Our 14-karat gold-filled jewelry offers a simple yet elegant choice that delivers the color and richness of gold at an affordable price. Gold-filled pieces are usually considered lifetime products because a solid, thick layer of gold is bonded to the base metal core of the jewelry. Gold filled pieces have the same appearance as high karat gold, making them reasonably priced, quality alternatives to solid gold jewelry.
In the United States, gold filled items are regulated by the government. The quality of gold-filled jewelry is defined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). If the gold layer is 12kt or higher, the minimum layer of karat gold in an item stamped "GF" must equal at least 1/20th of the total weight of the item. Ornata uses brass as the base metal core for our gold filled components.
Gold-filled should not be confused with "gold-plated" because it can have 100 times more volume of gold bonded to the base metal than does gold plated. You can learn more about gold filled jewelry from the Wikipedia article found here.
Caring for gold filled jewelry is the same as for any high karat fine jewelry. Keep your gold filled necklaces away from chemicals and clean occasionally with warm soapy water. You can also polish your gold filled jewelry gently with a soft polishing cloth.