Gilded silver: reviews, principle of application, durability of gilding, care features, recommendations and reviews from jewelers

An excellent way to pamper yourself with jewelry with your favorite gold glitter at an affordable price is to purchase gold-plated silver. Reviews about such products are mostly positive. With proper care, such items last for quite a long time and do not lose their shine. Today we have learned very well how to use gold to decorate other metals. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with the features of gilding and its care. Also, for comparison, it is worth considering reviews of gilded silver “Sokolov”, “Sunlight”, “Krasnaya Presnya”.

What is gold plated silver?

Gilding is the application of a thin layer of 999-carat metal. The thickness of this coating is only 5-10 microns. Sometimes a layer is made between silver and gold, for example, from platinum.

A protective coating is applied over the gold, which makes the product more wear-resistant. 925 sterling silver is often used as the basis for jewelry. Reviews of gold-plated jewelry indicate that at first glance it really resembles gold. It's worth paying attention to because it's much cheaper.

Sometimes, to make gilded items more shiny, they are polished using a special agate stone. Not only jewelry, but also cutlery is made from gilded silver. Such table sets are much lighter than regular ones, so they are convenient to use. Gilded silver does not corrode.

Gilding technology

Gilded silver is achieved by coating items with a thin layer of 2 to 15 microns of gold . The quality, strength and durability of the product depend on the density of the coating. Most often, high-carat gold is used - 750 or 999 - to avoid corrosion, which silver is prone to.

925 is most often used . It is almost impossible to visually distinguish the jewelry from real gold ones. With proper storage and use, gilding remains in its original condition for a long time. They are endowed with the same shine and durability as the real thing. But in some cases, the use of such items is much more rational. Unfortunately, jewelry that is in constant contact with the body falls into poor condition earlier than those that do not have contact.

In order to make a conclusion whether or not to purchase things with gold plated, it is necessary to consider all the possible positive and negative qualities of work using such technology.

Advantages of gilding and methods of applying it

Reviews of gilded silver prove that it retains its original appearance for a long time. International, European and Russian state standards have established 4N color for gold plating. It is worth listing the main advantages of gold plating:

1. Absolutely safe for health.
2. It has an attractive appearance, similar to gold.
3. It is little exposed to external aggressive influences: it does not oxidize, does not corrode.
4. It has a democratic value, much cheaper than gold.

Gilding has been practiced since ancient times. Back then, church domes, cutlery, jewelry and dishes were decorated with precious metal. It was at that time that hot and cold gilding was invented. The cold method involves stamping or gluing thin layers of gold leaf onto silver.

Hot gilding requires fire. Only such gilding turned out to be dangerous because mercury was used for it. Soon they abandoned it so as not to be poisoned by dangerous mercury vapors.

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).

Types of electroplated gold plating

Today, the main methods of gilding are gilding with sodium, ether solution, and contact with zinc. But the most effective is the galvanic method. It is most suitable for decorating jewelry. To apply gold particles to the surface of silver, it is dipped into an aqueous solution of salts and subjected to electric current. The product to be coated is the cathode, and the anode is gold particles.

If silver jewelry is subject to chemical changes (oxidized), then gold-plated products are protected from them. The gilding process is something like this:

1. Electrolyte is poured into small containers.
2. Gold is dissolved in it.
3. The jewelry is immersed in this solution and left for some time.
4. Oxides begin to settle in a thin layer on the products.
5. Take out the jewelry, wait for it to dry, polish it or cover it with a protective layer.

In industry, electroplating is used to produce a product with a layer of gold. The gold plating can be pink, imitating 585-carat metal. Such products are almost impossible to distinguish from gold ones. There is also a yellow galvanized coating. It contains not only gold, but also nickel. This yellow color resembles pure gold.

Why does the gold plating wear off?

The film that covers silver is thin, it can be damaged under unfavorable factors:

1. Contact with water.
2. Contact with aggressive substances.
3. Improper care of the product.
4. Friction on the surface of the human body.

Silver ring with gold plated

When worn every day, it is worth taking care of the jewelry so that it does not quickly lose its color and shine.

Excessive humidity promotes the oxidation of silver, since this metal is afraid of moisture. High-quality silver is inert, but the alloy is prepared not only from this component; copper and nickel are also used, which are used to dilute the silver. If the alloy contains too much copper or other metals, the jewelry will turn yellow, blacken and become coated.

Aggressive substances or reagents that accelerate the oxidation process are cleaning products, laundry products, and even some cosmetics. Therefore, before dressing for the evening, you should take off your jewelry and put it in a box.

The gilding layer can also wear off due to increased friction, so jewelry should be removed before playing sports.

How is gold plated silver used?

Gold plating is used not only in jewelry. Reviews of gold-plated silver confirm that it can be used in the following cases:

1. Making souvenirs: figurines, boxes, key rings, photo frames.
2. As cutlery: sets, spoons, forks.
3. For creating various silver accessories: cufflinks, buttons, brooches.
4. For the production of unusual, gold-plated equipment: iPhone or MP3 players.

