into account the disadvantages.

1. You must be constantly vigilant when using it. Products should not come into unnecessary contact with water and skin. Jewelry should be removed before going to bed, going to the pool or playing sports. Substances found in the environment destroy the gold plating layer.
2. High-grade gold is used for decoration. It is very shiny. This is exactly what gilded silver does. Less shiny alloys are used to make gold jewelry.
3. The decorative layer does not prevent metal oxidation. The product may still leave green or black marks.
4. Gold-plated dishes require quite complex care. Do not wash it in a dishwasher or with chemicals. Only specialized solutions are used for cleaning.
5. There is a high risk of purchasing a fake. It is quite difficult to determine the quality of gilding by eye. However, it is the fineness of gold over silver that affects the price of the product. You can contact an independent jeweler for assistance immediately after purchase.

Advantages of gold-plated silver products

Accessories made of gilded silver look attractive and at first glance you cannot tell that it is not real gold. To add more shine, the jewelry is polished with an agate stone. The best way to apply gold plating is electroplating. The surface becomes homogeneous and an additional protective layer appears. In the galvanic bath, the current density and maximum temperature value are determined automatically.

The advantages of gold-plated accessories include the following features:

• beautiful appearance;
• perfect combination with stones;
• absence of allergic reactions;
• amenable to reconstruction;
• reasonable price compared to jewelry made from gold alloys;
• can be used for engraving;
• You can re-spray an unlimited number of times;
• corrosion resistance;
• the products look neat, they are light and easy to wear.

Although accessories are inert and not subject to corrosion, for example, products with sample 585 contain many impurities. Due to the fact that pure metal contains little anti-corrosion properties of the finished product are reduced.

Many brand stores sell gold-plated jewelry. One of the popular ones is the Sokolov company. In store catalogs you can find products for any budget for adults and children, there are even products with large cubic zirconia. Products from the sokolov factory can also be seen in other modern stores.

Methods

You can gild a product at home using chemical or galvanic methods. Each of them has its own characteristics.

Galvanic

The coating is applied with 925 gold. Gilding allows you to make the product more valuable. The main method of coating is the use of sodium, an ether solution and contact with zinc. For one thing, the galvanic method is the most effective.

This method is best suited for processing jewelry.

To create a gold coating, silver is dipped into an aqueous solution of salts. Then the electric current is applied. In this case, gold acts as the anode and silver as the cathode.

Let's look at an example process of galvanic gold plating.

1. Pour the electrolyte into a small container.
2. Dissolve gold in liquid.
3. Place the silver jewelry in the container and leave for a while. During the process, an electric current must pass through the liquid.
4. Oxides will begin to settle on the product. The layer turns out to be very thin.
5. Take out the decoration and leave until completely dry.
6. Polish or coat with a special protective layer.

The layer turns out to be really very thin, but it is strong and durable. It is worth noting that the gold coating can be made thicker, there are no restrictions. Usually the jeweler discusses this point with the client.

Certain alloys are used for gilding using this method.

1. Pure gold yellow in color. There are no additives in the alloy; 999 purity metal is used.
2. Yellow gold with a small amount of cobalt. The purity is still the same, 999. The additive is needed solely for strength and does not affect the appearance.
3. Red gold, also called Russian. You can also make rosé, Italian. The latter has a little more yellowness. Shades range from coppery red to pale pink.
4. Green gold. An alloy with the addition of silver or nickel is used.
5. White gold. The rhodium plating process is used.

How much does a gram of 925 silver cost?

Silver price
How much does 925 silver cost? The price per gram of 925 silver in Russia for 2022 ranges from 45 to 120 rubles per gram.

The final cost is influenced by many factors: the weight of the product, the manufacturer’s trademark, fineness, the price of metal on international exchanges, the markup for retail sales. It is best to focus on average prices in pawn shops. Expensive silver may simply be the result of disproportionate markups.

Author of the article: Eva Lavrova