18k Gold Plated Jewelry

More and more people are starting to see the value of accessorizing. Thus, there has been a rise in the demand for fashionable and affordable jewelry that can be used as everyday accessories. More often than not, gold pieces of jewelry tend to be a little costly for average and minimum wage workers, and despite the desire to purchase a piece of gold jewelry, they are above people's pay grade. Fortunately, 18K gold-plated jewelry became popular as it is a less expensive choice for people to buy or purchase jewelry.

What is the difference between 18K gold jewelry and 18K gold-plated jewelry?

18K gold jewelry is made with a mixture of pure gold and other metal alloys. The name 18K was given to this certain mixture because it contains 18 parts of pure gold which is around 75% of the mixture. What is gold-plated jewelry, then? 18K gold-plated jewelry is a piece of jewelry made with an outer layer of 18 karats of pure and solid gold. This solid gold is applied over a base metal like silver or brass using a certain process. In layman's terms, it is silver or brass coated with a layer of 18K gold. As a result, one will have a piece of jewelry that looks and feel like gold. The only difference is that gold-plated pieces of jewelry are more affordable than pure gold ones.

What are the advantages of buying 18K gold-plated jewelry?

One may opt to buy 18K gold-plated jewelry not as an investment but as fashion jewelry. However, 18k gold-plated pieces of jewelry have several advantages. One of which is that it is non-tarnishing. Gold-plated pieces of jewelry have a longer lifespan compared to ordinary fashion pieces of jewelry as it has a thicker layer of gold plating, and in case the color fades, one can easily have it replated to make it look new again. Another advantage of buying gold-plated pieces of jewelry is that it is more affordable compared to gold ones without compromising the look and the feel. Because gold-plated pieces of jewelry are primarily made of alloy, which means they will not easily chip or discolor when exposed to heat and water.