After years of dainty, minimal jewelry, bold and textured yellow gold is back. Chunky chains, hammered cuffs and substantial vintage pieces with real character are what shoppers are reaching for now. But not all gold-colored jewelry is the same, so here's how to tell what you have.
Reading Gold Marks
- 10K / 417: 41.7% gold.
- 14K / 585: 58.5% gold, the most common in American jewelry.
- 18K / 750: 75% gold, richer in color and softer.
- 22K / 916 and 24K / 999: very high purity, more common in jewelry from outside the US.
Look for marks on clasps, inside ring bands and on the back of pendants. Marks wear away over time, so a missing mark doesn't always mean it isn't gold; a jeweler can test it.
Gold-Filled, Gold-Plated and Gold-Tone
- Gold-filled (GF, 1/20 12K GF): a thick layer of gold bonded to a base metal. It wears beautifully for decades and is a favorite for vintage lockets, chains and bracelets.
- Gold-plated (GP, GE, HGE): a much thinner layer of gold, which can wear through with use.
- Rolled gold plate (RGP): similar to gold-filled but with a thinner layer.
- Gold-tone: gold-colored metal with no gold content. Most signed costume jewelry, like Trifari and Monet, is gold-tone, and its value comes from its design and maker rather than metal.
The Vintage Gold Look
- Textured finishes: hammered, brushed, Florentine and etched surfaces.
- Chunky chains: herringbone, rope, curb and link styles.
- Statement cuffs, bangles and big earrings.
- Lockets and charm bracelets with sentimental appeal.
Caring for Vintage Gold
Clean solid gold with mild soapy water and a soft brush. For gold-filled, plated and gold-tone pieces, use only a soft dry cloth, since rubbing and chemicals can wear through the surface layer.
Wearing It Now
Stack textured bangles, layer two or three chains of different lengths, or let one bold vintage cuff carry an outfit. Mixing solid gold with signed gold-tone pieces is perfectly fine and gives a collected look.
Browse our signed designer vintage jewelry and vintage bracelets for gold-tone pieces with character.
See it in person: gold-tone pieces in the shop
Each one is a single piece, so when it's gone, it's gone.
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