Rose Gold doesn’t occur naturally. It’s made by adding copper into molten gold and it takes just the right amount of copper to create that perfect rosy tone. Rose gold is made of pure gold mixed with copper and silver alloys. So, rose gold is real, it’s just not naturally occurring. The copper and silver helps to strengthen it and give it its rose colour. The more copper used, the redder the gold appears.

What does rose gold look like? Rose gold encompasses the whole family of red, rose and pink gold shades. It’s a lustrous pinkish metal, as seen in these Rose Gold Lotus Flower Earrings.

Does rose gold tarnish? Rose gold doesn’t tarnish. But just like any colour gold, rose gold jewellery needs to be polished and cleaned regularly.

The pros of rose gold include that it’s:

• In style!
• Considered by many to be the most romantic metal due to its pinkish-red colour.
• Very durable due to the strength of copper—making rose gold tougher than yellow or white gold.
• A complement to all skin tones.

We choose to work with 14k rose gold-filled because it allows us to offer top quality jewellery, affordably.  The thick outer layer of gold makes it durable and safe for people with allergies or sensitive skin.

To answer some of your questions about rose gold filled, we’ve compiled a list here. This information is applicable to yellow gold fill, too.

What is 14K gold-filled?

 “Gold-filled” is an industry standard that legally requires 1/20th, or 5% pure gold by weight.  It’s a strictly regulated process that involves pressure bonding multiple layers of solid 14k gold with extreme heat over a core of high quality jeweller’s brass resulting in a durable, quality real gold product.

Is gold-fill actually “filled with gold”?

No. All of the gold is on the outside actually.  I’m not sure why the industry decided on “gold-filled” to identify this kind of jewelry—it’s confusing, since it really has nothing to do with being filled with gold.  The only thing you need to know is that the term refers to a thick outer layer of durable, pressure-bonded, real, solid gold, on the outside.

Is gold-filled jewelry real gold?

The gold in 14k gold-filled is definitely real. There’s a thick layer of real, solid 14k gold on the outside of a brass core.  The 14k gold that’s on the outside of gold-filled is the same gold as you would get from a solid 14k piece.  

How much real gold is in gold fill?

Gold-filled jewelry is required to have a minimum of 1/20th (5%) gold by weight. The 5% gold in gold-filled jewelry may not sound like a lot, but it’s all on the outside and it’s plenty to keep your jewelry looking great for many years.

Filled vs. Plated

What’s the difference between gold-filled and gold plated?

There’s a lot more gold in gold-filled and the gold is attached in a way that’s much more durable. Also, the standards for 14k gold-fill are strictly regulated, while the standards for “gold plated” encompass a broad range of thicknesses, so you can’t be sure how much gold is in the plated layer.  

Is gold-filled better than plated?

Yes. If you’d like to understand why, you can read up more here: https://www.halsteadbead.com/articles/gold-filled-vs-gold-plated#:~:text=Gold%2Dfilled%20jewelry%20has%20100x,tear%20better%20than%20gold%20plated.

Quality of 14k Gold-Fill

Is 14k gold-filled good quality?

Gold-fill is absolutely your best option after solid gold for quality and durability.  It will not flake off or turn your skin green and offers a great option for people with sensitive skin.  We only use the best gold-filled components and we stand behind our product’s quality 100%.  Gold-filled jewelry can stay beautiful for a lifetime, especially with a little care.

Does it contain nickel?

No. None of our jewelry contains nickel.

Is gold-filled jewelry okay for people with sensitive skin?

Yes. 99.9% of people find they have no sensitivity to gold-filled jewelry.  Because the outside of the piece is solid 14k gold, it interacts with your skin in the same way solid 14k gold would.  If you do not have any sensitivities to solid gold, you will find gold-filled agrees well with your skin.

Will it turn my skin green?

No. There are very rare instances where certain people’s body chemistry reacts with the 14k gold to leave a green residue on the skin, but this happens in approximately 0.001% of people, so it should not be a concern.  Body chemistry is a fascinating thing, and often times it’s actually medications present in the system that can react with the gold.

Will it flake off?

No. With gold-filled jewelry, the process involves mechanically bonding the gold to the core through extreme pressure and heat.  It results in a resilient exterior that’s not prone to flaking or cracking.  Flaking is more common with certain types of gold plating.

Does it Rust?

Nope.  Rust isn’t possible with the metals present in gold-filled material.

Caring for 14K gold-filled jewelry

Do I have to take it off to shower?

Not if you use mild soaps.  It can actually be good for cleaning gold-fill jewelry to shower with it on.  BUT, MAKE SURE that your shampoos and soaps are gentle as certain chemicals can negatively impact the look of the gold.  If you’re not sure, take your jewelry off to shower.

Can I sleep in my gold-filled jewelry?

Yes, but it won’t last as long.  Sleeping in your jewelry won’t damage the gold-filled surfaces, but for delicate pieces such as dainty chains on necklaces or bracelets, snagging on the fabric of your sheets or nightclothes can be an issue.  If you can remember to take your pieces off before bed, they’ll thank you by staying bright longer.

How do I take care of it?

The best care you can give your pieces is to clean them gently with water, mild soap, and a soft cloth (eyeglass chamois work great!) and only polish them when they really need it. It also helps to avoid exposure to lotions or wash them off your jewelry immediately, especially gold-fill chain, which can capture bits of lotion in all the nooks and crannies.

Why aren’t all our items gold-filled?

While all our chains are 14k gold-filled, some of our shaped charms, (like our stars, tusks or anchor) are plated gold rather than gold-filled because more complicated “molded” designs must be cast – a process that is incompatible with gold-filled material.

In this piece, the chain is 14K rose gold filled, but the pendant is 14K rose gold plate: Rose Gold Honeycomb Bee Necklace.

Why can’t you cast gold-filled?  

The casting process involves pouring liquid metal into a mold.  If you melted down gold-filled material, the gold would no longer be only concentrated on the outside and you’d end up with something more like 2k gold, instead of 14k gold on the outside of a brass core.  The only way to make gold-filled requires massive amounts of pressure and heat.  Like, massive.  Not something that you’d be able to do outside a dedicated factory.
 

What’s the solution? 

Well, we just make sure there’s as much gold as we can get onto the shaped charms that aren’t able to be made with gold-filled and we use 14k GF material for everything else.  We will often also add an additional layer of protection over any gold-plated components to increase durability.  We figure that this way, you can have the shaped charm that you want at the best gold quality possible.

If you ever have any questions please reach out to me directly margo@bija-bijoux.com.