Indie Style: How to Go for the Gold Without Breaking the Bank - Stylehive

Gold has enjoyed a comeback in the last few years, but with historically high prices, who can afford to follow the trend? YOU can, if you know how to shop for gold that fits your budget:

Gold-plated refers to karat gold over base metal, usually brass. According to Federal Trade Commission regulations, the gold layer must be at least 0.50 microns in thickness-- compare that to the width of an average human hair at about 100 microns. This is the least expensive option since it contains the least amount of karat gold.

Vermeil (pronounced "ver-MAY") is usually not less than 10kt gold but is more often 18kt or 22kt gold plated over sterling silver. Although one might think that the same standards would apply to vermeil as to gold-plate, since both processes involve electrolytically depositing a layer of gold over another metal, vermeil must actually have a gold layer of not less than 2.5 microns in order to be legitimately sold as vermeil and not as gold-plated silver.

14-karat gold-filled, also sometimes called "rolled gold" or "gold clad," must have at least 1/20th of the total finished weight of the metal be from the karat gold layer, which is fused using heat and pressure instead of being electroplated to the surface of the base metal over which it's layered. With the greatest amount of karat gold, this is the most expensive alternative, but it's usually still quite a bit more affordable than karat gold itself.

Now that you know what to look for, golden child, get your bling on with these affordable alternatives to karat gold offered by indie designers featured in my slideshow!