Reviews of gold-plated silver prove that not only people with low earnings buy it. Even some millionaires do not refuse to purchase such items, because it is visually very difficult to distinguish them from gold ones.

Peculiarities

In fact, this jewelry procedure is not fundamentally different from other types of soldering. It is based on a similar principle - connecting metal parts by wetting with molten solder - a special auxiliary material. With such soldering of silver, gold and other precious metals, the main parts of the product are not deformed, since the melting temperature of the auxiliary alloys is always lower than the one at which the metal being joined can melt. The main features that distinguish jewelry soldering from techniques used for technical and household purposes are:

• The highest aesthetics of solder joints, which is (along with strength) one of the main goals of this work.
• Performing manipulations with very thin parts, work with which requires the use of special tools and devices.
• Working with materials that include precious metals: platinum, silver and gold.

Choosing the right gold plated jewelry

So, what do you need to know about choosing gold plated products? The material that is sprayed is of primary importance in this matter. It is important that it is 925 silver. This fact speaks volumes about the value of the product. Sometimes spraying can be applied to aluminum, copper, and tin. Such works are valued even cheaper than silver ones.

How can you determine what kind of jewelry you have in front of you: made of gilded silver or another metal? First, examine the product from all sides, find the brand and markings. To do this, familiarize yourself with silver hallmarks and hallmark standards in advance. In the Russian Federation, the following standards are established for silver: 999, 960, 925, 875, 830, 800. Most often, 925 silver is used for gilding. Since Soviet times, a mark in the form of a barrel has been used on silver jewelry.

Silver color rhodium plating method

The galvanic method is used in the manufacture and restoration of exclusive jewelry; in some cases, rhodium plating with a thickness of 0.1-25 microns is applied to individual elements of earrings, bracelets and chains made of 925 .

Rhodium is a precious metal with properties similar to platinum; a layer several microns thick protects the silver alloy from external factors and mechanical damage. Rings, bracelets, and chains made of rhodium-plated precious metal are characterized by a bright steel luster.

What do you need to know about foreign gilding?

Imported gold-plated products have slightly different markings. The most common sample designations are:

• KGP – gold plating from 12 to 24 carats.
• HGE is an electroplated finish measured in carats.
• Goldmult is a German coating that indicates not only the markings, but also the thickness of the gold layer.

This knowledge will help you decide on the choice of imported gold-plated silver.

What determines the quality and service life of gold coating?

In our country, when plating products with gold, high-grade metal is always used, above 750 fineness, but most often - 999. It is somewhat less common to find plating with gold of 14 carats, or 585 fineness. Abroad, both 12-carat gold and lower, 8-9 carats, are used for this purpose. This factor has a significant impact on the strength of the coating and service life. In addition, depending on the sample, the coating may have different colors.

Gold Plated Silver Stud Earrings

Experts believe that the main condition for high-quality gilding is that the silver on which the coating is applied must have a purity of at least 925, and the applied gold must be at least 42%. The thickness of the applied gold should be more than 2.5 microns, and the fineness should be 999. Under such conditions, the gold plating will last a long time and reliably.

Cleaning and care rules

There is an established opinion that gilding is short-lived. But proper care and careful use will help you wear gold-plated silver for a long time.

Store gold-plated items in a box. Before water procedures, washing dishes, or playing sports, do not forget to take them off. To give these items a shine, wipe them with a piece of suede. You can clean the coating using a cotton pad soaked in alcohol. Gilding is not afraid of this at all.

A solution prepared from a few drops of ammonia, dishwashing detergent (1 tsp) and 1 liter of water will help improve the appearance of products. Soak the jewelry in this solution for half an hour, then rinse with water and wipe with a soft cloth.

Of course, the best way to clean gold-plated items is to have them professionally cleaned by a jewelry workshop. Don’t be too lazy to give your ring or earrings to an experienced craftsman once a year.

Removing gold plating

The easiest way to solve this problem is to take the product to a workshop. But you don’t always want to spend time on this, and then the question arises whether it can be done on your own. For this procedure, two methods can be used: mechanical and electrochemical. Before choosing the appropriate technology, familiarize yourself with all the pros and cons of this method.

Removing gold plating using a chemical method involves using aqua regia. The main objective of this method is to avoid damage to the base metal, that is, silver, while removing the top layer.

This is done as follows. First, all parts where silver is visible are coated with a protective coating. Next, the product is sent to a porcelain cup with aqua regia and heated. The gilding is slowly starting to come off. Once dark spots of silver chloride begin to appear, you need to remove the jewelry from the solution. Then you need to wash it with ammonia and remove the remaining gold plating with a brush.

Silver product before and after gilding

Removing gold plating using the electrochemical method involves using an electrolytic bath and a copper plate. The electrolyte, which in this case serves as the anode, is a 7% solution of potassium cyanide in distilled water. The copper plate is used as the cathode. After treatment, the product is removed from the bath and washed with a stream of water. Remains of gilding are also removed with a brush.

