Gold WHAT?

 
When asked what my gold jewelry is made of, nine times out of ten, I get one of two responses to my answer of "gold filled"- Either a look of utter confusion or the response- "Oh it's plated" (not true!) I thought I'd address it here, since it can be confusing and seeing that the difference between GOLD PLATED and GOLD FILL is tremendous! Here is the actual breakdown:

Gold Filled:  Gold filled is an actual layer of gold-pressure bonded to another metal.  Gold filled is not to be confused with gold plating as filled literally has 100% more gold than gold plating.  Gold filled is much more valuable and tarnish resistant.  It does not flake off, rub off or turn colors.  Anyone who can wear gold can wear gold filled without worries of any allergic reaction to the jewelry.

Gold-plated: A base metal such as steel or brass is dipped into a bath of electroplating solution, with a lump of solid gold. When an electric current is applied, a thin layer of gold is deposited on the metal. Since the plating is quite thin, the plate (and hence the color) on findings can wear off if not cared for properly.

Vermeil: (Pronounced: Vermay) is sterling silver that has been gold-plated. Most vermeil is plated with 22K-24K gold. This is a good combination for those with allergy to normal, plated jewelry items. The difference between vermeil, and gold-filled, is in the thickness of the gold and the base metal used. In vermeil, the base is sterling silver. 

Government Regulation:  Gold filled items are regulated by the government versus gold plate which is not regulated at all.   In the jewelry industry the quantity of gold must be at least 1/20th by weight of the total product.

 Lifetime Products:  Gold-Filled items are generally considered lifetime products, and the gold layer will not wear off, as it will in electroplated products.  

Love connector is plated with a matte gold

Most Mimi & Lu jewelry is Gold filled. I do incorparate pieces that are vermeil or plated and that is always noted in their descriptions. Sometimes it's because I think it's a special piece that is not available in gold fill or it's because I want to offer some budget friendly pieces in my line.  My recommendation with anything plated is to take extra precaution when it comes to care. Don't wear in the shower (or ocean!), put on after you apply lotions or perfumes and store in an airtight container or baggie. 

Now that we have that cleared up, I want to quickly address the rising price of Gold and Silver.  To give you a good idea of how much it's risen, in June of 1999 the price was at a low of $252.90/oz.(troy ounce) In January of 2008, it hit $865.35/oz. In March 2011 it hit $1432.57/oz. Since April 2001 the gold price has more than tripled in value against the US dollar. Silver has seen similar jumps.

Melissa Cuff is made from a very heavy gauge of Gold fill wire

Ive tried to keep Mimi & Lu's prices constant and always consider the price of metal when designing a piece. It has not been easy to adjust to the rising cost of these metals. I think it helps for the customer to know the value of the metals in order to understand the price of a piece.(and can therefore have a greater appreciation for the piece they purchase) If there is a long gold filled chain or if the wire used is a thick gauge, the price will likely jump.

I welcome any questions about this and I hope it's help clear up any questions about what metals I use, why and their value.