Types of Gold

When purchasing jewelry, it's important to know what it is made out of. Not all jewelry is created equal.


Here are some things you should know about gold:

Solid Gold- Obviously the highest quality gold you can purchase is solid gold. You will mostly find this type of precious metal in fine jewelry stores. Solid gold is very expensive.

Gold-Filled- A layer of gold is pressure bonded to another metal (commonly brass). This should not be confused with gold plated. This is a high quality alternative to solid gold and is considerably more affordable. Gold filled jewelry wears, lasts, and looks like solid gold. You can be sure that you are getting a quality item when it is gold filled because this kind of metal is regulated by the government.

Gold Plated- This is a common type of metal that is inexpensive. A very thin layer of gold is applied to a base metal (many different kinds of metals are used). The gold typically chips off over time or may wear down. Some gold plated items are known for turning your skin colors.

Gold Toned- This is just about any kind of metal (normally very inexpensive) that is finished with a gold color. This kind of jewelry rarely contains any gold.



I am a big fan of gold filled chain and use it often. Check out my Lillian Ray shop here to find more gold items. You can also find items that only use gold filled metal here at my Lillian Ray Luxe store.