What does "gold-filled" mean? (Originally published 20 November 2017)

Humanity's love affair with gold goes back several millennia.  The first clear evidence of human manipulation of gold is from ancient Egypt circa 3000 BCE.  Gold has influenced mythology, triggered epic stories of greed and intrigue spanning continents, formed the backbone of currency systems, and is regarded as a symbol of wealth and status.

Gold has also played a part in romance and gifts of this precious metal have been given as tokens of love throughout history.  Gold figures prominently today as part of weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations. As the price of gold rises, gold-filled and gold-plated products have emerged to make the beauty of this metal more accessible.

The Purple Raven Boutique uses only 14/20 gold-filled wire (both yellow and pink/rose) in its designs as it is more substantial and more durable than gold plating.  "Gold-filled" is a term used by the jewelry industry to describe material that has a gold layer that is at least 5% of the item's total weight.  The Purple Raven Boutique purchases 14/20 gold-filled wire from Rio Grande, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  "14/20" means the gold used is 14 karat.  Rio Grande has a long history of supplying the jewelry industry in North America and meets the regulatory requirements set by the Federal Trade Commission in the USA.

What does all this mean for consumers? Gold-filled jewelry offers all the warmth, beauty and richness of gold at a more accessible price.  It means that gold-filled jewelry made by The Purple Raven Boutique is made of heirloom quality materials, that with proper care, should last a lifetime, or longer.  

Sources:
https://bebusinessed.com/history/the-history-of-gold/ 
http://media1.riogrande.com/marketing/landing/ByName/ActOn/Guide%20To/Guide-To-Gold-Filled-IS.pdf