Gold Plated Body Jewelry: A Shine of Elegance at Viaticum Gallery in Oslo

Here at Viaticum Gallery, we not only celebrate the art of tattoos and piercings, but we also understand the importance of adorning your body with beautiful gold-plated body jewelry.

Our Oslo studio offers a diverse selection, including Gold-Plated Sterling Silver, Gold-Plated Surgical Steel, Gold-Plated Titanium, 22k Gold-Plated Surgical Steel, and even solid gold. In addition, we have options like Zircon Surgical Steel and Zircon Titanium, each with its own unique touch of elegance. But you may be wondering what sets these choices apart?

The first thing you will notice when exploring our collection is the variation in color. Why does one gold-plated piece of jewelry look different from another? The answer is quite simple – it depends on the karat of gold used to coat each piece of jewelry.

Please note that Zircon gold is a completely different product. If you are curious about Zircon Steel and Zircon Titanium (Gold PVD), we recommend you check out our dedicated post for more information.

The karat (kt) of gold represents the percentage of pure gold in the metal:

• 24 kt gold contains 99.9% pure gold.
• 22 kt gold consists of 91.6% pure gold.
• 18 kt gold contains 75% pure gold.
• 14 kt gold consists of 58.3% pure gold.
• 9 kt gold includes 37.5% pure gold.

The higher the karat of gold, the richer and more vibrant the yellow gold color. For example, 22kt gold jewelry, with its 91.6% pure gold, has a strong and intense gold color. Meanwhile, a piece of jewelry made of 14kt gold, with 58.3% pure gold, gives a lighter shade of yellow gold, as you can see in the image above, where the item marked “Gold Plated” shows the 14kt gold color.

Choosing the gold karat for your body jewelry is all about finding a balance between the durability of the metal and the gold color you want to wear. While pure gold is beautiful, it is relatively soft, making 24kt gold (99.9% pure gold) less solid and therefore unsuitable for most jewelry. At the other end of the scale, 9kt gold (37.5% pure gold) is much stronger and well-suited for jewelry pieces.

Ultimately, the choice is yours! Each karat of gold adds a unique yellow tone to the gold color, so it’s important to find the perfect balance. At Viaticum Gallery, we believe that 14kt gold provides a beautiful yellow gold color while being a strong and durable metal, making it ideal for body jewelry.

For this reason, we have transitioned to using 14kt gold plating on our gold-plated jewelry, both in our current range and in future pieces. These items will be clearly marked as “Gold Plated” in the product title.

We also offer 22k Gold Plated items, which exude a deeper shade of yellow gold. Rest assured that these items are as durable as they are elegant. Over time, we will phase out 22k gold plated items to focus on the enduring beauty of 14k gold plating.

Solid gold jewelry can be expensive. Gold-plated piercing jewelry provides a
cost-effective way to achieve the luxurious look without breaking the bank.

Have you ever wondered how gold plating is done? It involves applying a thin layer of gold to the surface of another metal using an electric current. This technique, known as electroplating, was discovered by Alessandro Volta in 1800.

Used by artisans for millennia, gold is one of the most widely used metals today. It is indelible, completely recyclable, and can be hammered and rolled to such a fine thickness that you can see through it. While you may not have a particular reason to want to see through gold, it is a fascinating reminder of the enduring appeal of this precious metal.