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education

Solid Gold vs. Gold Plated, Vermeil, Filled

Kinn's commitment to quality means we only use 14k solid gold, ensuring excellence at an attainable price point. Let us guide you through the differences in gold jewelry, from plated to solid.

Collections In The Story

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Yellow Gold Jewelry

APRIL 16, 2019

We believe jewelry should embody a woman's many moments lived -- then, now, always. Above all else, we believe in designing signature pieces that lasts a lifetime at an attainable price. 

To us, our materials matter. We only use 14k solid gold to maintain a high standard of quality while keeping the price point attainable. What's difference you ask? 

We'll walk you through from the least expensive to the most expensive here. 

 

GOLD PLATED

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Gold plated pieces are created by bonding an extremely thin layer of gold over a more budget-friendly base materials such as copper or brass. Gold content is usually less than 1%. Unfortunately, the thin gold layer will wear off quickly with time, and sometimes turn your skin green with the copper or brass base metal. This is a budget-friendly option, but definitely won't last long. 

GOLD VERMEIL

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Similar to gold plating, Gold Vermeil is when sterling silver is plated with a thin layer of gold. Usually marked as 925 for silver, and the gold is coated with a thickness of 2.5 microns. As sterling silver is a less expensive metal in comparison to solid gold, you'll often find Gold Vermeil to be more of a budget-friendly option. Unfortunately after some time, the plating will wear off. 

GOLD FILLED

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Gold filled jewelry is created by bonding a thick layer of gold to another metal, usually brass or copper. The gold content is legally required in the US to be at least 5% of the total weight. Because of this, gold filled jewelry is often marked as 1/20 14KT GF or simply 1/20 (5% of gold). Though the gold layer is thicker than Gold Plated, the jewelry will tarnish with time. 

SOLID GOLD

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Solid gold is the most expensive and the highest in quality and gold content. It is also highly prized as solid gold does not tarnish or fade with repeated wear. Gold is often classified by a number, followed by "K" for karat. The numerical value tells you what percentage of pure gold your jewelry contains. While 24k is the most pure form of gold, they're also malleable and soft, so they're not the most feasible for everyday jewelry. To help balance the malleability, alloy is used to give strength and durability. 

Kinn uses 14k solid gold to keep the price point accessible while keeping the high standard quality that can last today, tomorrow and thousands of years from now.