14KGP Meaning
14 KGP gold means “14 karat gold plated”. 14KGP or simply 14 GP is a type of jewelry is actually a gold plating over a cheap base metal such as silver, copper or nickel etc. Some people might mix it with solid gold jewelry but as a buyer you should keep it in mind that it is not solid gold but only gold plated.
What Is Gold Plating?
Gold plating is actually a very thin layer of gold over another metal to give the jewelry item an overall look of gold. This can be a great way of getting gold like looks for much lower prices. As a comparison, if a solid gold costs $150, a gold plated ring can cost around $50.
But due to its lower price tag, gold plated jewelry can have many cons as well. Some of the cons are:
- Wears off quickly
- Needed to be plated again and again. Usually after 4 to 6 months of regular usage.
- Re plating can be expensive
- Can be used as a way by jewelers to trick customers
- Very low resale value
Is 24 Karat Gold Plated Worth Anything
Not much. Whether it is 18 karat or the highest purity gold i.e. 24k, gold plating is not worth much. Because the quantity of gold used is so small, that it can not fetch any price. All you can get on reselling is the price of the base metal. If it is silver, you might around $3 per gram. Otherwise in case of copper or nickel, it will be way less than this.
Apart from this, there are other types of gold as well which you might not know i.e. 12K GF or 14K GF.
12K GF Meaning
Now let’s answer the question “what does 12k GF mean?”
12K GF means “12 karat gold filled”. Gold filled is another type of gold jewelry which can be used as an alternative of solid gold. Yes, it is not all gold But still far better than gold plated.
What is Gold Filled?
In gold filled jewelry, a fat layer of gold is mechanically bonded over a cheap base metal like silver or copper. This can also be steel as it is much cheaper in comparison to silver or copper. In case of gold plating, this layer is microscopic thin like less than 1 millimeter. Where in gold filled, it is about 5 millimeters.
As per law, the total weight of gold used in making a gold filled jewelry item, must be at least 5 percent of the total weight of the jewelry item. For example, if you buy a 20 gram gold filled bracelet from a jeweler, then it must have at least 1 gram of gold in it.
So, you can expect that gold used in gold filled jewelry will stay there and can withstand damages. This makes it a excellent choice for someone who wants to get gold alike jewelry at a lower price rate. It must be noted that resale value of gold filled jewelry is better than gold plated but not as equal as solid gold.
Gold Filled vs Gold Plated
The main difference between gold filled and gold plated is the thickness of outer gold layer. Choice of base metal in both types depends on the jeweler and can be the same. A jeweler can use a better option like silver or much cheaper one like stainless steel to minimize cost. Here is a look at the comparison of both.
Price
Gold plated one is cheaper than gold filled as it has a negligible amount of gold on it.
Resistance to Damages
Gold plated cannot withstand damages and will demand high level of care. Gold plating does not stay for long on any jewelry regardless of extreme care. Wearing and removing can also force gold plating to wear off. And on above of it, if you get any external damages, it will wear off very quickly.
Gold filled can somewhat withstand damages compared to gold plating.
Resale Value
Both of these jewelry types have low resale value. Gold plated jewelry has a much lower than one made with gold filled.
Maintenance Cost
Re plating can be a regular maintenance cost for gold plated jewelry buyers. Plus you have to visit jeweler as well. So this can be a periodic hassle which they have to go with.
Gold filled jewelry does not require re plating or re filling that quickly. As gold can stay on base metal for longer period of time, you can expect very low to none maintenance cost except for cleaning chemicals.
What Should You Buy?
If you are a buyer who wants to wear jewelry for daily usage and can take care of it properly, then gold plating can be a good choice where you will save some money. But if you cant take care of your jewelry from external damages like scratches or falling off, then gold filled is a better option. It will cost more than a gold plated jewelry at beginning, but will save you cost of re plating.
Conclusion
As a buyer you must be well aware that what is the meaning of 14K PG and 12K GF, so you can buy what you are full aware of. Both of these types of gold jewelry have their own properties and set of pros and cons. It is up to a buyer to decide what their preferences are and what they want to do it with their jewelry. In this way, they can buy something they are knowing better and making an informed decision.