Micron refers to the thickness of the plating, determining how long the gold plating lasts before it begins to fade. There is no clear guidance on how long the plating will last, as it depends on factors such as the traffic level of the jewelry. Rings and bracelets are high-traffic pieces, necklaces are medium-traffic, and earrings are low-traffic. Higher traffic requires a thicker plating. Other factors include the wearer’s skin acidity and how they care for their jewelry, such as avoiding exposure to showers, beaches, or swimming pools.
For the lower-price market, clients often choose flash plating with a coating to extend durability while keeping costs affordable.
In the medium to high market, we recommend starting with a 2-micron thickness for rings. If the budget allows, 3 microns is ideal, as rings fade faster than other jewelry. A 3-micron thickness on a sterling silver base qualifies as Gold Vermeil, allowing you to market the ring as such.
Regarding costs, we charge clients for the ring plus the plating based on thickness. For example, if a ring costs $20 and plating is $5 per micron, plating it with 1 micron costs $25, 2 microns $30, and 3 microns $35.