1st off welcome to my first blog! Never have I ever had or written a blog, but I hope this space can be where I can dive deep and direct into jewelry. If there are any topics you would like me to dive into, I would love to know!
What is 14K Gold Filled? Think of it like a pencil, you have lead in the middle and the outer wood layer. 14K Gold Filled has an alloy base and a solid bonded layer of 14K gold on the outer layer. This layer is BONDED, very important, as this means that it will wear just as solid 14k gold because its outer layer is in fact 14k gold.
Is it worth the price? Absolutely, if it is comfortably in your budget. Unfortunately, with gold there is no subtle variation of price range when comparing gold plated to gold filled, to solid gold. The happy medium is 14K Gold Filled. You get a quality item that you will enjoy for years without the $$$ price of solid gold. It's waterproof, sensitive skin friendly and you can clean it.
What to look for when buying? At the moment, to my knowledge, gold filled is only available in 14K and is regulated to be stamped for authenticity with "14KGF." The only items that may not be stamped are loose finding components like jump rings and chain by the ft, but if you are buying a finished complete item such as a necklace or charm do be sure to look for the 14KGF stamp! Small exceptions if you are buying from a credible source who handmakes their jewelry, such as a bench jeweler directly.
Beware of too cheap! Yes, I said it. Gold filled is a tedious process to manufacture. Gold Filled components are primarily American made and as I'm sure you know our items cost more for labor hence the price. So, if it's an elaborate charm for $3, sorry it's not gold filled. On a positive note, since it's harder to manufacture there are not an abundance of raw materials available for designers to make jewelry up, when compared to silver and solid gold. So that means Gold Filled is usually priced competitively.
Did the clasp turn color? Remember how I mentioned gold filled is bonded with an inner alloy. Well, this bonding can be fragile in spots that require a lot of heat to make it up. Clasp require a lot of solder to make the mechanism work so sometimes too much heat gets applied and the quality of the gold-filled is compromised. Usually, a great seller will offer to swap with a new clasp if this should happen. Personally, the clasp is in the back, so I do not mind it. However, you are paying more for the quality so be sure to let your seller know but it's not really a true reflection that they are selling you something other than gold filled or "cheap" materials.
I would recommend gold filled for those staple items that you love and plan on wearing for years to come!
14K Gold Filled Carabiner Chains: Ezrasbox - Etsy
14K Gold Filled Jewelry: Ezrasbox - Etsy
To give you an idea of wear, below are my two staple bracelets that I wear every day. I even shower, workout and swim in them. The thin one is Ezra's Box and I've been wearing for about 2 years, the larger Is Madison Mckinley and have been wearing since fall off 23'.
Thin Pattern Bracelet: 14K Gold Filled Bracelet // Chain // Authentic 14KGF Stamp - Etsy
Large Oval Bracelet: Lily Bracelet – Madison McKinley
