Gold Filled vs Gold Plated: What You're Buying
Gold filled and gold plated both describe a layer of gold over a different metal, but they are not the same product. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission's Jewelry Guides set the terms. Gold filled means a layer of karat gold, mechanically bonded to a base metal, that makes up at least 1/20th of the total weight of the metal in the piece. Gold plated means a much thinner layer, usually applied by electroplating, with a minimum thickness measured in millionths of an inch. The thicker layer is why gold filled generally wears better and costs more, and it is also why neither one is solid gold. This guide covers what the markings mean, how long each lasts, what each is worth, and how to care for them.
The short answer
| Term | What it is | Typical thickness or share | Wears |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid gold | Gold alloy throughout, such as 14K | The whole piece | Lasts indefinitely |
| Gold filled | Karat gold layer mechanically bonded to a base metal | At least 1/20th of the piece's metal weight | Often years with care |
| Vermeil | Gold layer on sterling silver | At least 2.5 microns of fine gold equivalent | Depends on wear |
| Gold plated (electroplate) | Thin gold layer applied electrolytically | At least about 0.175 microns of fine gold equivalent | Shortest wear |
The rest of this guide explains each row, and where the legal definitions come from.
What "gold filled" means
The FTC Jewelry Guides, found in Title 16, Part 23 of the Code of Federal Regulations, describe the conditions for using the term "gold filled." The product must have a layer of gold alloy of not less than 10 karat fineness, affixed on all significant surfaces by soldering, brazing, welding or other mechanical means, and of reasonable durability. When that layer makes up at least 1/20th of the weight of the metal in the whole article, the term "Gold Filled" may be used. The karat of the layer must be stated and shown with equal prominence.
Two points are worth underlining.
First, gold filled is a mechanical process, not a chemical one. Gold is bonded to a base metal using heat and pressure rather than being deposited from a solution. The result is a layer of real gold that is a meaningful share of the piece, not a coating measured in a few millionths of an inch.
Second, the share is a weight fraction. Dealers and makers often describe it as "5 percent gold by weight," which is the same thing as 1/20th. A piece marked 1/20 means the gold layer is one twentieth of the total metal weight.
How gold filled is marked
The Guides give examples of how the layer must be described. The karat designation must come right before the term, and a fraction showing the weight share may precede the karat when the terms "Gold Overlay," "Rolled Gold Plate" or "Rolled Gold Plated" are used. Examples in the regulation include "1/40th 12 Kt. Rolled Gold Plate" and "1/40 12 Kt. R.G.P."
In practice, you will see stamps like these:
- 1/20 14K GF or 14K GF: one twentieth by weight, 14 karat gold layer, gold filled.
- 1/20 12K GF: the same share with a 12 karat layer.
- RGP, R.G.P.: rolled gold plate, a related product that needs only 1/40th.
- GO: gold overlay.
Under the Guides, the terms Gold Overlay, Rolled Gold Plate and Rolled Gold Plated are available when the plating is at least 1/40th of the metal weight and the karat and fraction are disclosed. "Gold Filled" requires the higher 1/20th share. So a piece stamped 1/40 is a rolled gold plate, not gold filled, even though the two names sound alike.
The karat quality marking should also be paired with the name or registered trademark of the maker or seller who stands behind it. The FTC's consumer advice says that if you do not see a trademark next to a quality mark, you should look at another piece. That applies to gold-filled stamps and to karat stamps on solid gold alike.
What "gold plated" means
The Guides treat plating a little differently. A piece may be called "Gold Plate," "Gold Plated," "Gold Electroplate" or "Gold Electroplated" when an electrolytic process has put on all significant surfaces a coating of gold or gold alloy of not less than 10 karat fineness that has reasonable durability and a minimum thickness equivalent to 0.175 microns of fine gold, which is about 7 millionths of an inch. The karat of the plating must precede the term, as in "12 Karat Gold Electroplate" or "12K G.E.P."
The figure of 0.175 microns is about 7 millionths of an inch, a very thin layer. That is the legal minimum for using the term.
The Guides add a second tier. When the electroplating meets the same fineness standard and has a minimum thickness equivalent to 2.5 microns of fine gold, which is about 100 millionths of an inch, it may be called "Heavy Gold Electroplate." That is a more durable plating, though still a plating.
The general rule underneath all of this is the one in the first part of the Guides' gold section: it is deceptive to misrepresent the karat fineness, thickness, weight ratio or method of application of any gold coating. The word "gold" on its own, without a qualifier, is meant to describe something that is fine gold throughout. A product with only a surface layer has to say so.
There is also a rule against a specific trick. If a layer of gold has been covered with a base metal such as nickel, which is then covered with a thin wash of gold, the product may not be called gold plated, gold filled or rolled gold plate unless that construction is disclosed.
What vermeil is
Vermeil is a third category that sellers often mix in. Under the Guides, a product may be called vermeil if it has a base of sterling silver coated or plated on all significant surfaces with gold or a gold alloy of not less than 10 karat fineness, with a minimum thickness equivalent to 2.5 microns of fine gold, and of reasonable durability. The base must be sterling, which means at least 925 parts per thousand silver.
