Great question. There is no shortage of gold-plated or gold-filled jewelry out there. But there are big differences – mainly in the quality and long-term value.
Poor Quality – 金メッキ:
- A base of either steel or 真鍮 (inferior base metals),
- The piece is VERY quickly dipped in gold
- The thin gold finish can wear off easily
- Exposes the wearer to base metal allergies
Decent Quality – Gold Filled:
- A base of either brass or copper
- Outside made of sheets of 10+ karat gold
- Doesn’t wear off quite as easily as gold plated
- Still potential for metal allergy with inferior base metal
Highest Quality – 金:
- A base of high-quality sterling silver
- A thick gold layer of at least 10k
- Most of the time 14k-24k gold is used
- Industry regulated gold thickness of no less than 2.5 ミクロン (very thick).