What does "Gold Plated" mean?
Find out everything you need to know about the term “gold plated”.
In this article, we explain in detail the coating process, the legal standards in France, the meaning of the number "750/1000", and why you should choose Orphée gold-plated jewelry which guarantees quality, durability and shine that lasts over time.
Today, "gold" colored jewelry is given several names. You have probably already come across the two most frequently used terms: "gold plated" and "gold gilded".
But what exactly do they mean?
The term "gold plated" refers to a process of coating a base material, usually brass or silver, with a thin layer of gold. The plating process works by electrolysis, also called electroplating. The minimum thickness required to qualify as "gold plated" in France is 3 microns.

The use of brass as a base material is common in jewelry because of its strength and compatibility with gold plating. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
When a piece of jewelry is gold plated, it means that the base material (brass) is covered with a thin layer of gold with a minimum thickness of 3 microns 750/1000.
Punching
This thickness is certified by a hallmark, which is both proof of the plating and a signature of the company performing the plating. The hallmark may include the name of the company and sometimes the karat of the gold used.
It is important to note that in France, there is legislation that governs gold plating.
To benefit from the designation "gold plated", the minimum thickness of 3 microns must be respected.
What are the promises of these processes? In this article, I will try to explain the different qualities to you and I think you will be surprised.
Our Orphée Jewelry is plated in 750/1000th gold (18 carats), with a minimum thickness of 3 microns (quantity of gold applied). I will explain why we made this choice and why you will like it.
If a piece of jewelry is covered with a layer of gold less than this thickness (0.3 / 0.5 / 1 / 1.5 / 2 or 2.5 microns), it cannot be called "gold plated" but rather "gilding".
Thus, jewelry described as "gold-plated" is a false promise, because it is simply a gilding with a thickness of between 0.3 and 1 micron, a layer 10 times thinner than that of gold plating.
But what does 750/1000 mean?
The term "750/1000" refers to the purity of the gold used in plating. It is a commonly used grading system to indicate the gold content of an alloy.
In this system, pure gold is denoted as "24 karat". However, pure gold is generally too soft to be used in jewelry making, as it is prone to scratching or even warping easily. Therefore, it is mixed with other metals to improve its strength and durability.
The number "750" in "750/1000" means that the alloy contains 750 parts pure gold per 1000 parts total. This type of alloy is often called "18 karat gold" (because 18/24 is 75/100).
The mention "750/1000" on a gold-plated jewel therefore indicates that the alloy used in the plating contains 75% pure gold. This is an indication of the quality and value of the alloy used for the plating.
By choosing an Orphée jewel, you are opting for a jewel offering the best quality/price/resistance ratio.
Despite the rising price of gold and incentives to reduce plating quality, Orphée remains true to its promises to keep you shining for as long as possible.