What is Gold Filled?
Gold Filled is a layered, alternative choice to buying sold gold. A thick, solid layer of 14k gold is pressure bonded to a core made of sterling silver or high quality jeweler’s brass, making it very durable and an affordable option to solid gold. Unlike Gold Plated, which is less than a 0.05% outer layer of gold, Gold Filled makes up 5% of the outer layer of your jewelry. It looks and wears like gold because it is. GF doesn’t de-laminate, peel or fade like Gold Plated does. With proper care, the life of your GF jewelry can last many years. The longevity of your GF jewelry depends in the care and cleaning of it. Today, they are still finding pieces from the Victorian Era that are more than 100 years old.
As with my other pieces of jewelry, the care that you put into it is up to you to keep your jewelry in it’s best condition. Some quick tips for caring for your GF jewelry:
While showering with your jewelry on could help clean it, some shampoos and body soaps have harsh chemicals that have the potential of negatively impacting the look of your jewelry. To keep this from happening, I recommend removing the jewelry prior to showering, swimming, doing dishes, cleaning, etc.
Take your jewelry off before going to bed. While the jewelry itself is durable and sleeping with it won’t damage it, any jewelry with stones, you can risk snagging on your bed sheets or night clothes. Better to be safe than sorry and remove the jewelry before bedtime.
GF doesn’t tarnish as readily as silver does, but because gold is mixed with alloys for strength and durability, it does tarnish over time. A lot of people find that they never have to clean Gold-Filled jewelry at all. However, from time to time your jewelry may become dirty from everyday wear. The best way you can care for your GF jewelry is to gently clean it with warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth or soft toothbrush for getting into the nooks and crannies. Wipe clean with a microfiber towel and only polish when it really needs it.
