Published 2 June 2026
What plating actually is
Gold plating is a thin layer of gold bonded to a base metal core, usually brass, copper or sterling silver. The layer can be very thin, a few microns on costume jewellery, or relatively thick on heirloom pieces. The thickness range for electroplated gold is typically 0.175 to 2.5 microns. Anything thicker is usually called gold-filled or rolled gold rather than plated.
Gold-filled (GF) and rolled gold plate (RGP) are heavier coatings, mechanically bonded rather than electroplated. They contain more gold than thin electroplate but are still not solid gold pieces. The legal definition of "gold-filled" in the United States requires a minimum gold layer of 1/20th of the total weight. In the UK there is no equivalent statutory definition, but the markings are widely used.
Hallmarks and marking conventions
A genuine solid gold piece sold in the UK should carry an assay office hallmark with a fineness number. 375 is 9 carat. 585 is 14 carat. 750 is 18 carat. 916 is 22 carat. 999 is 24 carat. Alongside the fineness mark you usually see the maker mark, the assay office town mark and a date letter.
Plated pieces are marked differently. Common abbreviations include GP (gold plated), GEP (gold electroplated), HGE (heavy gold electroplate), GF (gold-filled), RGP (rolled gold plate) and 1/20 (gold-filled ratio). Some plated pieces carry a carat number followed by "GP" or "EP", such as 18K GP. Many plated pieces, especially cheap costume items, carry no mark at all.
The weight feel test
Pick the item up. Compare it to a known-gold piece of similar size. Solid gold has a noticeable heft. A brass-cored plated piece feels light. A pewter-cored plated piece feels lighter still. The difference is more obvious on larger pieces, a solid 9 carat gold bangle feels substantially heavier than a plated bangle of the same dimensions.
Weight feel is not enough on its own. Some hollow solid gold pieces are deliberately lightweight. Some plated pieces over a copper or bronze core feel surprisingly heavy. Use the weight as a clue, not a verdict.
Magnet and wear-point checks
A strong magnet should not stick to either solid gold or most quality plated pieces. If the magnet pulls, the core contains iron, which rules out both quality plating and solid gold. The magnet rules things out, not in.
Wear points tell a different story. On a plated piece, the gold layer wears off first at the highest contact areas, the inside of a ring shank, the back of a watch case, the underside of a bracelet clasp. A duller, darker patch at those spots is the base metal showing through. On a solid gold piece, the same wear area looks the same colour as the rest of the metal.
Why GoldPaid still XRF-tests plated items
A common worry from sellers is that a plated item is worthless and not worth posting. That is not always true. Some pieces marked GP turn out to be solid 9 carat under XRF, the GP mark was added incorrectly in the trade chain. Some pieces marked 925 GP are sterling silver under a gold layer, in which case the silver content has value. Some gold-filled (GF) items contain enough gold by weight to be worth assessing.
Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market. We XRF every item received, including plated and gold-filled pieces, so the truth of the metal is on record. If the piece is genuinely costume with no recoverable value, we tell you and post it back at our cost. There is no penalty for sending something that turns out to be plated.
Posting items you are unsure about
- WhatsApp clear photos including the inside band or back of each piece to 07763 741067.
- Note any marks you can see in the message, even GP marks or numbers without context.
- Receive a shape-of-offer reply and a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label.
- Bag each piece separately and pad inside a rigid mailer.
- Drop off at a Post Office counter and forward the tracking on WhatsApp.
- Read the written valuation when it arrives and decide at your own pace.
Common questions
Is a GP marked piece always plated?
Almost always. We still XRF-check because the mark is occasionally wrong.
Are gold-filled pieces worth selling?
Sometimes. The gold layer is thicker than standard plate. The XRF reading tells us whether the gold content justifies an offer.
Why does my plated ring still attract a magnet?
The base metal underneath contains iron. The piece is plated over steel, which is unusual on quality jewellery.
Can plating be tested without damage?
Yes. XRF is non-destructive and reads through the surface layer in seconds.
Is my parcel insured?
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery.
Will you charge me if my items turn out to be plated?
No. Testing is free. Return post if you decline is free.
When am I paid for a solid gold piece?
On the working day you accept the written valuation, by Faster Payments.
Do I have to come to a shop?
No. We are postal-only, UK-wide.