Gold filled vs gold clasps

Sure is. 14k is 8 times as costly , 18k even more. And 24k is both more expensive and softer, wears faster.

Tina

Yes, but for selling finished work that you've invested a lot of time in, isn't 14 or 18k at a minimum, more desireable? I see gold filled clasps that look nice now, but won't they wear off and be cheap looking? Obviously I don't know much about this. I guess I should research what the gold filled is, actually. It seems that if I put so many hours into a piece that should last a lifetime, I'd want to have solid gold findings... I appreciate the input, thanks.

Unless someone is investing in "fine jewelry" they don't usuall want to pay the extra for 14k. I see a simple 14mm lobstercalsp in my Rio catalogue. In gold filled it's 6.49 for 6. In 14k it's 13.07 for one. Most people don't want to spend the extra $10 to have a 14k clasp.

It's gold plate you want to avoid. Wears off quickly with moderate wear or even handling. "Gold filled" had a much thicker layer of gold and won't wear off for most people for as long as they own the piece.

Tina

If you have a wholesale license, GemORama outside of Boston is a good place for findings, especially headpins ($10.00 for 1,000) and earwires. They have a webpage at

or you can call them. They also have excellent prices on gemstone shaped beads.They have monthly specials and will put you on their mailing list. Patti

Thanks Patti.

Tina

cheap looking?<

They shouldn't - that's the beauty of using gold-filled findings. They wear extremely well. OTOH, you want to avoid gold plate completely because it

*will* wear off, and rather quickly, too.

Carol in SLC (Newest stuff -

)Little sister's new JB auctions 7/12

To keep costs down and make a less expensive piece, yet still have the look of gold.

Thanks, Patti

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Steve & Susan Wright" :

]Many people here find it difficult to even get more than min. wage for the ]work they do when you add up all the hours spent on their creations much ]less the time spent on marketing. There is a great divide between wishes ]and reality. At this time, most artisan made jewelry doesn't command the ]price it deserves and the increase in cost in findings will not pass on to ]the consumer.

amen. which is just one of the reasons i work with silver.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

Bill of Rights - Void where prohibited by Law.Regime Change in 2004 - The life you save may be your own.

Sweetie -- gold filled is not "cheap stuff." It is good stuff.

Becki "Here in Alaska we call a shovel a shovel and a c*ck a c*ck" -- C.T.P.Peterson

OK then. That is absolutely not fair, is it? Well, then we'll add this to the list of things that will have to change when I become Empress of the world... This is getting to be a very long list, any other inequities you want to add? (We have a while to go, but get your requests in now)

Ok, still trying to find out gold filled's composition, I did an "Ask Jeeves", since Google didn't turn up one. Here's the only thing I found by way of explanation:

broken down I'll put an abbreviated exerpt from the post of gold filled,vermeil and gold plating here and tell you the author is listed as "Beadman""Gold-fill is more complicated. The gold is not added to the bead, butrather in an median step. A large bar of jeweler's bronze is given a thicklayer of high-karat gold (by sweating). Then this bar is stretched androlled into a sheet of gold-fill; and from this beads (or whatever) aremade. The resulting beads have a much thicker layer of gold than platingprovides, and because the two metals are worked together they arestructurally bonded in a manner that plating doesn't allow. And, gold-fillitems are also sometimes gold-plated as well. I guess this covers seams, orinsures a bright finish. Thus, gold-fill is superior to gold-plating, andmore desirable, and more expensive." In other words, it's a mix of gold and bronze...

"BeckiBead" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m19.aol.com...

On Sun, 20 Jul 2003 18:34:05 -0400, CLP wrote (in message ):

I use real gold. 14K, not 24K, because pure gold is too soft to stand up. I also use vermeil in places where it won't be touched (as spacers in between larger beads, for example.) However, I don't sell my stuff. If I had to worry about market rates and getting something in return for my time, I probably would use gold filled.

That being said, I don't have any problem with gold filled. From what I understand, the gold part is thick enough that it will outlast me, and it certainly looks wonderful. Most gold plate has a sort of brassy yellow look that doesn't appeal to me, and the way it wears off so quickly makes it unacceptable for my use.

But, there's a reason I mostly work with silver. I just got some clasps and a few spacer beads for some pieces I wanted to make. $250 later, I had a tiny little baggie to show for my troubles. For $250, I could have gotten quite a bit of beautiful silver. I don't mind being lavish with silver accents in my jewelry, but I'd have to be quite wealthy to do the same in gold.

Kathy N-V

so, how do i get a wholesale liscence?

alia :)

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (alia) :

]so, how do i get a wholesale liscence?

totally depends on what state you live in.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

Bill of Rights - Void where prohibited by Law.Regime Change in 2004 - The life you save may be your own.

I love the look of silver, but when it comes in contact with me, it tarnishes. (I think it's all the espresso in my system) Kathy, Where did you find your gold findings? It's kind of a drag, not being able to look at and touch this stuff in person. It's internet or catalog, and it's hard to assess the "feel" of the things, isn't it? I hear more negative than plus about the vermeil. Wish I could take a trip to the VI where gold is cheaper.

I was about to say! *Gold-plated* is cheesy; *gold-filled* is not. You can afford to use 18K if you're selling precious stones like diamonds; people will pay the increased price. But using it for semi-precious and glass beads, unless it's commissioned, isn't cost-effective at all. Gold-filled is the best type of gold finding unless you know the customer will pay for solid gold.

Just picking out this bit to reply to - with a big ol' ME TOO. My LBS carries a tiny amount of sterling and gold-filled stuff, but it's in a locked case and I don't want to ask them to open it just so I can fondle the stuff. :D Same with their Bali, Turkish and Indian silver. (And Swarovski). I've had to learn about this stuff by buying small amounts online and comparing them in different pieces. Needless to say, it's slow learning when you have to pay for it. (Though it does make learning very, very fun!)