Jewelry and products made from precious metals have always been an indicator of luxury. Since ancient times, they have been used to add exclusivity to a home and as gifts that show a level of respect and seriousness. Spoons for the birth of a child are in great demand, as a symbol of a happy, satisfying life; figurines covered with gold will always be the center of attention. The value of gifts has been preserved to the present day. But due to the high price, it is not always possible to buy gold products. That is why the technology of plating cheaper silver items with gold was developed. This is an excellent alternative to expensive precious metal, with no obvious differences in appearance, at a more convenient price.
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.
Silver jewelry with gilding: advantages and care rules
Gold jewelry is always in demand, regardless of fashion, season and age. Many people associate the warm shade of gold with luxury and status, while silver is more affordable in both price and style. But here’s the paradox: the jewelry alternative in the form of silver jewelry with gold plating often raises questions and doubts. “Will silver earrings with gold plated wear well?”, “How long will gold-plated rings retain their original coating?”
or
“Which metal should I select a chain from to match the color of the gold-plated pendant?”
- often it is these nuances that make us refuse a profitable purchase.
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Meanwhile, gilding has been used by people for thousands of years! The oldest gilded items are between 2 and 5 thousand years
. This technique was used in Ancient Egypt and Ancient China to emphasize the special origin and high status of the ruler. And now, thanks to the light hand of jewelers, gold-plated jewelry has become available to everyone.
- How silver jewelry becomes gold plated
The essence of gilding is to apply a thin layer of high-grade gold to a product made of another material. , 925 sterling silver jewelry is used as a basis.
, which are coated with a thin layer of
999 karat palladium
(a noble platinum group metal) to protect against corrosion and oxidation, and a layer of
999 karat gold
up to 5 microns thick is applied on top. Since pure gold is an extremely soft metal, some manufacturers use an additional colorless protective coating, which extends the life of gold-plated jewelry.
Silver ring with gold plating and cubic zirconia (art. 01-0382/PZKTs-00): go to the catalog Silver earrings with gold plating and cubic zirconia (art. 02-0879/PZKTs-00): go to the catalog
Modern gilding methods are absolutely harmless and safe and allow the application of gold sputtering of different thicknesses in a uniform layer due to the molecular soldering of metals under the influence of an electric current.
- Advantages of gold-plated jewelry
Now, gold-plated jewelry is experiencing a new surge in popularity: against the backdrop of a rapid rise in gold prices in 2022, gold-plated silver jewelry has become an inexpensive alternative for those who prefer jewelry in a warm gold tone, but do not want to wear simple jewelry.
What are the characteristics of gilding that are so practical and attractive?
Silver brooch-pin with gilding and enamel (art. 3622027015-1):
go to catalog
Silver stud earrings with gilding and cubic zirconia (art. 02-0380/PZKTS-00) :
go to catalog
1.
Price.
Considering that the main weight of the product is silver, the final cost of gold-plated jewelry is commensurate with the very affordable prices for conventional silver jewelry.
2.
Appearance.
It is difficult to visually distinguish gold-plated jewelry from gold jewelry, because... The top layer of such jewelry is pure gold with a corresponding bright golden glossy sheen and a yellowish undertone.
3.
Hypoallergenic.
999 gold (like pure silver, platinum and palladium) is an inert metal that does not oxidize and does not cause allergic reactions (unlike 375 gold alloy, for example). This property makes gold-plated jewelry indispensable for children and allergy sufferers.
4.
The ability to change often and adapt to the occasion.
Over time, any gilding sooner or later fades and wears off in places - and, oddly enough, this is a big plus for those who quickly get bored with the same jewelry. The affordable price of gold-plated products allows you to update them every few years or purchase them for a specific outfit or event.
- What to look for when buying gold-plated jewelry
Despite the fact that the top coating wears out over the years, the speed of this process directly depends on careful handling. Gold-plated jewelry is an ideal option for occasional wear: if you wear earrings and rings from time to time, and in between carefully store them in a separate box or case, the gold plating will retain its original appearance for many years, or even decades.
A special cloth for cleaning and polishing jewelry (ask in
SLAVIA stores )
If you choose gold-plated jewelry for every day, remember these simple rules of care:
- Gilding is afraid of water, especially salty and chlorinated water
: do not forget to remove jewelry before going to the shower, sauna, swimming pool, before washing your hands and swimming in the sea. - The thin coating does not allow active cleaning
, so do not “run” the products, wipe them with a soft, lint-free cloth or a special polishing cloth after each wear, protect them from exposure to household chemicals, cosmetics and perfumes, try not to wear them close to the body in the heat. - The coating inevitably becomes thinner from mechanical contact
with skin, clothing, surrounding objects and with each other: do not wear gold-plated rings on adjacent fingers, do not perform rough work on jewelry, remove jewelry before playing sports. - When cleaning gilding, only gentle methods are allowed
: aggressive chemicals, abrasives and an ultrasonic bath are prohibited. You can clean gold-plated jewelry only with water, diluted alcohol or vinegar.
