Choice of microns when replating

Choice of thickness when replating

When replating a piece of jewellery, there are two main things to consider: what type of jewellery you’re having replated (earring, bracelet, etc) and how often you will wear your jewellery, as it will influence the longevity of the plating. 

When replating a piece of jewellery, the thickness of the plating is measured in microns (1 micron = 0.001 of a millimeter). It might not sound like a lot, but plating from 1 micron and up is deemed good quality – under 1 micron is mostly referred to as flash plating and is not part of our offering, as the quality is too low. We normally recommend 2 microns for most jewellery types, but we’ve given you the information to make the best decision for yourself below.

Our recommendation

1 micron
Recommended for earrings only. With regular and considerate wear, it will last you 1-2 years.

2 microns (our general recommendation) 
Recommended for earrings, bracelets, rings, and necklaces. With regular and considerate wear, it will last you approximately 2-3 years for earrings, 1-3 years for necklaces, and 1-2 years for rings and bracelets. 

3 microns
Recommended for rings and bracelets. With regular and considerate wear, it will last you approximately 2-3 years. 

What do we consider regular and considerate wear?

Regular wear means jewellery you wear a few times a week - not everyday, but not only for special occasions. 
Considerate wear means taking off your jewellery when showering, swimming, doing sports or other strenuous tasks, gardening, sleeping, etc. Also removing rings and bracelets when washing your hands. And always putting on plated jewellery after moisturizers, deodorants, perfumes, or other skincare products. 

Table of longevity

If you expect to wear your jewellery more or less frequently, you can trade up or down in replating thickness (see table below for guidance on how long you can expect the goldplating to last - the years are an indication of when your piece will show signs of wear, i.e. dulling of the gold shade, or base metal showing through).