goldplated

Goldplated, also written as gold-plated, is a surface finishing process in which a thin layer of gold is deposited onto a non-gold base metal through electroplating or electroless deposition. The goal is to confer the appearance of gold and, in some cases, improved corrosion resistance at lower cost than solid gold.

Common base metals include copper, brass, nickel, zinc alloy, and stainless steel. The gold layer is usually very thin, measured in micrometers or microinches; standard decorative plating may be 0.5–2 μm, while heavy or high-end plating can reach 2–10 μm. The gold may be 10k, 14k, 18k, or 24k depending on the bath and the desired color; most consumer items use lower karat gold or alloyed colors to save wear.

Electroplating uses an electrical current to move gold ions from a solution onto the item; electroless gold plating uses a chemical reducing agent without external current. Gold plating is widely used on jewelry, watches, decorative hardware, and in electronics for connectors and contact surfaces due to gold's conductivity and corrosion resistance. Techniques like vermeil (gold over sterling silver with a minimum thickness of 2.5 μm) and gold-filled (a thicker gold layer bonded to a substrate) are related.

Durability: wear and abrasion can expose base metal; re-plating may be required. Nickel underlayers can trigger allergies in sensitive individuals. Plating processes may involve hazardous cyanide-based baths; modern formulations reduce environmental impact. The term goldplated is often used to distinguish from solid gold and from gold vermeil or gold-filled products.