Tired of gold plating over silver: are these new brand alloys
(Alluragold, etc) really tarnish resistant?
Hello all,
I am getting increasingly frustrated with gold plating silver, since
I end up paying a high price for a result that is ultimately low
quality and not durable.
I make personalized pieces so I don’t have the volumes which would
allow me access to industrial-level plating or better processes such
as PVD coating.
I end up having to work with small plating shops that aren’t even
equipped to measure the thickness of their own plating.
Also I can’t use a nickel underplate since I sell some pieces to
Europe where it is illegal.
So in the end I’m paying quite a lot per piece for a low quality
result.
This is why I’ve decided to seek out an alternative.
I think that a majority of customers associate color change with low
quality, so when their vermeil piece begins to tarnish 10 months
after they’ve bought it, or when the gold begins to rub off, they
feel cheated.
Plus gold plated silver is impossible to clean.
I think that they would be much happier with a non-precious alloy as
long as the color doesn’t change.
There are several new brand alloys being sold under various names
(Alluragold is one of them) and I’d like to hear from people who
have actually tried them.
Are they really tarnish resistant? (meaning can they remain
tarnish-free for a few years, and then can they be easily cleaned?)
They are being sold for a much higher price than silver so is it
really worth it?
Thanks in advance for your insight.
Sebastien