Gold Plated or Solid Gold?
Categories: Jewellery 10122 Feb 2022
Oh My Giddy Aunt has been online for nearly two decades because we stand behind the quality of our products and keepsakes. Our precious jewellery is hallmarked and all of our Australian made to order jewellery is made in sterling silver or solid 9ct or 18ct gold. While gold is highly desirable, the high price of solid or real gold can be an issue, especially with baby jewellery or occasional (dress) jewellery. In these cases, Gold Plated or Hard Gold Plated jewellery may be an option as it offers a similar look at a fraction of the price. However, gold plate is very different to solid gold and there are some important things to understand before purchasing. Please note, all jewellery on the Oh My Giddy Aunt website is clearly labelled as 9ct or 18ct solid gold or sterling silver. If baby brooches, bangles or bracelets are available with gold plating they will be clearly described as Gold Plated or Hard Gold Plated.
What is Gold Plating?
Gold plating has been a popular option for costume jewellery since the process was first invented in 1805. A base metal of brass, copper or silver is coated with a very thin sheet of liquid gold. Gold plated jewellery is not hallmarked with a gold hallmark as it is not solid gold. It may be marked with a sterling silver mark if the base metal is sterling silver, or if the base metal is copper or brass it may just be marked with GP or HGP.
Gold plated jewellery can also be identified by price and weight as it is much lighter and very affordably priced compared to solid gold. Gold plated jewellery may also appear ‘brighter’ (more yellow or pink) than 9ct or 18ct yellow or rose gold.
Why Buy Gold Plated Jewellery?
Gold plated jewellery has several advantages over solid gold jewellery, most notably affordability, especially when purchasing jewellery for babies or children who may only wear it for a short amount of time, or who may lose or break it. It is much less heart-stopping when a child loses a gold-plated bangle than a solid gold bangle!For a special occasion, a piece of gold plated baby jewellery will look lovely in the photos and will be a keepsake of an important milestone moment.
Why Not To Buy Gold Plated Jewellery?
Unlike solid gold jewellery, gold plated jewellery is created for a limited amount of wear. The plating will rub off and the base metal can tarnish. Plated jewellery also needs to be cleaned and polished with care as too much polishing, or cleaning with 
a product designed for solid gold or silver jewellery can damage the plating.
a product designed for solid gold or silver jewellery can damage the plating. Gold plating is not as durable as 9ct or 18ct solid gold – most gold-plated jewellery only has approx. .05% of its weight in actual gold and plated pieces are prone to scratching and flaking. Many engravers will not engrave gold plated jewellery due to the risk of fine scratches or metal flaking or chipping around the engraving cut – although with wear, gold plated jewellery will pick up more scratches and any tiny scratches will blend over time. Oh My Giddy Aunt has been hand-engraving gold plated jewellery for over a decade, usually with very happy results!
Gold plated jewellery should definitely not be worn in water, while swimming, showering, doing dishes or near chemicals including perfumes, cosmetics 
and hair spray etc as chlorine and chemicals can damage delicate plating. Wearing gold plated jewellery 'all the time' or while playing, crawling or at the beach will also cause the plating to become damaged.
and hair spray etc as chlorine and chemicals can damage delicate plating. Wearing gold plated jewellery 'all the time' or while playing, crawling or at the beach will also cause the plating to become damaged.As plated jewellery has only a fraction of gold in its composition, the value of gold-plated jewellery is low, and the re-sale value is not significant. But as an affordable, pretty or sentimental piece the value may be much higher. Most people don’t buy plated jewellery for resale purposes, but as jewellery to wear until it wears out or breaks. Most jewellers or metal scrap dealers will not fix plated jewellery or extract gold as there is only a low amount of gold and the process is not worth the work involved.
Caring for Gold Plated Jewellery
As with all jewellery, the durability and longevity of gold-plated jewellery will depend on the amount and type of wear and tear it is exposed to and the care given. If kept in an airtight bag away from light or moisture and worn with care, gold plated jewellery can last for many years. But most gold-plated jewellery is bought for a good time rather than a long time and so wearing and enjoying it while it lasts also makes sense. These tips for gold plated jewellery will help it last longer.
- Remove gold plated jewellery when around water, washing dishes, laundry, bathing, swimming or applying creams, sun creams or makeup. Gold plated jewellery can flake or wear off if exposed to many chemicals in our modern world.
Plated jewellery needs to be CLEANED WITH CARE. Vigorous or strong cleaning or cleaning with a product designed for real gold or silver can rub away the plating. It is best to use a very soft cloth and a little mild, soapy water if you have to clean a gold-plated piece. - Gold plated jewellery should not be worn with other pieces that may rub together and wear off the gold plating.
- Crawling toddlers and small children’s busy hands can also pose a risk to plated jewellery especially with little bracelets that may get caught between a hand and the floor they are crawling on, or if jewellery is worn in a sandpit, at the beach or somewhere else that may create rubbing and friction against the jewellery. In the photo above, damage has been done to the plating and the enamel on the bluebird, revealing the base metal, sterling silver.
Gold plated jewellery should be treated as costume or dress jewellery and while it is a lot more affordable than the real thing it can also scratch and damage easily. However, if you know what to expect from a gold-plated piece of jewellery you should be able to wear your gold plated piece with joy!
