How long does gold-plated jewelry last?

Assessment of decorative gold plating, 1, 3 µm and 5 µm hard gold plating

Gold plating is an elegant way to enhance the appearance of jewelry and other special items. But how long does gold plating actually last?

The answer depends on many factors: layer thickness, everyday use, and proper care. In this article, we'll give you a realistic estimate of average durability and show you how to best protect your gold-plated pieces.

Our qualities in comparison

Decorative gold plating (< 0.2 µm)

Application: Decorative gold plating is intended exclusively for objects that are not subject to mechanical stress, such as display cases, exhibits, or works of art. We do not offer this option for jewelry, as it does not provide sufficient protection for everyday use.

Durability: For decorative items that are only displayed: 10+ years. Not suitable for jewelry, as the thin layer wears off quickly.

Standard gold plating (1 µm)

Application: This option is suitable for jewelry that is only worn occasionally. It is economical and offers good protection for pieces that are rarely exposed to mechanical stress.

Durability of jewelry (realistic):

• Rare wear: approx. 3-6 years (e.g. only on special occasions).

• Occasional wear: approx. 2-3 years (e.g. 2x per week).

• Regular wear: Approximately 1 year (e.g. several times a week, in contact with surfaces).

High-quality gold plating (3 µm)

Application: This thickness corresponds to the jeweler's standard (from 2.5 µm on silver, it is referred to as gold vermeil). It is well suited for moderately worn jewelry such as delicate necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pendants, or brooches.

Durability of jewelry (realistic):

• Rare wear: approx. 6-10 years.

• Occasional wear: approx. 3-5 years.

• Regular wear: approx. 1-3 years.

Premium gold plating (5 µm)

Application: This thicker layer is ideal for heavily used jewelry that is worn regularly or daily. Recommended for beloved rings, bracelets, or watches.

Durability of jewelry (realistic):

• Rare wear: approx. 8-15 years.

• Occasional wear: approx. 6-8 years.

• Regular wear: approx. 2-5 years.

Decorative gold plating vs. hard gold plating

• Cheap costume jewelry is often coated with less than 0.2 µm of decorative gold.

• Our 1 µm standard gold plating is already significantly more durable than conventional decorative coatings such as those found in fashion jewelry

• From 3 µm we are talking about high-quality hard gold plating that offers long-term protection.

• Premium 5 µm gold plating offers the best protection for daily use.

Our gold plating options offer various quality levels tailored to the needs of your jewelry. From economical standard gold plating to durable premium gold plating – we offer the right solution for every occasion.

Shelf life at a glance

• Decorative gold plating (< 0.5 µm):
• Infrequent wear: Not suitable
• Occasional wear: Not suitable
• Regular wear: Not suitable
• Recommended use: For decorative objects only such as display pieces, statues or larger works of art.

Standard gold plating (1 µm)

• Rare wear: approx. 3-6 years (e.g. only on special occasions).

• Occasional wear: approx. 1-3 years (e.g. once a week).

• Regular wear: Up to 1 year (e.g. several times a week, when in contact with surfaces).

High-quality gold plating (3 µm):

• Rare wear: 6-10 years
• Occasional wear: 3-5 years
• Regular wear: 1-3 years
• Recommended use: Jewelry with moderate use such as necklaces, earrings, brooches.

Premium gold plating (5 µm):

• Rare wear: approx. 8-15 years
• Occasional wear: approx. 6-8 years
• Regular wear: approx. 3-5 years
• Recommended use: Jewelry that is subject to high wear such as rings, watches or bracelets for everyday use.

The influence of the base material on the durability of gilding

The durability of a gold plating is determined not only by the thickness of the gold plating and the intensity of use, but also significantly by the base material to which the gold plating is applied. The base material significantly influences both the adhesion and the longevity of the gold plating.

Optimally suited materials for gilding

• Precious metals (e.g., silver, platinum, palladium, gold): These materials are ideal for gold plating because they provide an ideal base for bonding. The chemical stability and corrosion resistance of these metals ensure that the gold plating lasts a long time and prevents unwanted reactions.

• Stainless steel: Due to its strength and corrosion resistance, stainless steel is also an ideal substrate. A gold-plated adhesive layer is used on stainless steel to ensure excellent adhesion.

Challenging materials

• Copper and brass: These materials offer good adhesion for gold plating, but can oxidize over time and degrade the gold plating through their own chemical reaction. Thorough pretreatment and insulation are required to minimize wear for as long as possible.

