Here at Rachel & Victoria, we want to ensure the longevity of your jewelry so you can enjoy it for many years to come, which is why we choose to only use solid gold. We also want to ensure you know your gold before making a purchasing decision. Below is an explanation on what sets these types of gold apart:
1) Gold Plated
When something is gold plated, it means that a base metal such as brass has been quickly dipped in a solid gold “bath”. The gold content is typically less than 1%. While they may possess the same luster and gold appearance in the beginning, this layer is quick to fade when washed, rinsed, or over time… leaving behind dirty looking jewelry. Most fashion jewelry is gold plated, making the cost as low as possible.
2) Gold Vermeil
Gold Vermeil is a common type of gold plating, which uses sterling silver as the base metal. It is more hypoallergenic than normal gold plating, which is why you’ll see it in stores selling fine jewelry. However, over time the plating can start to wear off.
3) Gold Filled
Instead of being dipped in gold, Gold Filled jewelry undergoes a bonding process that melts a thicker layer of gold onto the base metal. By law, gold filled jewelry must contain 5% gold by weight to be categorized as such. Because of this, the inside of a gold filled jewelry piece will still be stamped with a karat number, but note: this is only for the filled coating! This will also inevitably undergo discoloration after time.
4) Solid Gold
When jewelers just use the word “gold”, they are often talking abut solid gold. Solid gold’s name can be misleading… It is not 100% gold element. In the purest form (24k), gold is soft, almost an orange color, and much too weak to work with for jewelry. Because of this, alloys are added to create a stronger, more structurally sound metal that is known as “solid gold”. Not all solid gold has equal proportions of gold. 14k gold has 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts other alloys, whereas 18k gold is 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloys.
“The way Rachel and Victoria took care of me when looking for a special engagement ring that wasn’t something picked off the shelf was amazing. They really know how to translate what’s in your mind into an actual ring that can be put on your finger!”
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