So vermeil is not gold plating on any metal. It is a plating of a thickness set by the rule, on sterling silver. A piece described as vermeil on brass or on a non-sterling base does not meet the definition.
How long each lasts
No one can give a number of years that is true for every piece, because wear depends on the thickness, the base metal and the way you use the jewelry. What can be said with confidence is the order.
Gold plated has the thinnest layer. Friction, moisture, sweat, lotions and chemicals wear it down, and when it is gone the base metal shows through. Rings, bracelets and anything that rubs against skin, clothing or other jewelry wear fastest. Heavy daily wear can wear through a thin plating quickly, while a pendant or earrings that are worn occasionally can look good much longer.
Vermeil sits in between. The layer is thicker than a minimum electroplate, and the sterling silver base is real silver, but it is still a coating and it can wear through at high-contact points.
Gold filled has the thickest layer of the three. Jewelers and makers who sell it commonly say it lasts for years with proper care, and the thicker layer is the reason: there is simply more gold to wear through. It can still wear, particularly on rings, and the base metal underneath is not gold.
The practical test is the one the Guides use. "Reasonable durability" means all areas of the plating are thick enough to give the coverage a reasonable consumer would expect from a surface application. A thin layer on a ring that sits against everything you touch is a different question from a thin layer on an earring.
What each is worth
Solid gold is priced largely on its gold content, which moves with the gold market. Gold filled and plated pieces are priced on workmanship, design and brand, with the gold content a small factor.
- Gold filled can have a meaningful amount of gold in it, but because the gold is a layer on a base metal, the recoverable value is small compared with a solid piece. Do not expect a scrap price based on weight, because most of the piece is not gold.
- Vermeil has a little gold and a silver base. Its value comes from design and condition more than metal.
- Gold plated has essentially no meaningful gold value. Its worth is its design, its brand and its condition.
Where gold filled and plated do have value is as wearable jewelry, and designer or antique pieces can be worth far more than the metal. A vintage gold-filled locket in good shape, or a branded costume piece, can sell for more than its metal ever would, because buyers pay for the design and the maker. That is a very different market from the gold market, and our guide on what determines the value of fine jewelry covers the factors that move price for real fine jewelry, while our guide to where to sell gold jewelry covers what happens when a piece is solid gold and you want it valued as metal.
How to tell what you have
Start with the stamp, since it is the quickest clue.
- Look for karat and fraction marks. A stamp such as 14K, 585 or 750 on its own points to solid gold. Stamps like 1/20 14K GF, RGP, GO, GP, GEP or HGE point to a layered piece.
- Look for the maker's mark. A karat stamp should come with the name or trademark of the company that stands behind it. A mark with no maker is a reason for caution.
- Check wear points. Brassy, gray or coppery color showing at edges, clasps, ring inner surfaces and high points means the layer is wearing through.
- Weigh it against the size. Layered pieces are often lighter than solid gold of the same size, though this alone proves nothing.
- Use a jeweler for a real answer. An acid or electronic test can identify a plated piece, and a jeweler can tell you whether the surface is thick enough to count as filled. Plating can give misleading results on some electronic tests, because the instrument reads the surface. GIA's laboratory has documented gold plating that changed X-ray fluorescence readings of an alloy. For anything of value, ask a jeweler to test an exposed or lightly filed spot.
Our guide to telling if fine jewelry and pearls are real covers verification in more detail, and our guide to how to tell if gold is real covers the individual tests and their limits.
Care
Care depends on how thick the layer is, but the same habits help all three.
- Put jewelry on after makeup, perfume, lotion and sunscreen.
- Take it off for showering, swimming, exercise and cleaning. Chlorine, salt water, sweat and harsh cleaners wear gold layers down.
- Clean with a soft cloth. For gold filled, a mild soap and warm water solution is fine if you dry the piece thoroughly. For plated and vermeil, wipe gently and do not scrub.
- Store pieces separately so they do not scratch each other.
Do not use abrasive polishes on any layered piece, because polishing removes metal and a thin layer has little to lose.
Buying gold-filled and plated jewelry live
When you cannot hold a piece, the useful questions are about markings and wear: what is stamped, where, and what the high-contact points look like. A live stream lets you ask the seller to turn the piece, show the stamp and show the clasp.
GG Luxury Revival, from Long Island, New York, sells luxury items and jewelry on ShopBidz, so a live stream there is a place to see a piece and its marks on camera and to ask about them. Prettypleaseaz, from Gilbert, Arizona, is another seller on ShopBidz you can watch. Ask each seller for a close look at the stamp and at any wear before you bid, and ask whether a piece is solid gold, gold filled, vermeil or plated.
Bottom line
Gold filled is a layer of at least 10 karat gold, mechanically bonded to a base metal, that makes up at least 1/20th of the piece's metal weight. Gold plated is a much thinner coating, with a legal minimum around 0.175 microns of fine gold for electroplate, while vermeil is gold of at least that standard at 2.5 microns on sterling silver. Gold filled usually lasts longest and costs more than plated, but neither is solid gold, and neither is priced like it. Read the stamp, look for the maker's mark, check the wear points, and ask a jeweler to test anything of value.