• Tin, zinc, cast zinc, and lead: These metals are problematic due to their acid sensitivity and unstable surfaces. They react strongly with chemicals, making adhesion difficult and potentially leading to blistering or peeling. Gold plating on these materials generally doesn't last as long as on the aforementioned metals because these substrates are highly reactive to acids.

• Tempered steel: While pure stainless steel is excellent, inferior or highly alloyed steels can pose challenges in the adhesion and longevity of the gold plating.

Why does the base material play such an important role?

The base material influences the chemical and mechanical stability of the gold plating. On suitable metals such as precious metals or stainless steel, the gold plating adheres firmly and remains intact even with intensive use. On less stable materials such as zinc or cast zinc, however, the gold plating can wear off quickly, as chemical reactions with the base material impair adhesion and the appearance.

What does this mean for you?

If you want to have a piece of jewelry or an object gold-plated, it's important to consider the base material. For problematic surfaces, we can advise you individually and, if necessary, suggest alternatives or pretreatments to improve the durability of the gold plating.

Differences in durability depending on the piece of jewelry

Important to note: All specifications may vary depending on the wearer and daily life. Furthermore, the durability of gold plating depends not only on the thickness of the gold plating (micrometers) and wear, but also on the type and weight of the piece of jewelry.

Different types of jewelry are exposed to different mechanical stresses, which affect the longevity of the gold plating. For example, the heavier the piece, the more friction it experiences during everyday wear.

Heavy chains vs. light chains:

• Due to their weight, heavy chains have more contact surfaces and rub more against skin and clothing. This leads to faster wear, especially on the links.

• Lighter chains, on the other hand, are often more delicate and cause less friction, which means the gold plating usually lasts much longer.

Rings:

• Rings are the pieces of jewelry that are exposed to the most wear and tear in everyday life. They come into direct contact with surfaces and chemicals during handwashing, work, sports, and other activities.

• A simple ring will tend to shine longer than a very elaborate ring with many rough edges, as the larger surface area is subjected to less concentrated stress. Delicate points and raised areas are subjected to more stress than smooth surfaces.

Earrings and pendants:

• Compared to rings or bracelets, dangle earrings and other types of earrings are subjected to the least amount of wear. They don't have constant contact with surfaces and are more decorative. The gold plating on such jewelry generally lasts significantly longer.

Bracelets:

• Bracelets are also subject to a lot of wear and tear, as they are constantly in motion and often come into contact with surfaces (e.g., desks or table edges). Here, too, the gold plating wears away faster on sharp edges than on round ones.

Necklaces:

• Especially with long and heavy necklaces, constant sliding back and forth and the weight of the chain due to constant friction with clothing can cause faster wear, while short, fine chains often do not experience wear for a much longer time.

Trailer:

• Pendants worn on a chain are often subjected to minimal wear and tear and generally retain their gold plating for longer.

Watch cases and straps:

• Again, this is highly dependent on the geometry. Sharp edges are subject to greater stress than rounded ones. Watches are also subject to considerable stress due to constant contact with the skin and movement. Gold plating can fade faster, especially on the edges and clasps, than in other areas.

Are more than 5 µm gold plating possible?

Yes, of course – we also offer gold plating with up to 10 µm . However, these are not included as standard in our product range and cannot be processed using our flat-rate pricing, and for good reason.

Why are there no 10 µm available?

Gold plating with 10 µm may sound more robust in theory, but the reality is often different:

After approximately two to five years (depending on use), even a thicker gold layer will develop a dull, worn appearance due to mechanical stress, scratches, friction, or contact with surfaces. These visual impairments are not caused by the gold layer being worn away, but by fine scratches that no longer reflect light evenly, giving the gold plating a dull appearance.

The problem with processing:

Even if the gilding is still intact on the edges and surfaces, it will inevitably be worn down to the base material during the necessary polishing. Mechanical polishing is unavoidable if the piece is to regain a flawless shine. However, even hard gold plating won't survive this for long; depending on the depth of the scratches, etc., it is inevitable that the base material will be reached.

Afterwards, the piece of jewellery would have to be completely re-gilded anyway – regardless of whether it was originally 5 or 10 µm gold plated.

