ok, so what is the deal with gold-filled?  

in a nutshell, gold filled jewelry is made by layering gold to a base metal.  this is done by using heat and pressure to mechanically bond the gold to a core of high quality jeweler's brass.  the process makes gold filled pieces resistant to fading and tarnishing (unlike gold plated jewelry). a piece must be at least 5% (1/20th) gold by weight to be considered gold filled. it's ftc regulated, baby!

gold filled is the next best option to solid gold jewelry. and here's why: gold filled is much more affordable, looks exactly like its solid gold counterpart, and with the right care, can hold up to being worn 24/7.