There are some misconceptions about gold plated jewelry, many returning questions are “What does ‘gold’ plated jewelry mean?” and more importantly, “what is it made of?”. There are many different materials used when creating gold plated jewelry, however simply put it is made from two components: metal jewelry and a layer of liquid gold.

At Les Inimitables, our pieces are well-made to last and stand the test of time. Each piece is made with 3 microns of 18ct gold or sterling silver laid over a steel base. On top of that, all of our pieces are made with an extra resilient layer of gold that doesn’t easily wear away, whilst also being hypoallergenic and nickel-free.

Whilst gold-plated jewelry may not be entirely made out of pure gold, it is still authentic, vibrant and made with a real gold outer layer. Gold plated jewelry is a more affordable alternative than real gold and doesn’t demand a sacrifice on style or wearability. Gold plated jewelry is often more vibrant than solid gold jewelry.

Carat refers to the percentage of pure gold and can be mentioned using different symbols such as ct, kt, or K. Each carat has a different appearance and can be used for different purposes.

24 Carat Gold is the purest form of gold and consists of 99.9% gold. This type of gold is used to create fine jewelry due to its natural yellow colour, softness and malleability.

22 Carat Gold is better used for plain jewelry such as wedding bands.

18 Carat Gold is radiant, with a warmer and brighter colouring. 18 carat gold is more commonly used with durable metal alloys that add extra colour and strength to the jewelry.

14 Carat Gold offers a warm yellow hue and is more commonly used than the higher carats due to its price point. 

9 Carat Gold has the lowest percentage of carat. It’s a light yellow in colour and is preferred over most other metals in the creation of jewelry due to its strength and durability. 

Show your pieces a little love. We suggest polishing your treasures regularly with a microfiber cloth to keep them looking their best. Never use any chemicals, just soap and water is plenty. Avoid wearing your jewelry when bathing or applying lotions, and store each piece individually to prevent unnecessary scratching.

Absolutely, it's a co-working process tho :) The quality of our platings is simply good and the pieces are very well-made. If you take good care of your pieces as explained above you will enjoy them for years to come. That's why we confidently offer our 2 Year Warranty on the plating of our pieces!