What is the difference between Gold Filled, Rolled Gold Plate and Gold Electroplate?
I sometimes receive questions about the differences between GF (gold filled) RGP (rolled gold plate) and electroplate. I’m not a metallurgist, but will try and explain what I know about the different processes. • Gold Filled: Most commonly marked GF, gold filled is a mechanical process where a layer of gold is bonded through pressure to another metal. The result is a very durable finish that won’t flake, rub off, or tarnish, and with reasonable care will last a lifetime or more. The gold content is marked with the karat, and as a fraction or ratio: 1/20 being the most common and lowest gold content that can be called gold filled. The lower the second number in the fraction, the more gold is contained in the piece. For example, “1/10 12 k G.F.” means the gold layer is 12 karat gold and comprises 1/10th of the total weight of the item. The most common content and ration is 1/20 10K: the gold layer is 10 karat gold and comprises 1/20th of the total weight of the item. • Rolled Gold Plate:
