FAQ

Materials

It’s nice to know what you are wearing. So here are some details on the metals we use here at Gold & Citrus.

Gold-fill means that a solid layer of gold is bonded with heat and pressure to a base metal such as brass. The minimum layer of karat gold in an item stamped GF equals at least 1/20 the weight of the total item. Because gold-fill items have a minimum requirement of the amount of gold to be used, it is generally 50 to 100,000 times thicker than gold-plated items. Even with daily wear for up to 30 years, gold-fill will not wear through.

Gold-plate means that a thin layer of gold has been deposited onto another metal, such as copper or silver. Generally, our gold-plated items have a yellow-gold color. Be aware that gold-plate can tarnish is not meant to last quite as long as gold-fill, but still provides real gold for a lower price.

Sterling Silver is composed of 92.5% silver, and 7.5% other metals, such as copper. Pure silver is generally too soft to work with, so adding another metal is what provides its strength.

Oxidized Silver means that we have dipped sterling silver into a solution of liver of sulfur, which triggers a chemical reaction and allows the silver to “age” immediately to what it would look like after years of exposure to oxygen.

Gunmetal is a strong metal, which used to be used for the making of guns. It is an alloy composed of copper, tin, and zinc.

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Brass is relatively resistant to tarnishing, and provides a similar warm look that gold has, but is a bit more rustic.

more questions? e-mail us at info@goldandcitrus.com.. we would love to hear from you!