Is polished gold real gold? What is polished gold? Does polished gold tarnish? If you want to find out the answers, you are in a right place.
By now, your quest for the best jewelry varieties has sent you to the wildest, most interesting ends of the jewelry world.
What this means is that you could be quite educated about different kinds of jewelry or confused by the unfathomable variety offered.
One of the confusing metal variety used in jewelry making is gold, especially with the rather wide range of gold used in jewelry making. The different kinds of gold have variable properties and use, and understanding their differences is key to finding the best kind of gold for your jewelry.
Today, we take a look at polished gold, what it is, and whether it falls in the same category as real gold or not.
So, let’s get started!
What is polished gold?
Polished gold refers to one of the most prestigious color finishes for the gold metal. The polished finish is synonymous with the high-purity finish of gold resulting from the deposit of 24K gold 3N. This polish is often applied over the polished nickel underlay. The gold polish can be up to 2micromillimeters in thickness.
The gold’s polished finish results from the use of specific polishing compounds, as well as the fast-spinning brush that’s designed specifically to ensure that smoothened surface of the gold.
Note that the polished finish is different from the brushed finish, with the latter having a brushed, satin-matte finish that results from the use of a fine grit surface to brush over the gold surface evenly. The brushing is done in one direction and against the direction of the gold grains.
Some of the features that stand out from the polished gold include the fact that the thickness of the polished gold layer will vary depending on the use of the gold piece. The other impressive thing that stands out from the polished gold includes the fact that the deposit of almost 100% pure gold means that you are assured of the durability of the piece of jewelry, along with its high resistance to corrosion. And with good care, the polished gold coating will retain its natural sheen and sparkle for a long time.
The downside of the polished gold pieces is that they are too delicate and call for extra care when cleaning, and they are also scratch-resistant.
Is high polished gold real?
Well, given the fact that the polished gold contains a layer of high-purity 24k gold over a nickel underlay, the answer to your question would be no – the high-polished gold isn’t real gold, but a form of gold-plated, high finish gold jewelry.
Does polished gold tarnish?
The polished gold is made of the highest quality gold. 24K gold used to make polished gold is in its purest form, and it’s also non-reactive, which means that the polished gold will not tarnish for as long as the gold layer is kept safe and the gold layer isn’t scratched.
This doesn’t, however, mean that the gold polish jewelry isn’t a good jewelry idea. The polished gold finish gives you a beautiful golden sheen that stands out beautifully, and as long as you care for the piece and avoid things that could cause scratching, the jewelry will always look as good as new.
That said, it’s also worth noting that the gold that’s used in jewelry is used along with other metals, and the mixed metal alloy is often susceptible to tarnishing. And in the case of polished gold, where the gold layer on the exterior is made of pure gold, tarnishing would only happen when the internal layer or the base metal is exposed.
So, if you notice tarnishing on the polished gold jewelry, it often means that the surface layer is chipped or that the gold polish isn’t pure 24k gold. The alloyed mixtures that result in 22k, 20k, 18k, or 14k gold could be the reason for the tarnishing because the metals added to gold to make it hard are reactive, and they tarnish.
Pros and cons of polished gold
Pros
- Durable
- Beautiful gold sheen
- Safe on the skin
Cons
- It scratches easily
- Too delicate when cleaning
- Some gold is lost during polishing.
Conclusion
Polished gold is a variation of gold. It makes beautiful and lustrous jewelry, and you may want to invest in this kind of jewelry if you are looking for something that looks as good as the real thing.
The polished gold is durable, but before you buy any jewelry made of polished gold, you need to know that the base metal used often is a nickel underlay, which means that the jewelry will lose its shine after some months or years (depending on how you use it), and if you have sensitive ears, then you will notice some irritation after the gold layer starts to wear off.
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Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.