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Thread: How many microns of gold do I need?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
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    Default How many microns of gold do I need?

    Hi everyone,

    I've made some silver stud earrings and I'd like to get them gold plated. How many microns of gold do you think is neccessary for such an item? I've had several pieces plated in the past and I never really know what thickness to ask for.

    Any guidance gratefully received!

    Nina

  2. #2
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    Aug 2010
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    Hi Nina,

    In standard terms, heavy gold plating refers to items that have between 2.5 microns up to 5 microns of gold plating. Standard gold plating is usually about 0.5 to 1 micron. But bear in mind there is no way that you are going to be able to measure your ear studs to see if you have got what you paid for. Have in mind that a twenty pound note is 0.10mm.thick, which is 100 microns thick as I micron = 0.001mm. or 0.000001metre.

    James

  3. #3
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    Nov 2010
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    Thanks, James. You're right, it's difficult to tell what you're getting when you have plating done. And impossible to measure! I think I may ask for 2 microns and hope that it is sufficient to last for a while.

    Nina

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Goldsmith View Post
    Hi Nina,

    In standard terms, heavy gold plating refers to items that have between 2.5 microns up to 5 microns of gold plating. Standard gold plating is usually about 0.5 to 1 micron. But bear in mind there is no way that you are going to be able to measure your ear studs to see if you have got what you paid for. Have in mind that a twenty pound note is 0.10mm.thick, which is 100 microns thick as I micron = 0.001mm. or 0.000001metre.

    James
    I'm interested in this as I'm thinking of having something gold plated.

    If you pay a company for 5 microns, presumably they can tell if it has had that amount? Are they likely to short change a customer?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
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    If you want to sell the earrings and describe them as 'vermeil' (gold plated silver), the gold layer will need to be at least 2.5 microns. This is, compared to most commercial plated jewellery, a nice thick plate and quite hard wearing.

    I know nothing about the process of measuring the thickness of the plate but I plate my own jewellery with a little pen electroplating kit and I love it! It would be nice to know how thick the layer of gold is though

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by silken View Post
    If you want to sell the earrings and describe them as 'vermeil' (gold plated silver), the gold layer will need to be at least 2.5 microns.
    That's interesting; I didn't know that fact about vermeil. Thanks, Silken.

  7. #7
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    I went into Elliot Fitzpatrick platers in London on Friday to get some quotes. They recommended to me 2 microns for necklaces, 1 micron for earrings and at least 3 microns for rings, although said that people do often go for a thicker 5 micron coating on rings, as they are worn a lot.

    Hope that helps.

  8. #8
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    Thanks, Lauren, that's very helpful.
    Nina

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by silken View Post
    If you want to sell the earrings and describe them as 'vermeil' (gold plated silver), the gold layer will need to be at least 2.5 microns. This is, compared to most commercial plated jewellery, a nice thick plate and quite hard wearing.

    I know nothing about the process of measuring the thickness of the plate but I plate my own jewellery with a little pen electroplating kit and I love it! It would be nice to know how thick the layer of gold is though
    I'm surprised that vermeil is that thick, I always thought it was a super thin plating, so that's good to know. I suppose if it's thicker it won't 'migrate' into the silver.

    Quote Originally Posted by ShinyLauren View Post
    I went into Elliot Fitzpatrick platers in London on Friday to get some quotes. They recommended to me 2 microns for necklaces, 1 micron for earrings and at least 3 microns for rings, although said that people do often go for a thicker 5 micron coating on rings, as they are worn a lot.

    Hope that helps.
    is there a huge difference in price between one and five microns? Also, if you are electroplating, once you get one micron or molecule depth of gold, how do they build it up?

  10. #10
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    How many microns of gold do I need?

    An ancient philosophical question is: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? Well, if it is a mm across and they are a micron thick a thousand can line up in a queue to get off. Dennis

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