9 Interesting Facts About Gold-filled Jewelry

For many jewelry makers, gold-filled is something new and something left to be discovered. There may be many questions surrounding this metal, and this is why we have put together a list of answers to the questions you may have about this solid gold alternative. Here are 9 Interesting Facts About Gold-filled Jewelry.

9 Great Lessons You Can Learn From Gold-filled Jewelry

1. What is gold-filled?

Gold-filled is also known as rolled gold or gold bonded and is created by mechanically bonding a layer of gold to a layer of base metal.

Gold-filled has a distinct layer of gold, and the core is usually brass. The gold is then bonded to the surface of that brass using heat and pressure. This is a permanent bond, and the gold won’t flake, peel or fall off.

By law, the total weight of a gold-filled item must contain 5% (or 1/20) of gold. If it contains less than 5%, it cannot legally be called gold-filled. For comparison, the total amount of gold a gold-plated item usually has is under 0—05% of the product’s overall weight.

There are three different possible ways to layer the gold alloy:

Single clad – Gold is layered only on one side of the brass; the whole 5% is on one side.
Double clad – Splits the gold alloy and layers it on both sides of the brass, 2. 5% each side, meaning a thinner layer.
Wire clad – the 5% gold alloy content is layered around the entire wire

2. Why choose gold-filled?

Gold-filled items are perfect if you’re looking for higher quality material than gold-plated but an affordable alternative to solid gold.

Unlike gold-plated, gold-filled can last a lifetime if taken care of and isn’t impacted by water or hot weather. It is also tarnish-free under normal conditions.

Gold-filled findings are perfect for riveting, stamping, and light metalwork, such as texturing with a hammer.

3. How do I solder Gold-filled material?

Since solder itself is an alloy of metals, there is no such thing as a gold-filled solder, so a color match needs to be done. We recommend either 9ct or 14ct yellow gold easy solder as good color matches.

Use extra care when soldering gold-filled material, as overheating the metal can cause irreversible damage and creates ‘restain,’ a form of subsurface rescale that can run through the entire thickness of the gold layer.

When soldering gold-filled products with a flashlight, one more potential issue is alloying the gold layer with the brass primary. This leaves a dark, discolored solder join, and any exposed brass would tarnish quickly. To avoid this, heat your piece just for solder flow between 690-788°c. Avoid overheating to the melting factors of the 14ct gold layer at 843°c and the brass core at roughly 900°c.

When the colors do not match or maybe the metal has been uncovered, you can fix this by gold-plating the complete piece. This will place a layer of precious metal across the complete surface, making a uniform color and protecting the exposed brass from tarnishing. Plating to finish an item is generally recommended on soldered gold-filled items.

4. Can you reduce Gold-filled?

If your design requires slicing gold-filled material, be very careful never to scratch or harm the gold level. If exposing the brass core, you must cover it to prevent tarnishing.

Gold-plating is a simple way to hide exposed edges. Furthermore, please note that removing the precious metal alloy layer on the surface changes the ratio of the gold to the brass primary. By regulation, the gold cannot drop below 5% of the total weight of the piece.

5. How do I store my Gold-filled items?

Whenever storing gold-filled parts, it is suggested to use tissues paper between each piece to protect against scratches. Scrapes change to remove without exposing the brass.

Also, consider covering your job surface with a clean cloth while working with gold-filled materials to protect against damage from your bench pin or any hard sides. As tarnishing elements act very gradually in the lack of moisture, gold-filled items should always be stored in a dry place.

6. How do I actually expending polish my Gold-filled items?

Cleansing your gold-filled items is incredibly simple, but make sure you do not use anything that will scratch the surface. Here are four ways you can clean gold-filled items:

• Mild soapy water/mild detergent & a soft toothbrush – this will effectively remove remains or fingerprints and still leave a bright and sparkly finish.
• Soft 100 % cotton cloth – any clean, soft 100 % cotton cloth is ideal for polishing your item to a sparkly finish. Additionally, there are jewelry polishing cloths specialized for exactly this, such as Towntalk microfibre cloths. However, some may contain chemicals that are not recommended on gold-filled items, so ensure that they are suitable. Do not leave chemicals on your gold-filled item. Rinse and polish again with a soft cloth.
• Ultrasonic machine – quickly and effectively cleans items. Don’t leave the pieces in for too long (check every 2-3 minutes), and always ensure your cleaning solution is safe to use with gold-filled. Rinse with water and dry with a soft cloth when you are finished.
• Tumbler Machine – tumble finishing may also be done to polish your gold-filled items. We recommend using stainless steel shot, as it’s non-abrasive and will not remove the gold layer.

7. What’s the difference between gold-plated and gold-filled?

So, what’s the difference between gold-plated and gold-filled? We can help with that. Here are several differentiating factors between the two:

Gold value – Gold-finished jewelry has no gold value, while gold-filled jewelry has 5% precious metal value.

The manufacturing process – This really is much more complex with gold-filled jewelry, where the blend is bonded to the inner primary using heat and pressure.

Tarnish – Gold plated jewelry is more likely to tarnish, react with the wearer’s epidermis and lose the shine before precious metal-filled jewelry.

8. Just how long does gold stuffed jewelry last?

Searching for jewelry supplies that will last? You are in luck. When you opt for gold-filled jewelry instead of gold-plated, it should last someplace between 10 to 30 years. What is more, it costs a fraction of the price of high carat precious metal pieces. It’s a win-win!

9. Does precious metal-filled jewelry defile?

But does precious metal-filled jewelry defile? Generally, gold stuffed jewelry will not tarnish. Nevertheless, there are a few certain circumstances where it could happen. These rare situations include transit through polluted locations, contact with chemical sulfide smells, and fire damage.

Key factors to keep in mind:

Don’t

• File or cut into a gold-filled product, as it will uncover the brass under layer.
• Overshine as this will reduce the thickness of the gold coating.
• Wear alongside harder, more abrasive metals (such as steel) for prolonged periods as this will wear away the gold layer.
• Apply perfumes or hairspray onto your gold-filled jewelry, as this will boost the risk of tarnishing.
• Attempt to cast using gold-filled metal.

Do

• Solder using 9ct or 14ct easy solder.
• Polish softly to help keep up with the gold layer.
• Blend with similar, much softer metal components (e. g. silver) to minimize wear.
• Offer gold-filled options to customers to maximize look but lower the cost.
• Discuss the gold content of the metal with customers because not all gold-filled products are created the same, and not everyone will be prepared to disclose this information.

P.S. Royi Sal Jewelry, as a decades-long leader in silver jewelry design and manufacturing, invites you to download our latest magazine here and profit from the exceptional or best-seller jewelry designs at affordable prices for 2019 you will find in the magazine. Click here to download it now.