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From: lazeldes@wlcrjs.UUCP (Leah A Zeldes)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Re: Why do eyeglass frames cost so much?
Message-ID: <601@wlcrjs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Feb-85 01:09:39 EST
Article-I.D.: wlcrjs.601
Posted: Wed Feb 20 01:09:39 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Feb-85 08:20:03 EST
References: <2950@cbneb.UUCP> <478@ahuta.UUCP>
Reply-To: lazeldes@wlcrjs.UUCP (Leah A Zeldes)
Organization: chi-net, Public Access UN*X, Chicago IL
Lines: 29
Summary: gold jewelry terms explained

In article <478@ahuta.UUCP> ea@ahuta.UUCP (e.arias) writes:
>REFERENCES:  <2950@cbneb.UUCP>
>
>Recently Rus Putzke commented about eye glass frames and referred
>to types as Gold Filled, Gold Plated, ...
>
>Can anybody defines these commom terms which we always hear but
>are hard pressed to actually know the differences between them.

Gold is described in terms of how much gold there is compared to how
much base metal.  Pure gold is 24 karat, but it is too soft to do anything
useful with, and must be bonded to a base metal to be shaped into jewelry
(or eyeglasses).  The type of base metal used determines whether it is white
or yellow gold.  Terms like 18 K, 14 K, 10 K, etc. tell you that there is 
correspondingly less gold bonded to more base metal.

Gold filled items are still gold bonded to base metal, and then shaped, but
in a much smaller proportion of gold to base metal than karat jewelry.

Gold plated items are shaped of base metal, and then coated with a very
thin layer of gold.  The gold can wear off.

These explanations are off the top of my head; I haven't looked up the actual
proportions -- there are rules for how much gold there has to be to get what
rating, etc., but this will give you the idea.  Or ask a jeweler.
-- 

					Leah A Zeldes
					...ihnp4!wlcrjs!lazeldes