L'Or ... mais lequel?

Gold...but which one?

FIX, Goldfilled, gold plated... you often ask me to define them. Mixing it up is easy, with so many terms to describe gold jewelry, it can be confusing knowing exactly what you're buying, how much your pieces are worth, and how to care for them.
I'll explain everything to you in this article, it will be much clearer after...
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REAL GOLD
Real gold jewelry is the most expensive and purest. The value of real gold comes from its color and luster. It is also very popular because it retains its shine and does not tarnish over time.
Often gold is an alloy made up of several metals to create a metal that is stronger than pure gold. These alloys are often less expensive than pure gold because they have lower carats (a unit of measurement for the purity of gold). However, these alloys retain some of the properties of pure gold that gold lovers appreciate – its luster, its color and the fact that it does not tarnish – but are more practical for jewelry that we all wear days.
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GOLD FILLED
Developed in the United States, it is a recent process for manufacturing components for jewelry from a raw material composed of a thick layer of 12 or 14 K Gold mechanically pressed or hot-applied to a brass base.
In France we could translate it literally as “gold filled” and it is indeed the thickest form of gilding. The weight of Gold alloy corresponds to 1/20 of the total weight of the product, or approximately 50 to 100 times more than in a Gold plated product.
The components are then cold manufactured. It is therefore not possible to have Gold Filled components requiring the casting of metal and the use of molds.
Gold Filled jewelry is therefore much more durable and resistant than classic gilding if you take care of it. Here is a small explanatory diagram which allows you to understand the nuances between the names “Gold-filled”, “gold-plated”, “jewellery gilded with fine gold”…
Although Gold Filled is not sold as real gold, it has the same properties and appearance as real gold. All Gold Filled components that I use to create my jewelry comply with European standards regarding the release of nickel, the main allergenic metal found in jewelry. All earring clasps in particular are exclusively Gold Filled, which prevents any risk of allergic reaction.
It will not tarnish, peel or change color. Gold Filled accessories can be worn every day without fear of them tarnishing or losing their color for 30 years. Just like Gold, Gold Filled also exists in rose gold.
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FIX gold plating
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FIX
The “FIX” or “ORIA” hallmark on old jewelry corresponds to very good quality laminated gold plated. Old lighters from the "DUPONT" ​​brand, for example, are generally made of 20 or 40 micron gold-plated FIX and silver-plated.
The Fix brand was created in 1829 by François-Auguste Savard, in the Marais district, the heart of the jewelry industry at the time. This is where the gold-plated jewelry industry was born, which was to experience a dazzling destiny. Success was immediate throughout France but also quickly abroad.
At the Paris exhibition of 1855, he received a gold medal “For its good workmanship, its impeccable polish, the superiority of its quality and the research of its designs”. In 1868, technical progress made it possible to use the mechanical stamping process, whereas until then everything had been manual.
It was in 1895 that the Fix brand was actually born, with the motto "His armor is in gold" with the representation of a knight and his helmet, in order to make the title of gold used in its jewelry immutable, and to restore customer confidence.
Most gold-plated jewelry from the late 19th and early 20th centuries was designed using this process and has a FIX hallmark affixed to the reverse, which helps prove their origin and authenticity. I often use them in my jewelry because the designs and patterns are particularly delicate and they are often in perfect condition despite their age.
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GOLD PLATE
Just as there are varying degrees of purity of gold, the quality of the plating also varies. It fluctuates depending on its gold content, that is to say the quantity of gold layer deposited on the jewel or on the object. We then speak of microns.
The administration regulates the name “gold plated” for sale in France:
  • For jewelry, the gold layer must be at least 3 microns.
  • For watchmaking, the gold layer must be at least 5 microns:
If the layer of gold is less than the minimum required, the jewelry is not considered to be plated. It will then be considered “golden jewelry”. Be careful with the somewhat misleading and therefore often used name "gilded with fine gold" which is therefore not gold plated.
Gold plated jewelry is the best option for anyone who loves gold but needs to watch their budget (which is pretty much everyone). This gives a feeling of luxury without needing to rob a bank every time you see a great bracelet or fashionable necklace that you like. Gold plating is made using an electrical (electrolysis) or chemical (rolling) means to deposit a very thin layer of gold on another metal. This process makes it possible to create a layer of gold of 1/1000 to 1/3000 mg on a more affordable metal such as silver or copper.

The disadvantage of gold plating is that the gold layer tarnishes and loses its luster over time. Indeed, the molecules of the base metal are slowly transferred to the thin layer of gold and alter it.
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At BLISS, all modern chains, clasps and rings that adorn old pieces are Gold Filled , to guarantee their durability. Earrings as well so as not to risk allergies.
The old upcycled chains are in FIX, gold plated, recognizable by the hallmark, and sometimes just gold . The finish is always detailed.
Most old medals are in FIX.
I don't use gold-plated brass, I don't use nickel, you won't find new items that are just gold-plated. but a few old elements, so pretty that the finish is not important and which already bear the marks of wear and tear over time, an elegant patina.
Because creating upcycled jewelry means giving them a second life as long as possible, I am committed to offering you the most beautiful and durable finishes....which you will now be able to recognize without difficulty!
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