Tom Luxsox Coins

Silver Nickel

When we look at vintage or contemporary costume jewelry, and it looks like gold, is it really? What does "Karat" mean? What is HGE? What is the difference between gold plate and gold filled?

Let's look at the different definitions of gold that you're likely to find on jewelry:

14 Karat Gold: Pure gold is 24 Karat, or kt, which means that 24 out of 24 parts are gold. 24kt is too soft to be made into jewelry, so it's alloyed with other metals for cost, durability and color. 14kt is 14 parts gold out of 24, and the remaining 10 parts may be copper, silver, nickel, zinc, tin, palladium and/or manganese. The color of the gold - yellow, white or rose - depends on the metal that is combined with the gold. White gold contains nickel, which may irritate the skin of people with an allergy to nickel.

Gold Plate is a very thin layer of gold electroplated or electrochemically applied to the piece of jewelry. It's about 1/1000 to 1/1,000,000 of an inch thick. Heavy Gold Electroplate, or HGE (there's your answer) can be 2 or 3/1000 of an inch thick.

Gold Filled is 50 to 100,000 times thicker than regular gold plating, and about 17 to 25,000 times thicker than heavy gold electropate. Gold Filled, also called Gold Overlay, is made by using heat and pressure to apply a layer of karat gold over a base of metal. The surface layer of karat gold can be 10kt, 12kt or 14kt. The fraction shows the thickness of the layer. So, 1/10 10kt GF means that 1/10 of the total weight of the piece is 10kt gold, and 1/20 12kt GF means that 1/20 of the total weight of the piece must be 12kt gold. Be careful when buffing gold fill items, as the gold layer might be removed. This is an important flaw to look for when you examine vintage costume jewelry.

Vintage costume jewelry that is gold colored, we call gold-tone if there is nothing on the piece to indicate that it is gold, gold plated or gold filled.

Since vintage costume jewelry was made for mass market appeal and low cost, gold plate and gold fill were often used instead of karat gold to keep costs down.

Always examine gold pieces carefully, and look for a mark designating what type of gold finish it has. If it's gold, gold filled or gold plated, it will be marked - if not, be sure you're not paying for gold that isn't there!

My name is Deena O'Daniel, and I have been collecting vintage costume jewelry for years. I discovered that I was a collector when I regretted the sale of a particularly beautiful Aurora Borealis rhinestone brooch. Now I do sell vintage costume jewelry on my web site, but sometimes there's a piece that I just can't bear to part with.

My web site, http://www.oakhillboutique.com has a large array of costume jewelry, but that's not all. China, pottery, collectibles and gifts are also among the hundreds of items. I love to shop and I love a bargain, and I love to pass the bargains along to my customers.

Visit the above link often, since new items arrive every week. You never know what you'll find but I can assure you that you'll find great gifts and collectibles at great prices.

Atkinson Erfurt NN508 Nickel Silver Double Horn Nickel Silver 889406239241 $2449.99 Atkinson Erfurt NN508 Nickel Silver Double Horn Nickel Silver 889406239241

Atkinson Erfurt NN508 Nickel Silver Double Horn Nickel Silver 886830185106 $3690 Atkinson Erfurt NN508 Nickel Silver Double Horn Nickel Silver 886830185106

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Nickel Silver $78.07 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Nickel silver is a metal alloy of copper with nickel and often, but not always, zinc. The usual formulation is 60 / 20 / 20 copper / nickel / zinc. It is named for its silvery appearance, but contains no elemental silver unless plated. Other common names for this alloy are German silver, paktong, new silver and alpacca (or alpaca). Nickel silver first became popular as a base metal for silver plated cutlery and other silverware, notably the electroplated wares called EPNS (electroplated nickel silver). It is used in zippers, betterquality keys, costume jewellery, for making musical instruments (e.g., cymbals, saxphones), and is preferred for the track in electrically powered model railway layouts as its oxide is conductive. It is widely used in the production of coins (e.g. GDR marks, Portuguese escudo). Its industrial and technical uses include marine fittings and plumbing fixtures for its corrosion resistance, and heating coils for its high electrical resistance. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Timpledon, Miriam T./ Marseken, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 120 Publication Date: 2010/07/12 Language: English Dimensions: 6.00 x 9.02 x 0.28 inches

