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

Recommended for necklaces and earrings. With regular and considerate wear, it will last you approximately 2 years for earrings and or necklaces.

3 microns

Recommended for all jewellery, especially rings and bracelets. With regular and considerate wear, it will last you approximately 2-3 years.  When gold plating is done on piece made of sterling silver, and is above 2.5 microns, this is considered gold vermeil.

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 appropriate care of your plated jewellery. Follow the below tips;

- Always apply perfume, make-up and hairspray before putting on your gold-plated jewellery.

- Make sure your hands are free from make-up and lotion when putting on and taking off your gold-plated jewellery.

- When exercising, remove your gold-plated jewellery to prevent salts from your sweat damaging your jewellery.

- Remove your gold-plated jewellery before showering, bathing and swimming in saltwater or chlorinated pools.

- Remove your gold-plated jewellery when preparing acidic foods.

- Do not apply hand sanitizer if wearing a gold-plated ring.

- Do not let your jewellery come into contact with any cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals.

- Avoid using a jewellery polishing cloth to clean your plated jewellery - these are designed to polish solid gold or sterling silver jewellery.

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 gold plating 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).