With timely care and careful wear, gold plating lasts from 2 to 5 years. But this is no reason to worry: even if the gilding fades or wears off over time, you will still have jewelry made of 925 sterling silver. The remains of gilding can be removed in a jewelry workshop and give your favorite items a new life in a different color.
You can view the entire range of gold-plated jewelry and choose a ring, earrings, pendant or brooch with gold in the SLAVIA jewelry catalog
Pros of purchasing
- The main advantage of using gilding in jewelry is its accessibility . The price of such jewelry is much lower than pure gold. At the same time, it is almost impossible to find a visual difference, but they look much more attractive than ordinary silver.
- The opportunity to experiment with complex jewelry at an affordable price . You can order a unique item made of gilded silver, using complex designs or engravings, at an affordable price, without extra costs.
- When purchasing cutlery and crockery, preference should be given to silver. Due to its composition, it is much lighter than gold. The same goes for massive jewelry. Thus, a necklace set with large stones or earrings framed in gold cannot be worn for a long time due to the weight of the metal.
- Products can be easily re-coated . That is, if it was noticed that the gold-plated layer had holes, succumbed to corrosion, or began to look less neat than before, jewelers will be able to update it in a short period of time. Restoration is not cheap, but it will cost less than a new product.
- The color of the coating can be changed . For example, if the product originally had yellow gold plating, you can change it to white when updating. You can also compact it by applying a thicker layer of coating.
- With careful storage and exclusion of products from long-term contact with water and aggressive chemicals, they can last a long time , while maintaining their original appearance.
- Indispensable for watch mechanisms and large electronic equipment . By achieving an increase in the thermal conductivity and strength of the metal.
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.
Minuses
- Constant control in the sock . Jewelry made of gilded silver must be protected from constant contact with the body and water. This means that you cannot wear them while sleeping, playing sports, going to the pool, swimming in the sea, or spending a long time in the sun. Sweat, salt and bleach act as reagents that destroy the applied layer. After the first contact with them, the thing will become unusable.
- Super shine . The high-grade gold used has a distinctive luster that cannot be found in real gold items. Because of this, it shows that the product is fake.
- Corrosion . The green or black marks that silver leaves on the body during oxidation are difficult to avoid, even if it is gold-plated. Unfortunately, this layer is too thin to avoid the problem, and the palm side of the fingers will start to show streaks after a few days of wear.
- Gilded utensils require constant labor-intensive care after each use. It cannot be washed in the dishwasher or used with chemicals or soaps. And each time prepare a special solution that needs to be used to treat objects.
- It's easy to buy a fake . It is easy for the average person to confuse high-grade gilding from low-grade gilding, which determines the price. That is why, after purchasing, before the first contact, you need to contact a jeweler who will clarify the quality of the product.
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).
How to identify gold-plated silver
The average buyer is embarrassed when he realizes that he is unable to distinguish gold jewelry from gold-plated silver. It's actually much simpler than it seems. Silver jewelry will always have a silver stamp , even if it has some kind of coating.
The hallmark of gilded silver corresponds to ordinary silver. Most often these are 925 and 875 samples. Lower grades of silver are used extremely rarely today.
Therefore, in order to distinguish gilded silver from gold , it is enough to look at the sample through a tenfold magnifying glass.
- 925 or 875 standard is gold-plated silver
- 585, 375 or 750 standard is gold
If you come across scammers, of course, you won’t be able to easily determine the metal from which the jewelry is made. But large jewelry stores do not engage in such primitive deception. They make great money without it.
Silver and other metals
To make an imitation of silver, but save on production, scammers use other metals and alloys.
There are several types of metals that visually resemble silver. And with proper processing, it is completely impossible to distinguish.
To avoid becoming a victim of scammers by buying a piece of cheap metal instead of noble silver, remember the important differences.
- Aluminum
. The products are lightweight compared to silver counterparts. The color is more matte. Plus the manufacturing quality of the elements is low. Stones can be glued with glue; - Tin
. Visually it is difficult to find the differences. The main difference that can be seen with the eye is the uniform color of the pewter objects. They are uniform, have no spots or shades. Silver is not as uniform. The tests presented above are suitable for identifying tin; - Stainless steel and iron
. One of the simplest situations. It is enough to bring the magnet to the product. Silver will never stick to magnets. Even the most powerful; - Palladium
. At home, it is difficult to understand the difference. At high temperatures, silver melts easily, but palladium does not. Or use nitric acid. Palladium will turn red and silver will turn black; - Cupronickel
. Was incredibly popular about 50 years ago. Most cutlery was made from it. This is an alloy that includes nickel, copper, manganese and iron. Cupronickel turned out to be strong, wear-resistant, and also not inferior to silver in ductility. Visually it is impossible to tell the difference. Try running a sewing needle over the product. If a dark trace remains, then it is cupronickel. Or apply nitric acid. Silver always darkens, and cupronickel always turns green.
This knowledge will help you in situations where you need to determine the true quality of a product.
