Solid Gold vs. Electroplating

May 04, 2021

The latest and greatest from Elizabeth Sarah Collections has no doubt been a huge hit. We want to thank everyone for their kind and positive words and of course for supporting Elizabeth as she embarked on this new journey. Months of hard work and multiple leaps of faith are what brought us to this point, and we couldn’t be happier with the Fine Collection. It represents Elizabeth Sarah Collections wholly, and everything the artist has worked towards in her twenty years in the jewelry industry.

For those that missed out on the first round of one of a kind pieces, don’t fret. There’s more in the process of being casted and set with diamonds as I type. These new beauts will no doubt follow suit and feature unique Diamond designs that compliment each individual style tooth.

While this new solid gold line is a big jump from our previous electroplated collection, we wanted to ensure that you have all the details to make an informed purchase.

The new Fine Collection does feature shark tooth necklaces in solid gold, which means that there is no actual shark tooth underneath the metal, as seen in our Electroplated styles.

These solid gold pieces mean exactly that - we take a real shark tooth and make a cast of it, which is then filled with 14K gold to recreate the exact texture, shape and size of the original tooth.

Elizabeth chose 8-10 real shark teeth from her collection of thousands that represent both unique species and styles that we can work with to create beautiful one of a kind pieces.
Using real teeth sets this collection apart, as we wanted to show the integrity of each serration, root and bourlette.

As for the electroplated styles you know and love, the real tooth that is used is exposed and either electroplated along just the top (root) of the tooth, or the top and edges of the tooth.

Now that we’ve gone over the difference in the actual teeth in the solid gold versus electroplating process, it’s time to talk about the precious metal itself.

Our gold and silver electroplated necklaces are created by a process called electroplating, the result is a “dipped” effect. The electroplating technique involves fusing gold or silver on top of a base metal, creating a magnetic bond with the piece that is being electroplated. Care for your electroplated jewelry is similar to caring for your gold vermeil and sterling silver pieces. If proper care is not taken, the gold or silver electroplating can fade away, causing the underlying base metal to show. To keep the electroplating looking brand new, don’t work out, swim or shower in your jewelry and be cautious when using lotion, hairspray, sunscreen and other chemicals found in your home. Again, we want to emphasize that everyone has a different chemical makeup to their skin, and a difference in pH can affect the wear of the metal.
Once you have an electroplated piece of jewelry, and it begins to fade due to wear and tear, it cannot be “re-made” in solid gold - the processes are entirely different, and if you want your piece to last a lifetime then we suggest taking the proper care as listed above.

Gold Vermeil is a common type of gold plating, which uses sterling silver as the underlying metal. (Both gold and silver are precious metals.) Gold Vermeil is more hypoallergenic and has a thicker layer of gold than normal gold plating, which is why you'll see it labeled as "fine jewelry."
All of our gold chains except those in the Fine Collection (which are solid gold) feature Gold Vermeil.

Solid gold jewelry is the most valuable form of jewelry - whether its 14K, 18K or 24K gold, it is the highest quality type of gold.

Each piece in the Fine Collection features both a Solid Gold Shark Tooth pendant as well as Solid Gold Chain and bail, which connects the pendant to the chain.

Our current electroplated shark tooth necklaces start at $180.00 - $600.00. The new, fine jewelry collection of solid gold and diamonds will have a starting price point of $1,400.00 - $7,000.00.

These necklaces are wearable art, and are produced with the same intention and value that Elizabeth has always put into her jewelry line. It's important to her that her pieces are never mass produced overseas and are made with the utmost care, detail and precise quality control. These elevated standards are what set her fine jewelry apart.

While our electroplated and gold vermeil products are made to last a lifetime with minimal wear and tear, we know our customers want to - and do - wear their classic Elizabeth Sarah Collections pieces daily. However, with enough daily wear the plating can slowly rub off.

Solid gold pieces are meant to last many lifetimes over and will ensure your everyday favorite piece will stay shiny, and the metal will never fade away over time.

We know this was a lot to retain, but gold gets the detailed explanation and attention it deserves. Part of our job is to educate you - we know it can be difficult to make online purchases, and with the vast information on the internet there is a lot to take in. We hope that this helps with your questions and we appreciate your years of support and trust!