bling aijewelry stamps · plated / filled
not solidGP stamp on jewelry: what gold plated means.
GP means gold plated: a thin layer of gold electroplated over another metal. even with a karat beside it, like 18K GP, the piece isn't solid gold.
- metal
- gold plated
- base metal + thin gold layer
- also stamped as
- GP · G.P. · GEP · 18K GP · 14K GP · gold plated · gold electroplate
- solid or plated
- a coating over another metal
the mark
what GP means.
plating deposits a microscopic layer of gold onto a base metal like brass, copper or steel using an electric current. the karat in a mark like 18K GP describes the gold in that layer, not the piece.
GEP stands for gold electroplate. in the united states, that term requires a layer of at least 10k gold at a minimum thickness of 7 millionths of an inch (0.175 microns). thinner coatings are sometimes sold as gold flashed or gold washed, terms the FTC's guides stopped endorsing in 2018.
plating wears through with use, especially on rings and bracelets. how long it lasts depends on thickness and how often the piece rubs against skin and surfaces.
before you trust it
how to check a GP stamp.
- read the whole stamp. letters after the number change everything: 14K GF, 14K GP, 18K HGE and 1/20 12K RGP all describe plated or filled pieces, not solid gold.
- check rings on the inside of the band and bracelets at the clasp. that's where plating wears first and the base metal shows.
- a magnet may or may not catch it: steel-based pieces are magnetic, but brass and copper aren't.
questions
the GP stamp, answered.
other stamps
every mark is searchable in the hallmark decoder. selling vintage or estate pieces? see photography for vintage and estate sellers.
selling what you found?
photograph it like it's worth something.
bling ai turns a phone photo of a piece into a listing shot that looks like a campaign, so good jewelry sells for what it is.
