What Does Gold Filled Mean?
Gold filled jewellery is made of a solid layer of pure gold which is attached to some non-precious metal or pure silver base. The term "filled" is typically used to describe any jewellery that contains at least twenty per cent gold, excluding the white gold that is often used as an ornamental treatment. The related term "rolled gold plated" and "plated gold" can legally be utilized in some contexts, if the gold filling constitutes less than twenty per cent of the total item's weight. Although some reputable dealers do fill the jewellery with other metals that don't have the reputation of gold, the most common fillings are gold and silver.
In its pure form, gold consists of a very soft, ductile dust which is very malleable. Gold is considered one of the most ideal semi-precious stones. Because of this property, it is widely used as an alloy in modern industry. Any piece of jewellery containing twenty-five per cent or more pure gold is said to be "filled with gold." Although the process by which gold is processed and transformed into jewellery is highly complex, the basis of the process is making a thin layer of pure gold attached to some other metal, such as silver. Since the gold-filled jewellery must maintain the gold's ductile nature, it requires a more elaborate manufacturing process than regular jewellery.
About Gold Fill
Commonly, manufacturers combine other metals such as silver, copper or nickel with pure gold to create gold filled jewellery. A thin layer of the metal is plated on top of another, to form a gold-filled necklace, bracelet, ring or earring. Some manufacturers make "custom gold-filled" items, adding a special, specified amount of other precious metals to make up the desired metal content. To make solid gold jewellery, a fine layer of pure gold needs to be combined with the base metal to make up a final product that is then sold.
Another use for gold filled is to finance large purchases. For instance, if a customer wanted to buy a car, he might apply for a loan using gold-filled common stamps. The bank would verify that the buyer owned the car and, if he was unable to pay back the loan, would return the gold-filled to the bank along with the car's documentation proving that the buyer indeed had the cash to back up his loan. This method has been used by banks for years, but it is a less known way of financing a major purchase, such as a house or a ship.
What does gold filled jewellery mean to the buyer? For the most part, it simply means that the purchaser is purchasing an item that is going to stay with him as he grows older. Unlike purchasing something like a house, which can be moved quite easily when needed, gold items are not as easy to transport but will last for decades if properly cared for. While it may be tempting to keep your gold filled to just use it later, the investment is not worth it in the long run.
What does gold fill mean to the seller? It essentially means that the seller is getting a good return on his investment, and the buyer is happy to purchase something that will stay with him for many years to come. Sellers should always try to acquire pure gold items for their collections, but they should also have a secondary market for gold-filled items so that they can sell them if the demand for them is low. This is a great way to make some extra money off of an old investment, and a lot of people find this a convenient way to make money as well. Whether you are selling gold-filled jewellery to make money or you are simply looking for a place to store it, the investment can be a rewarding one.