Metals Information Sheet

Solid gold is the best quality of gold used in making jewelry. The whole piece is made entirely of gold, with no base metal. Pure gold, 24k gold, is very soft and malleable and is often too soft to be used in jewelry. So, the gold must be alloyed with other metals to ensure its strength and durability. The lower the karat, the less expensive it is because it is using less gold. 18k is 18/24 or 75% pure gold and 25% other metal. 14k is 58.3% pure gold and 41.7% other metal, making it one of t

Gold filled items are created using a solid layer of gold mechanically bonded to a base metal, usually jeweler's brass, through heat and pressure. The gold layer in gold filled jewelry must be at least 5% of the total weight of the item. Since the gold is mechanically bonded with heat and pressure and not simply plated on, the gold doesn't fade or rub off - it's also tarnish resistant. This makes gold filled jewelry a popular and affordable alternative to solid gold! It is important to note th