Malachite Huggie Earrings

Gold filled (also known as rolled gold) comprises a solid brass (copper and zinc) core over which gold is mechanically bonded using heat and pressure. The difference between gold filled and gold plated items is the amount of gold used over the brass core. Gold filled items must contain, by law, 5% or 1/20 of gold by weight. In contrast gold plated items usually contain a microscopic amount of gold. This means the gold layer on gold plated items can peel or flake very easily exposing the brass core underneath. Because the gold layer on gold filled items is so much thicker it will not peel or flake and lasts for years.