18K Gold-Plated Jewelry
18K gold plated chains, bracelets and a signet ring: a 2.5 micron layer of real 18K gold, on solid 925 sterling silver for the chains and bracelets. The 2.5 mm king's chain and king's link bracelet are the most chosen gold plated models, and together a set.
Our 18K gold plated jewelry has a 2.5 micron layer of real 18K gold. On the chains and bracelets that layer sits on solid 925 sterling silver; the gold plated signet ring is the only one with that gold layer on stainless steel. What you see is that gold layer; the piece itself is not solid gold and not 18K gold either. What 2.5 micron means in practice is explained in what 18K gold plated means.
In this collection
Gold plated chains and bracelets: the king's chain in 2.5 mm, rope in 1.5, 2.8 and 3.8 mm and Cuban in 5 mm. The chains come in 50, 55 and 60 cm, the bracelets in 18, 20 and 22 cm. There is also an engravable signet ring in US sizes 6 to 10.
Why on 925 silver
A gold layer always sits on something. With cheaper gold plated jewelry that is brass or copper, and when the layer wears through there, you see a different metal that can discolor. Under our gold plated chains and bracelets is solid 925 sterling silver: if the layer ever wears through, you see silver, and a goldsmith can replate the piece. On the signet ring the base is stainless steel.
How long does gold plating last?
That depends on how you wear the piece, not on a fixed period. A chain you keep away from water and sports keeps its layer much longer than a bracelet that rubs along a desk every day. At 2.5 micron our gold layer is thicker than ordinary plating, but it is still a layer: the spots that rub most, such as the clasp and the underside of a bracelet, wear first.
Why an 18 karat gold layer?
The gold in the plated layer is 18 karat: that layer is 75 percent pure gold, also known as 750. That gives the layer a deeper, warmer gold color than a 14 karat layer with 58.5 percent gold. The piece itself is 925 sterling silver with that layer on top, and stainless steel for the signet ring. If you wear your chain day and night, including in the shower, silver-tone steel or solid silver suits you better, because they have no layer.
Which width?
The 1.5 mm rope is the finest: a chain for a small pendant or for layering. The 2.5 mm king's chain and the 2.8 mm rope stand on their own without feeling heavy; the 2.5 mm king's chain is also the most chosen gold plated chain. The 3.8 mm rope and the 5 mm Cuban are the gold plated chains with the most presence. A bracelet in the same link completes the set: the 2.5 mm king's link bracelet and the 5 mm Cuban bracelet.
Lengths and sizes
The gold plated chains come in 50, 55 and 60 cm (20, 22 and 24 in): 50 cm falls just below the collarbone, 55 cm on the top of the breastbone and 60 cm mid-chest. The bracelets come in 18, 20 and 22 cm; measure your wrist just below the wrist bone and add 1.5 to 2 cm. The signet ring comes in US sizes 6 to 10, and you can have it engraved.
Wear and care
Gold plating sits on the outside and wears at the spots where the piece rubs against clothing, tabletops or another piece of jewelry. So take gold plated jewelry off before the shower, the gym and the pool, and keep it away from perfume, deodorant and cleaning products. Store it dry and separately, and wipe it with a soft cloth instead of a silver polishing cloth: that is meant for solid silver and too abrasive for a gold layer. A bracelet rubs more than a chain, so the layer wears sooner there.
Gold plated or gold-tone steel?
Gold-tone stainless steel has a five-layer PVD finish, not gold. Gold plated silver has a layer of real 18K gold on a precious metal base. You take both off for water and sports; the difference is in what lies underneath and in the weight, because a silver base is heavier than steel. See the gold-tone steel under stainless steel. How that plays out in a single link is explained in the rope chain in three tiers.
Prefer no layer at all?
Solid 925 sterling silver and silver-tone stainless steel have no layer on the outside, so nothing can wear through.
Gold plated as a gift
A gold plated chain is a gift with a layer of real gold without the price of solid gold. Not sure of the length? Choose 55 cm. A set of chain and bracelet in the same link, such as the 2.5 mm king's chain, makes it complete. Everything comes in a Carpe Ice jewelry box. Want to make the gift personal? Choose the gold plated signet ring and have initials engraved on it; allow one extra working day. The gold plated 2.5 mm king's chain and king's link bracelet are chosen most often.