Definition Gold-plated

Gold plating, definition

The jewelry is formed on a brass base (an alloy of zinc and copper), then immersed in a chemical bath, called an electrolyte, and an electric current is passed through it to deposit gold on the jewelry - this is electroplating.
In France, we generally use 18-carat gold, which is the purest and strongest. This method guarantees that the gold plating on the jewelry will last for at least 10 years, provided it is well maintained.

What is a carat?

plaqué or bijoux

This is the unit of measurement for the purity of gold, and there are four main ones:
The carat is the unit used to measure the purity of gold. There are four main carats:

  • 9 carats (37.5% pure gold), for cheap jewelry sold in department stores, supermarkets, etc.
  • 14 carats (58% pure gold), for jewelry from the USA in particular, where this gold plating is known as "gold filled",
  • 18 carats (75% pure gold), a good quality grade and the most common in France,
  • 22 carats (92% pure gold), the luxury grade, sold exclusively by leading jewellers.

An 18-carat grade is therefore ideal for creating elegant, long-lasting jewelry, and all at a reasonable cost.

3-micron 18-carat gold plating, definition of a micron

The micron is the unit of measurement attributed to the thickness of the layer of gold covering the jewel. One micron corresponds to one thousandth of a millimetre. The thickness of the layer of gold is determined during the electroplating process; the longer the jewel is immersed in the electrolyte, the thicker the layer will be.
In France, to qualify as gold-plated jewelry, the coating must be 3 microns thick. This quality of gold plating guarantees that the jewelry will last for at least ten years.
If the thickness is less than 3 microns (e.g. between 0.5 and 1 micron), the jewelry is "gold-plated", cheap but extremely fragile, as it will lose its gold color very quickly, and may also cause allergies.

Vermeil

The basis of vermeil jewelry is 925 silver (92.5% pure silver), not brass, and it is coated with 18-carat, 5-micron gold.
As a result, vermeil is more expensive than gold-plated, and is mainly used for jewelry set with emeralds or rubies, for example.

A pretty gold-plated piece of jewelry as a gift?

All our items are 3 micron 18-carat gold-plated.

On our nerinabijoux.fr website, you will only find jewelry that complies with French regulations, so you can be sure of the quality and solidity of our gold-plated models.
At Nerina Bijoux, our gold-plated items are covered with an extra thin layer of 24-carat gold to give them a shiny, luminous appearance for a very long time.
We work with jewelry designers based in France who are renowned for their expertise and the finesse of their creations. We also manufacture a number of unique, trendy models in our workshop in Capbreton, in the Landes region of France.
Our 18-carat gold-plated jewelry is sold at unbeatable prices: between 20% and 30% less than recommended retail prices.

What jewelry do we offer on our site?

You can choose the range and style of our products, but the quality will always be there.
Discover our regularly updated collection of fine, elegant jewelry of impeccable quality:

  • Necklaces, chokers adorned with semi-precious stones, necklaces with astrological signs, pendants, tassels,
  • Fine rings, with or without stones,
  • Bracelets, necklaces, necklaces with stones,
  • Earrings, creoles, chips, pendants, with moonstone, etc.
  • The list is long, so don't hesitate to visit our website to see photos of all our models: Nerina Bijoux

There's something for every taste and budget.

                              collier plaqué or   bague plaqué or      

To find out more, click here:

All our jewelry is delivered within 24 hours (subject to availability), and comes in a pretty organic cotton pouch, which you can use to protect and store each piece individually.
You'll find advice on how to care for your gold- or silver-plated jewelry at the bottom of the page.
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