Gold Filled vs Sterling Silver
Gold filled is a better option than simple sterling silver because it has a better appearance at a relatively minimum price difference. It can be a great option if you are considering low budget jewelry. It is both hypoallergenic and non-tarnishing compared to sterling silver.
In this article we’ll draw a full comparison of gold filled vs sterling silver and answer questions like which is better in both, does sterling silver tarnish and does gold filled jewelry turn green.
What is Gold Filled Jewelry
Gold Filled is a type of gold jewelry available in the market. It is made by coating a thick layer of gold over a base metal of sterling silver. It is much more durable and resistant to damages than normal gold plating or gold vermeil. The total weight of the gold used in this type of jewelry is around 5 percent of the total weight.
This type of jewelry is becoming more and more popular as solid gold jewelry is becoming expensive. Almost all of the major jewelry brands deal in gold filled jewelry.
Is Gold Filled or Gold Plated better?
Many people might have question like what is better in between gold plated or gold filled.
Gold filled is better than gold plated due to thicker plating of 25 to 30 micrometer versus 1 to 2 micrometer of gold plated jewelry.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver which contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper by weight. It is normally called as 925 sterling silver. It is lustrous bright white in color. This color can become duller and duller with time due to tarnishing. Tarnishing is a chemical process in which a metal reacts with atmospheric gases to make a thick unwanted dull layer over its shiny surface. This tarnishing can be removed but as it is natural, you can expect to get it every time with sterling silver after 3 to 4 months of regular usage.
14k Gold vs Sterling Silver
14k gold is far better option than sterling silver for its premium looks and non-tarnishing properties. Contrary, sterling silver has good looks but can tarnish and scratch easily.
Sterling Silver vs Gold Filled
There are many points of difference between gold filled and sterling silver which every buyer must know before buying.
1. Appearance
Gold filled looks like exactly like gold and no one can tell the difference unless they see a hallmark or stamp. Sterling silver is a bright lustrous white colored metal. It can also shine in light but gold filled shines better than it.
Appearance of both can be subjective to every buyer. If you like gold like looks, gold filled is better for you. But if you prefer white metals, then sterling silver is a better option.
2. Durability
Gold filled is quite as durable as sterling silver. As gold filled has gold coated over base of sterling silver, some people might take it similar to gold plating. But gold filled is much more durable than gold plating or gold vermeil. Because both of these contain only thin layers of gold over a base metal whereas gold filled contains a thick layer of at least 5 percent weight of the total jewelry.
However, you can expect to get minor scratches if you don’t take care of it properly. Note that there will be no re-plating required for gold filled jewelry.
Sterling silver on the other hand can also get some minor scratches with time. So, we can say that both of these have almost similar durability.
3. Tarnishing
Tarnishing is a big deciding factor between the two. Gold filled will never tarnish unless all of the gold over it gets removed leaving base metal exposed which is very rare.
Sterling silver will tarnish with time. It can take 3 to 4 months of regular usage of sterling silver jewelry to be tarnished. This tarnish can be removed with tarnishing removing chemicals but it can increase the cost.
4. Customization
Gold filled is a relatively newer type of gold jewelry and does not have a wide range of jewelers offering customization options. As the demand grows, customization options might increase. But as of now, there are not many. So, you cannot wide a very big range of designs in this category.
Sterling silver is quite popular among all of the jewelers. You can easily find a number of jewelers offering different customization options and unique designs for their customers in sterling silver.
If customization and variety of designs is a big deciding factor for you, then sterling silver is a good option.
5. Maintenance
Gold filled needs little maintenance. Only thing you will have to do is to do regular cleaning. This will clean your jewelry from dirt etc. and make it shine just like a new one. Apart, you may have to visit your jeweler for polishing and buffing if it gets scratches.
Sterling silver requires a little more maintenance than gold filled. You are going to clean it with gentle soap and tarnishing removing chemicals regularly. It can also get scratches, so you will have to visit your jeweler for polishing.
6. Cost
Cost of both of these is not very much different. A Gold filled ring can be $20 to $30 more expensive than a sterling silver ring which costs around $40. So, if cost is a big deciding factor for you and you want a low budget jewelry item, both of these can fit into this category.
7. Resale Value
Both of these have little to non resale value. As these jewelry items are in a low budget category, there is not much demand in the resale market. So, you can expect way less than what you paid. If you are buying jewelry for investment purpose, both of these are not an option.
There might be some pawn shops which deal in sterling silver jewelry but no one will be accepting gold filled jewelry as it does not have that much demand.
8. Water Damage
Both of these can be damaged by water. Any actions that involve water like washing hands, swimming, showering etc. will damage both of these. However, gold filled can withstand water damage better than sterling silver.
9. Hypoallergenic
Gold filled is completely hypoallergenic if it is made in 14 karat gold or above. Chances of getting a skin allergy are very less compared to sterling silver.
Sterling silver is commonly known as somewhat non hypoallergenic metal as it can turn skin green.
Common FAQ’s About Gold Filled Jewelry
Here are some common FAQ’s about gold filled jewelry.
1. Does Gold Filled Jewelry turn Green
Gold filled jewelry does not turn green if it is made of 14k or higher purity gold.
1. Is Gold Filled Jewelry worth Anything
Gold filled jewelry is not worth same as solid gold jewelry.
2. What is Sterling Gold
Sterling gold is gold plated over a base of sterling silver.
3. Is Gold Filled or Vermeil Better
Gold filled is better than gold vermeil. It has a thicker coating of gold and can save base metal from tarnishing.
4. Does Silver Filled Gold Tarnish
Silver filled gold or gold filled sterling silver can tarnish. But it will take at least 1 to 2 years to tarnish.
Conclusion
Gold filled and sterling silver are great options in a low budget range. Both of these come with their own pros and cons. If you are one who likes gold like looks and does not want to clean their jewelry more often, then go for gold filled jewelry. But if you are one who loves white metals and wants a lot of customization options, then sterling silver is a better choice. Every buyer must be aware of all of these differences so they can make a better purchase as per their preferences.