A necklace described as gold can be four different products at four very different prices. The words are not marketing fluff. They describe how much gold is actually on the piece, and they predict how the finish will wear.
The four terms, cheapest first
| Term | What it is | How the finish wears |
|---|---|---|
| Gold plated | A thin layer of gold over brass or steel, usually well under 1 micron | Wears through with regular use |
| Gold PVD | Gold-colored coating bonded under vacuum, harder than standard plating | Generally wears more slowly than standard plating |
| Gold filled | A bonded layer that must be at least 1/20th of the item weight | A much thicker layer than plating |
| Solid gold | Gold all the way through, marked 10K, 14K or 18K | No coating to wear through |
The number in front of the K is not the same as the plating
This is where most confusion starts. "18K gold plated" tells you the purity of the thin coating, not the amount of gold on the piece. An 18K gold plated chain and a solid 18K chain share one word and almost nothing else. If a listing says plated, the K number is describing a layer measured in microns.
The price test
Gold has a market price, and a solid gold necklace cannot be sold below it. A solid 14K chain of any real length costs several hundred dollars, because that is what the metal alone is worth. If you see solid 14K on a listing priced at $70, question it. None of the gold-tone pieces sold on this site are solid gold.
Sterling silver
Sterling silver means 92.5 percent silver, and it is usually stamped 925. It is solid metal, not a coating, so it does not wear through. It tarnishes instead, which is a surface reaction you can polish off. Silver plated is a different thing again: a coating over a base metal, and it wears like gold plating does.
What to choose
- For daily wear, choose sterling silver or stainless steel. Both are solid metal and neither wears through.
- For a piece worn occasionally, plated is fine. An evening necklace worn a few times a year will last far longer than a plated everyday chain.
- Take any plated or coated piece off before swimming or showering. Chlorine, salt water and soap all speed up wear.
Our chains list their material in the title, as stated by our supplier. If a listing here does not say sterling silver, assume it is plated or coated.