How much does it cost to have your jewelry gold-plated?
Anyone who wants to have a valuable piece of jewelry re-gilded – whether for sentimental, aesthetic, or functional reasons – will sooner or later be faced with the question of price. Professional gold plating is not a standard service, but rather a customized finishing process that is based on various factors.
What factors influence the cost of gold plating?
1. Size and area of the jewelry
The larger the surface to be gilded, the more material and working time are required – especially for thicker layers.
2. Desired layer thickness (1, 3 or 5 microns)
The thicker the gold plating, the more intensive the protection—and the more real gold is used. For frequently worn jewelry, we recommend at least 3 microns, and 5 microns for maximum durability.
3. Form & complexity of the piece
A simple ring requires different processing than a delicate brooch or a multi-link chain. Edges, recesses, and movable elements significantly increase the effort.
4. Preparation & Post-processing
Each piece of jewelry is manually cleaned, prepared, masked if necessary, coated multiple times, and finally inspected. This can vary considerably depending on the condition and material.
5. Gold tone & material matching
You can choose between 14K, 18K, or 24K yellow gold. We'll match the gold tone precisely to your original pieces or your style preferences.
6. Stress & type of use
Will the piece be worn daily? Is it part of a set? Does it have significant emotional value? All of this influences the recommended layering thickness and the effort required.
When is high-quality gold plating worthwhile?
A treatment and genuine hard gold plating is always worthwhile if your piece of jewellery
-
made of a high-quality base material (e.g. silver, platinum, palladium, stainless steel, real gold)
-
has a high ideal or emotional value (e.g. heirlooms, gifts, custom-made items)
-
is worn and used regularly , for example in everyday life or on special occasions
In such cases, high-quality gold plating not only provides new shine – it also protects the piece from corrosion, abrasion, and color loss – so you can enjoy your treasures for a long time to come.
For inexpensive costume jewelry or mass-produced items that can be replaced at any time for just a few euros, especially without an emotional connection, high-quality gold plating is generally not economically viable. The emotional or material value should be proportionate to the effort involved.
Why high-quality gilding is worthwhile
While inexpensive decorative gold plating may look good at first, it often wears off after just a few days. Anyone who wants to wear or preserve their jewelry for a long time needs genuine hard gold plating with substance.
With us you will not receive “quick gold plating”, but:
-
real hard gold plating with depth effect
-
careful handcraft in manufacturer quality
-
individually tailored processes to the material, stress and desired gold tone
What quality levels are there?
1 micron – for decorative or rarely worn pieces
Recommended for light pendants, delicate earrings or display items.
3 microns – for regularly worn jewelry
The optimal choice for everyday rings, bracelets or necklaces that come into contact with the skin.
5 microns – for long durability with frequent use
Our premium gold plating: Ideal for heirlooms or heavily used jewelry pieces.
And what does that mean for the price?
A small pendant with clean lines and low wear can be crafted easily and at relatively low cost. A solid ring with daily skin contact, a high level of detail, and 5-micron gold plating requires significantly more time, gold, and precision—and is priced accordingly.
Have your jewelry gold-plated directly online or receive a personalized quote
-
You can book simple pieces of jewelry such as plain rings, fine necklaces or small pendants directly online with us.
-
For more complex, large-scale or emotionally valuable individual pieces, we recommend a non-binding inquiry with a picture, dimensions and request.
We examine each piece individually and provide you with a tailor-made offer – for a gold plating that is as unique as your jewelry.
