Gold filled vs gold plated sounds like a detail only a jeweller would care about. However, it decides whether the gold on your wrist or neck is still gold in a year. DesigNA uses gold filled metal for every gold sphere, spacer, accent and extender on the pattern and "and gold" pieces, and 9ct hallmarked gold where a piece calls for it. This post explains what the two terms mean, why we picked one over the other, and how to look after it.
What gold filled means
Gold filled means a thick layer of gold bonded to a base metal core. The layer runs far thicker than plating, so the gold you see is the gold you keep wearing. Because the parts on a DesigNA piece sit against skin all day, at the wrist, the neck and the clasp, that thickness is the whole reason we use it.
The gold is real gold. It simply sits over a core rather than running all the way through. For a 4mm sphere that marks a DNA position, that is the right trade. The piece carries real gold at every marker position without the price of a 9ct strand.
What gold plated means
Gold plated means a very thin coat of gold over another metal. On day one it looks the same as anything else in gold. Then it wears, at the clasp, at the back of a sphere, wherever the piece rubs on skin or clothing. Once the coat goes, the base metal shows through, and there is no putting it back.
UK law draws the same line. The UK hallmarking guidance notes explain that a plated item cannot carry a gold hallmark, because the gold is a coating rather than the metal itself. So when a listing says gold plated, read it as a finish, not a material.
Gold filled vs gold plated: where DesigNA uses each
We use three kinds of gold, and each has a job. First, 9ct hallmarked gold forms the batons and clasp of the Gold DNA Profile Necklace, £699, with gold filled spacers and extender. Second, a 9ct gold clasp closes the Silver Sphere Gold Accent DNA Profile Necklace, £299. Third, gold filled 4mm spheres sit at every marker position on the pattern and "and gold" pieces, 2mm on the fine bracelets, with gold filled spacers, accents and extenders.
We do not use gold plating on any necklace or bracelet. For the parts that touch skin all day, it would not last.
Pattern pieces: the identity lives in the positions
The pattern pieces carry no stones at all. Instead, a gold filled sphere sits at every marker position, and the identity lives in the positions themselves. A UK laboratory with over 25 years in genetic testing reads 23 identity markers from your cheek swab. Each marker has two values, so a piece carries about 30 positions, and every one of them lands where your fragment sizes place it, smallest first.
So two pattern necklaces from two people look alike from across a room and differ completely up close. The spacing is the design. If you want the science behind that order, read how DNA profiling works. The signed certificate in the box lists all 23 markers and draws the strand with every position numbered, so you can match sphere to marker whenever you like.
Caring for gold filled
Gold filled asks for the same care as the silver. Warm water and a soft cloth will clean it. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner, and keep perfume off the strand, especially where pearls sit beside the gold. After wearing, store the piece flat in its black jewellery box. Every piece also carries a six month warranty, and our jewellery care page has the full routine.
The Silver and Gold Pattern DNA Profile Necklace, £279
The Silver and Gold Pattern DNA Profile Necklace, £279, is the piece this post is about. Polished 5mm spheres of 925 sterling silver hold the spaces, and a 4mm gold filled sphere sits at every marker position, so the gold reads as a pattern of light against the silver. Gold filled spacers, accents and the extender finish it. It comes in 16, 18 or 20 inches, each with a 2 inch extender, and it closes with a single lobster clasp.
The kit arrives in 2 to 3 working days. Once the laboratory has your swab, the piece takes 2 to 3 weeks, and UK tracked delivery is free on both. Nothing on it is plated, so the gold you unwrap is the gold you wear.
Frequently asked questions
Is gold filled real gold?
Yes. Gold filled means a thick layer of real gold bonded to a base metal core, far thicker than plating. It is the gold you see on every sphere, spacer, accent and extender of the pattern and "and gold" pieces.
Why not make everything in 9ct gold?
9ct hallmarked gold is the right choice for the batons and clasp of the Gold DNA Profile Necklace, £699. Gold filled lets us put real gold at every marker position on a pattern necklace at £279 instead. Both choices put gold on skin without a coating that wears away.
Does gold filled wear through like plating?
Plating wears through because the coat is thin. Gold filled carries far more gold, which is why we use it for the parts that touch skin all day. Warm water, a soft cloth and a flat box keep it looking as it did on the first day.
Does a pattern necklace still show my DNA?
Yes. The pattern pieces carry no stones, so a gold filled sphere sits at every marker position and the identity lives in the spacing. Your certificate lists the 23 markers and numbers every position on the drawn strand.
Can the gold filled parts carry a hallmark?
No. A hallmark applies to the metal itself, so it covers the 925 silver and the 9ct gold on a piece. The gold filled parts carry no gold hallmark, and we say so plainly rather than let the word gold do the work.
Ready to wear your markers in gold? Explore the full DesigNA collection.
Your genetic code, profiled from a simple cheek swab and handcrafted into the exact DesigNA necklace. No two are ever the same.
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