In both the first and second methods, not all of the coating is removed. Removing gold plating at home is completely possible if you purchase: a power supply with adjustable voltage and polarity, battery electrolyte, distilled water and thiourea. Prepare an electrolyte and a glass jar, where you place the anode with decoration and a steel cathode. Apply 3.5 volts to them. Do not open the can during the reaction as hydrogen sulfide will be released.

Silver with gold plated “Sokolov”

The Sokolov jewelry brand offers a large selection of products. Reviews of this company's gilded silver are very good. Many people are pleased with the affordable prices of the products. Jewelry with various stones looks especially beautiful. Reviews of gilded silver “Sokolov” indicate that it shines very beautifully for a long period. The new products are not at all different from gold ones. Some consumers even buy gold-plated engagement rings from this company. The beautiful ring in the shape of a crown received the most positive reviews. Such models are very popular today.

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:

Reviews of gold-plated 925 silver “Sunlight”

Recently, consumers are increasingly choosing silver. Therefore, reviews about gilded silver: whether this coating is erased or not is interesting to know for many.

An excellent company producing coated silver is Sunlight. Earrings are considered the most durable to wear. Many customers wear them without taking them off for several months. Then you just need to wipe them with alcohol and they will shine like new again.

Reviews of Sunlight gold-plated silver indicate that the company constantly holds various promotions with gifts and sends SMS messages to customers with offers. Everyone is pleased to receive a small bonus. Sometimes there are discounts on jewelry up to 50%. The company offers both the simplest models of gold-plated jewelry and more luxurious options.

Equipment

The technology of soldering precious metals requires the use of high temperatures, which cannot be achieved and maintained with an electric soldering iron. Therefore, the parts are heated and the solder is melted using gas-plasma burners. In some cases, gasoline engines can also be used, but such equipment requires the purchase of compressor or pumping equipment necessary for preparing the air-gasoline mixture. Equipment for jewelry soldering is equipped with gas burners with a flame intensity regulator. Typically, two different types of burners are used. The more powerful one is used to melt metal in a crucible, and the other, with a thin torch, is used for soldering and heating the smallest parts of the product.

Reviews of gilded silver “Krasnaya Presnya”

No matter how sad it may sound, sooner or later any product with gilding will lose its attractiveness. Under the influence of various factors, the gold layer is erased. But before this happens, you will be able to show off chic things that look like real gold for a long time.

Offers many gold-plated products. Often such jewelry is bought by girls who are going on a trip. The gilding from Krasnaya Presnya is of very high quality. These products with a golden coating will not cause any harm to the body; they will not cause your earlobes to swell. In general, we can conclude that gold-plated jewelry from Krasnaya Presnya looks very decent.

Methods for gentle cleaning

Traditional gold purification methods are not applicable to sputtering. It is definitely not recommended to use soap, soda, or salt, since these substances help erase the golden layer.

Cleaning a gold-plated silver chain

Polishing with suede

Suede is ideal for polishing jewelry. You can polish the surface either after cleaning or instead of it.

Polishing movements should be smooth, do not press hard on the surface.

The method is not suitable for severe contamination.

Soaking in vinegar solution

First, you need to dilute the vinegar with running water. The product to be cleaned is immersed in this solution for half an hour, then washed and wiped dry.

Vinegar can be used as a regular cleaning product. Just wet a cotton swab with it and rub the jewelry.

Cleaning with alcohol

Alcohol is used for quick routine cleaning. You will need to wet a napkin with alcohol and wipe the product completely with smooth movements.

Professional jeweler service. average cost

A jeweler will charge about 200 rubles for such work. Many shops offer free cleaning when you repair your jewelry.

It is definitely worth turning to professionals if the product is encrusted with precious stones or has a complex shape.

Jeweler service

Table: gilding service in your city

You can get acquainted with the approximate prices for gilding services in large and small cities using the table below. Usually the minimum order value is 1200 rubles. The procedure itself rarely lasts longer than an hour.

Hazardous cleaning products: use with caution

Soda solution

Dissolve 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 liter of hot water and soak the product in it until the water cools. After soaking, all that remains is to rinse it and wipe it with a cloth.

Attention! Do not rub gold-plated silver with soda solution or powder! Baking soda is an abrasive agent and can scratch the coating or completely erase it. After soaking, wipe the product dry with a cloth.

Potato

Raw potatoes will also help the gold-plated silver to get rid of dirt without damaging it. To do this, the product is rubbed with a raw potato tuber, rinsed with water and wiped with a soft cloth. Or you can soak the decoration for several hours in a container with water and raw potatoes, and then wipe with a cloth.

Important! You need to clean jewelry with stones very carefully. Leaving the stone in the cleaning solution for a long time may cause damage to the stone mount. Chains made of precious metals may have a clasp made of ordinary metal, which is also important to consider when cleaning them. Therefore, such products are not placed in the solution for a long time, but are simply wiped with it.