A lot of people like to stick to gold jewelry when it comes to their piercings. There are many reasons for this – quality, metal allergies, or simply as a style preference. But not all gold is created equally. Do you know what you’re getting when you buy gold? Read on and find out!
Solid Gold
First there’s solid gold. This is the most expensive option because it is, in fact, jewelry made from solid gold. The main differences in types of solid gold are the color (white gold, yellow gold, etc.) and the karat. The karat number reflects the amount of actual gold in the metal. This means that 18 karat gold actually contains more gold than a piece of jewelry made of 14 karats. Now, before you go and swap out everything you own for 24 karat gold, you might be interested to know that it is actually softer than the lower karat numbers. So, in the case of body jewelry, where you’re going to wear it for extended periods and it may be worn in less protected areas, 14 karat gold is not only the easiest to find, but also your best bet for gold jewelry. All of BodyCandy's 14k gold jewelry lands in this category as your best option for high quality body jewelry. Here at BodyCandy we actually have our own certified Master Jeweler & Gemologist who handcrafts many of the gold pieces on our site.
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Gold Filled
Then there’s gold-filled jewelry. This type of jewelry has several layers of real gold bonded or pressed onto a metal base such as silver or brass. While not being solid gold, this is very durable and still a good (and more affordable) option if you want gold in your piercings. It may fade but should maintain its appearance for twenty to thirty years before that happens. It doesn’t tarnish and it comes in the same variety of colors and karats as the solid version. The name is actually rather deceptive as the jewelry is covered in gold and not filled with it on the inside. (Thank goodness for that – it’s much prettier this way!)
Gold Plated
The third version you may see is gold plated jewelry. This is the most affordable option, but it is also the lowest-quality option. This uses a process called electroplating, where an electrical current is used to form a gold coating on the jewelry. You can read more on that by clicking here. This means there is real gold on the jewelry, but only a thin outer layer. When used in body jewelry, this layer can easily begin to wear away over time, exposing the base metal below. The texture is no longer as smooth and can irritate your piercings. It can also be problematic for people with metal allergies as the base metal may contain allergens such as nickel.
None of this means that you can’t wear gold plated or even gold-tone jewelry. (Gold tone jewelry contains no gold at all and is simply gold colored.) It can be worn as fashion jewelry, for a night on the town or a specific event, just not for long-term wear.
Now that you know the difference in types of gold, you should feel more confident buying jewelry and knowing exactly what you’re getting and what to expect from it. It should also help you understand why some gold is more expensive than others. So, get out there and get golden – if that’s your style and what you like. There are so many options in body jewelry these days it’s hard to pick a favorite!