Our approach to profitability:

A gilding with 5 µm offers an ideal price-performance ratio. After about 2 to 5 years (with regular, normal use), it can be refreshed and re-gilded if necessary. This saves you the high additional cost of a 10 µm hard gold plating , as this would also have to be re-gilded after the same period of time.

Interested in more Micron?

For special requirements where a thicker gold layer is desired, we will be happy to provide you with an individual offer for gold plating with up to 10 µm.

Would more be possible? - No.

Please note: Gilding with more than 5 to 6 µm thicknesses are only possible after an individual assessment of the piece of jewelry. This is carried out on-site in our workshop to ensure that the geometry and condition of the piece allow for such a layer thickness and to avoid miscalculations. After the assessment, we will send you a customized quote.

Just contact us – we will be happy to advise you!

What does µm (micrometer) actually mean?

The term µm stands for micrometer —a unit of measurement equal to one millionth of a meter. To put this into perspective: 1 micrometer is about 100 times thinner than a human hair.

In gold plating, µm describes the thickness of the applied gold layer. The higher the value, the thicker and more resistant the gold plating is to abrasion and mechanical stress. Inexpensive costume jewelry, if it has been gold-plated, is usually not even measurable and sometimes less than 0.2 microns. Typical gold plating thicknesses are between 1 and 3 µm. 2.5 corresponds to the jeweler's standard (this is also called gold vermeil on 925 silver).

5 µm hard gold plating is durable enough and offers long-term enjoyment, while thicker layers such as 10 µm are very expensive and reserved for special requirements.

Gilding in everyday life: Important information on durability

The durability of gold plating depends heavily on the way the gold-plated piece is used. The above-mentioned periods assume normal and reasonable use. With careless or uncaring treatment, these periods can be significantly shortened.

What does “normal use” mean?

• Normal use: Jewelry is treated with care and is not worn during sports, bathing, or physical work.
• Harsh use: Daily contact with chemicals (perfume, cleaning products), harsh mechanical stress (e.g. contact with tables, keys) or lack of care.

Note: Even the best gilding can cause visible wear due to intense abrasion. In such cases, we recommend professional re-gilding.

Care instructions for longer durability

1. When wearing:

• Do not wear gold-plated jewelry while exercising, bathing, cleaning, or sleeping.
• Avoid contact with chemicals such as perfume, hairspray or cleaning products.

2. Cleaning:

• Only clean your jewelry with a soft, damp cloth.
• Do not use aggressive cleaning agents or polishing creams.

3. Storage:

• Store jewelry individually in soft fabric bags or padded boxes.
• Avoid damp storage areas such as bathrooms.

4. Re-gilding:

• If there is visible wear and tear, we can restore your jewelry to its former glory with professional gold plating.

Why we reject decorative gold plating on jewelry

For jewelry, we exclusively use high-quality gold plating starting at 3 µm. Decorative gold plating (< 0.5 µm) does not offer sufficient durability for jewelry exposed to mechanical stress and daily contact with the skin. These platings only make sense for objects that serve purely decorative purposes and are not used, such as statues, display pieces, or works of art.

Gold plating jewelry: What influences its durability?

The lifespan of a gold plating depends not only on the layer thickness, but also on the use, external conditions and the geometry of the object.

• Layer thickness: Thicker gold plating (e.g. 5 µm) is more resistant to abrasion and chemical influences.

• Wearing habits: Jewelry that is worn regularly wears out faster than pieces that are used infrequently.

• Mechanical stress: Rings and bracelets that often come into contact with surfaces are subject to greater abrasion.

• Chemical influences: Perfume, chlorinated water and sweat can attack the gold layer and shorten its durability.

• Geometry of the object: Objects with complex or unfavorable geometries, such as protruding points, edges, or sharp-edged areas , are more susceptible to wear. The gilding is worn away more quickly by mechanical contact in these areas than on larger, flat surfaces.

Real durability begins with the right gilding

Gold plating gives jewelry and objects a noble character – but its longevity depends largely on the thickness of the layer, wear and tear, and care.

With high-quality gold plating starting at 3 µm and careful use, you can enjoy your pieces for many years. For jewelry worn daily, we recommend our premium 5 µm gold plating , which ensures lasting shine even under heavy wear.

Our promise: Tailor-made advice & highest quality

At LAFFARTS, you won't receive standard gold plating—we'll create a customized solution tailored to you and your jewelry. We offer comprehensive advice on durability, care, and possible re-plating options.

Please contact us for a personal assessment or a non-binding offer.