Gold Filled Jewellery Guide
What Does “Gold Filled” Mean?
Gold Filled is a particularly high-quality gilding technique in which a thick layer of real 14K gold is permanently bonded to a metal core — usually brass — using heat and pressure.
Unlike regular gold plating, the gold layer is not simply electroplated onto the surface but mechanically fused with it. This process makes it exceptionally durable and one of the most premium forms of gold coating available.
How Is Gold Filled Jewellery Made?
The term Gold Filled means that the piece contains at least 1/20 (or 5%) of its total weight in real gold.
The amount of gold therefore depends directly on the weight and size of the piece — larger or heavier designs contain more gold and are accordingly a little more valuable.
The gold layer is significantly thicker than on regular gold-plated jewellery, making Gold Filled pieces especially resistant to wear, moisture, and air.
GOLD FILLED VS. GOLD VERMEIL VS. GOLD PLATED VS SOLID GOLD
Gold Filled and Gold Vermeil offer the perfect balance between quality and affordability – ideal for jewellery made to be worn every day.
How to Recognise Gold Filled Jewellery
Gold Filled jewellery often carries an engraving that indicates its composition, such as:
1/20 14K GF or 12/20 GF
✨ 1/20 means that 1/20 of the item’s total weight consists of real gold.
✨ 14 or 12 indicates the carat value of the gold used.
✨ GF stands for Gold Filled.
This marking helps you quickly identify the quality of a piece and ensures that it is made with genuine, permanently bonded gold – not just a thin layer of plating.
Can Gold Filled Jewellery Tarnish?
Gold Filled jewellery is highly resistant to tarnishing and oxidation thanks to its durable construction.
Because the gold layer is not merely applied but permanently bonded to the base metal, it forms a protective barrier against air, moisture, and other external elements.
Over time, however – especially with exposure to humidity, perfume, sweat, or certain chemicals – slight tarnishing may occur. This is completely normal and not a sign of poor quality, but a natural reaction of the metal to its environment.
To keep your pieces beautiful for years to come, we recommend:
🤍 Storing them in an airtight pouch when not worn for longer periods.
🤍 Avoiding contact with perfume, lotions, or chlorinated water.
🤍 Gently cleaning them from time to time with mild soap, lukewarm water, and a soft cloth.
This way, your Gold Filled jewellery will remain as radiant as the day you first wore it. ✨
Does Gold Filled Jewellery Turn Your Skin Green?
No – that’s highly unlikely!
Only in very rare cases can an individual’s skin chemistry or certain medications cause a slight greenish tint (in around 0.001% of people).
However, this has nothing to do with the quality of the jewellery — it’s simply a natural reaction unique to your body’s chemistry.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Gold Filled Jewellery
It’s important to understand the benefits and limitations of different types of jewellery in order to choose what’s right for you.
Gold Filled jewellery is a wonderful choice for those who value lasting quality and the look of real gold at a fair price — but like every material, it has its own characteristics.
Advantages
1. The Best Choice After Solid Gold
With Gold Filled, the gold layer is permanently bonded to the base metal under high heat and pressure — meaning it doesn’t rub off like standard gold plating.
Gold Filled contains at least 5% real gold, which is around 100 times more gold than in regular gold-plated jewellery.
2. Water-Resistant & Tarnish-Resistant (with proper care)
Thanks to its thick layer of gold, Gold Filled jewellery is water-resistant and resists oxidation. You can wear it daily — even while showering or sleeping — and it will maintain its shine.
3. Skin-Friendly
The solid layer of gold acts as a protective barrier between your skin and the base metal, making Gold Filled jewellery suitable even for sensitive skin.
4. Durable & Long-Lasting
After solid gold, Gold Filled is considered the second-highest quality in gold jewellery. In fact, there are Gold Filled pieces from the Victorian era that still exist today. How long your jewellery stays radiant depends mostly on how you wear and care for it.
5. Affordable Luxury
Gold Filled jewellery looks and feels like solid gold — but at a fraction of the price. Thanks to its stable metal core, you get the beauty of real gold without the high cost.
Disadvantages
Despite its many strengths, Gold Filled jewellery also has some natural limitations — mainly due to the way the material is produced.
1. Limited Design Possibilities
Gold Filled material is made in wire or sheet form and cannot be cast. This means that very intricate, organic shapes or solid pendants are technically harder to produce. Gold Filled pendants are therefore usually flat or hollow, crafted from two bonded metal sheets.
2. Visible Solder Joints
When Gold Filled wires are joined, sterling silver is used as the solder, since there’s no such thing as “Gold Filled solder.” As a result, small solder marks may become visible over time — especially on rings or chain links. We often add a thin layer of extra gold plating to our Gold Filled pieces to minimise this effect, though faint marks may reappear with wear.
3. Not Solid Gold
Gold Filled is durable and high-quality, but of course, it’s not as valuable as solid gold, which is made entirely of gold. Still, it’s a beautiful alternative for those who appreciate quality and design without spending several hundred euros per piece.
The Right Care for Gold Filled Jewellery
Can You Wear Gold Filled Jewellery in the Shower? 🚿
In principle, yes – as long as you use gentle products. Mild soaps can even help clean your jewellery slightly while you shower. What’s important is to avoid heavily perfumed or harsh shower gels and shampoos, as their ingredients can dull the shine of the gold over time. If you’re unsure, it’s always safer to take your jewellery off before showering.
Personally, I often wear my Gold Filled necklaces in the shower – but only with mild, natural products that are kind to both your skin and the environment.
Can You Sleep in Gold Filled Jewellery? 🌙
Yes, you can – but your jewellery will thank you if you take it off at night. The metal itself won’t be damaged, but fine chains or delicate bracelets can get caught or tangled while you are sleeping.
If you have a moment, gently wipe your pieces with a soft cloth before taking them off at night – this removes skin oils and keeps your jewellery shining longer.
How to Care for Gold Filled Jewellery 💖
Gold Filled jewellery is generally low maintenance – but a little care goes a long way in keeping it beautiful for years to come:
🤍 Clean it regularly with mild soap and lukewarm water.
🤍 Dry it thoroughly with a soft, lint-free cloth (a glasses cleaning cloth works wonderfully).
🤍 If your jewellery comes into contact with perfume, lotion, or sunscreen, rinse it with water right away – especially delicate chains.
🤍 Polish only when truly necessary – excessive polishing can cause unnecessary surface wear.
A small tip: Store your pieces in an airtight pouch or jewellery box when not worn. This protects them from humidity and dust, keeping them radiant for longer.
Why We Love Gold Filled at Sophistique Jewellery 💫
We use Gold Filled wherever it’s technically possible – because it’s the perfect balance between luxury and everyday wearability.
Gold Filled is an exceptionally high-quality alternative to solid gold – durable, low-maintenance, hypoallergenic, and beautifully radiant.
Some of our favourite pieces made entirely from Gold Filled include:
our delicate CHEVRON, SAPRKLE, and WAVE rings, our timeless OPHELIA and CLASSY hoops, and the elegant DAPHNE earrings – pieces you can wear every single day without ever taking them off.