Small Sway Can - Nickel/Silver by Umbra® $14.99 Small Sway Can - Nickel/Silver by Umbra®

Keilwerth SX90R Nickel Silver Alto Saxophone $4699 Keilwerth SX90R Nickel Silver Alto Saxophone

Neumann TLM 103 D Microphone Nickel Silver $1799.95 Neumann TLM 103 D Microphone Nickel Silver

Keilwerth SX90R Nickel Silver Alto Saxophone 886830005527 $3759.2 Keilwerth SX90R Nickel Silver Alto Saxophone 886830005527

Keilwerth Sx90r Nickel Silver Alto Saxophone $4699 Keilwerth SX90R Nickel Silver Alto Saxophone

Neumann Tlm 103 D Microphone Nickel Silver $1799.95 Neumann TLM 103 D Microphone Nickel Silver

Fission Silver Satin Nickel Six-Light Mini Pendant $824 Fission Silver Satin Nickel Six-Light Pendant

Fission Silver Satin Nickel Three-Light Mini Pendant $415 Fission Silver Satin Nickel Three-Light Pendant

Silver Nickel Antique 24-Inch Appliance Pull - (In Silver Nickel Antique) $368 This 24" appliance pull is beautifully crafted of solid bronze in a silver nickel antique finish. - Note: This finish is considered a custom order. If order is cancelled, a fee may be assesed. Please contact customer service for more information.

Silver Nickel Anitque 30-Inch Appliance Pull - (In Silver Nickel Antique) $439 This 30" appliance pull is beautifully crafted of solid bronze in a silver nickel antique finish. - Note: This finish is considered a custom order. If order is cancelled, a fee may be assesed. Please contact customer service for more information.

Atkinson Erfurt NN508 Nickel Silver Double Horn Nickel Silver $4100 The NN508 features a .468-inch bore with a 12.2-inch large throat hand spun nickel silver bell designed for a responsive instrument that is lighter and more expressive, and is excellent for chamber music or solo work.

Atkinson Erfurt NN508 Nickel Silver Double Horn Nickel Silver 889406632134 $3690 The NN508 features a .468-inch bore with a 12.2-inch large throat hand spun nickel silver bell designed for a responsive instrument that is lighter and more expressive, and is excellent for chamber music or solo work.

Atkinson Erfurt NN508 Nickel Silver Double Horn Nickel Silver 889406760820 $3690 The NN508 features a .468-inch bore with a 12.2-inch large throat hand spun nickel silver bell designed for a responsive instrument that is lighter and more expressive, and is excellent for chamber music or solo work.

546-1SLV-CRC - ELK Lighting - 1 LIGHT PENDANT IN SATIN NICKEL WITH SILVER CRACKLE $153 Elk Lighitng - 1 LIGHT PENDANT IN SATIN NICKEL WITH SILVER CRACKLECURVALO PENDANT

Miraphone Miraphone Tuba Leadpipes 1292 Leadpipe, Nickel Silver No Receiver $229 Miraphone Miraphone Tuba Leadpipes 1292 Leadpipe, Nickel Silver No Receiver

Recording King RU-998 Metal Resonator Ukulele Nickel/Silver $344.99 Recording King RU-998 Metal Resonator Ukulele Nickel/Silver

MXL LSC-1 Live Series Condenser Mic Nickel Silver $199.95 MXL LSC-1 Live Series Condenser Mic Nickel Silver

Recording King RA-998 Metal Resonator Mandolin Engraved Nickel/Silver $479.99 Recording King RA-998 Metal Resonator Mandolin Engraved Nickel/Silver

Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 889406546851 $2614.5 Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 889406546851

Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 889406685208 $2324 Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 889406685208

Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830052033 $2324 Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830052033

Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830277320 $2614.5 Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830277320

Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830128769 $2614.5 Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830128769

Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830186240 $2614.5 Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830186240

Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830038143 $2614.5 Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 886830038143

Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 889406546998 $2614.5 Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 889406546998

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Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 889406546738 $2614.5 Buffet Crampon R13 Professional Bb Clarinet with Nickel Silver Keys 889406546738

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Hans Hoyer 6801NSA-L Heritage Double Horn Nickel Silver Screw Bell $4795 Hans Hoyer 6801NSA-L Heritage Double Horn Nickel Silver Screw Bell