Glossary
Gold-plated or solid
Gold- and silver-plated items have only a thin precious metal coating and therefore little material value.
Gold-plated means a very thin gold layer over a brass, copper or silver core. Electroplating is often only a few tenths of a micrometre thick, fractions of a milligram of gold per piece. Practically nothing remains of value when selling.
Doublé, also called gold-filled, is the thicker, rolled-on version from the 19th and early 20th centuries. It lasts much longer than electroplating but is still not solid gold. Typical marks include Doublé, plaqué or, 1/20 12K G.F. or a thickness such as 20 microns.
The principle is the same for silver. Marks such as 90, 100 or 120 on cutlery specify the grams of fine silver applied across 24 pieces. Solid silver instead carries 800, 835, 925 or 999. A single plated spoon often contains less than four grams of silver.
Worked example: plating versus solid metal
At 120,00 € per gram of fine gold, a solid 5 gram 585 ring has a material value of 351,00 € and brings a payout of 315,90 to 333,45 €.
A visually identical plated ring may contain 0.01 grams of gold, worth around 1,20 €. Plated cutlery is similar: 90 grams of plating across 24 pieces, at 1,20 € per gram of fine silver, is 108,00 € for the complete set, and only part can technically be recovered.
How we tell the difference in Nordhorn
In Nordhorn, we first check with a magnet and magnifying glass, then a measuring instrument. X-ray fluorescence identifies a thin coating by detecting a different metal beneath the surface. A density test also helps with thicker coatings.
If an item is only gold-plated, we tell you openly and you simply take it home. We prefer that to a flat-rate offer nobody can later check. Testing is free even if no purchase results.