Why Use Gold Filled Jewelry Parts?
Before getting to the list, I want to talk about why you would want to spend the money to use Gold Filled findings. Many people that I have encountered find the jewelry parts from this material to be expensive as compared to other choices. Given the cost of Karat Gold and Fine Silver in the commodity markets over the last 20 years, Gold Filled items have cost from 25% more to almost double the cost of the same item in Sterling Silver.
There are just some designs that look better with a golden color. Gemstones like Lapis Lazuli can look terrific when surrounded by gold colored findings! Some people find that gold looks better with their skin tone than silver. There are many reasons.
What Is Gold Filled?
So what is “Gold Filled” anyway? When I first heard the term, it sounded to me like an item that was filled with gold … wait, that didn’t really make sense! It turns out that it’s the opposite the gold is on the surface and is ‘filled’ with some other metal. The jewelry industry definition is:
To be marked with a “GF” quality stamp, the metal must have a layer of gold that is at least 10-karat Gold and at least 1/20 (5%) of the item’s total weight. The karat Gold is mechanically bonded to the outside of the item.
The metal that is used on the inside is not usually specified, but often is Brass or Copper (for items that need to be bendable, like Head Pins) or sometimes a base metal alloy (for items that need to be more sturdy, like Clasps). Sometimes you will see a quality stamp like “1/20 14k GF” which would specify not only that the item is Gold Filled, but that the Gold used was 14-karat Gold.
It turns out that 5% by weight of karat gold on the outside is enough to last a very long time. I have Gold Filled jewelry that looks great and is still the same golden color 20 years after I made the piece. Since the gold is mechanically bonded to the surface using heat and pressure, the gold will not peel or flake off of the surface.
Source for Gold Filled Findings
Be very VERY careful buying Gold Filled findings online. I have seen listings that say ‘gold filled’ but based on the price, the findings just have to be the plated variety. Sometimes if you look through the review comments you can get more information about other peoples’ experiences over time.
At the time of writing this post, Gold Filled eye pins run a dollar to 2 dollars a piece, depending on length. If you find an item that looks like it “is a screaming deal”, it probably isn’t. Items like Earring Wires or Clasps tend to be stamped “1/20 14K” if you know where to look for the stamp, but eye pins and head pins usually are not stamped with the “quality”.
Gold Filled Earring Findings
The following jewelry parts tend to be used by people making handmade earrings:
This is a package of four Gold Filled Earring Wires - enough for two pairs of earrings. This is the simple 'coil only' style of French Earring wires. The supplier also sends 4 nylon backs (nuts) to avoid losing your earrings. Zoom in closely on the first picture in the listing and look at the left ear wire: you will see in the center of the round wire portion that it is stamped appropriately for 1/20 14kt Gold Filled jewelry parts.
This package has 12 Gold Filled Eye Pins that are 2 inches in length. I needed only one of these pins for my earrings project because it was long enough to form two links.
These Gold Filled Head Pins are 1" long (fairly short) and 26ga thick (fairly thin). They come 20 to a package.
Gold Filled Necklace & Bracelet Findings
The following jewelry parts tend to be used by people making handmade necklaces or bracelets:
Seamless crimp tube beads are 2mm in diameter and 2mm long. This package contains 96 crimps - enough for lots of projects!
Small Gold Filled Lobster clasps are perfect for Necklace or Bracelet applications. These are 1/20 14kt GF and are stamped "GF" on the flat lever piece of the clasp. They come with small open jump rings at the base. At 10mm long, they are rather small, but functional. They come two to a package. If you follow this link, there are other package sizes and Clasp sizes that are available from the landing page.
I had a really hard time finding oval jump ring choices in Gold Filled. These rings are quite small at 4.6mm x 3mm, and fairly thin as they are 22 ga. They will work for some light weight applications, though.
These 14kt Gold Filled Jump rings are round in shape, and 5mm outer diameter. I like them because they are a heavier gauge at 18ga.
Golden colored Bead Stringing Wire
While it does not contain any gold, this is a nice stranded beading wire that coordinates with Gold Filled jewelry findings:
This product is NOT Gold Filled, but I include it because it coordinates nicely when you are using Gold Filled findings for a necklace or bracelet. The nylon coating surrounding the 7 strands of stainless steel wire has a golden tone that will match nicely in the spots where you can see it (such as near the clasp).
Quick Links to Other Findings Lists
If you are looking for similar finding suggestions using metals other than Gold Filled, be sure to see our other finding parts lists:
- Sterling Silver Beading Finding List – a selection of 925 Silver parts that I use in my own jewelry making (and wearing!)
- Economy Beading Finding List – this list includes both gold- and silver-colored findings, as well as antique brass, copper and gunmetal (black) selections
