Heavy Gold Plating

Heavy plating deposits 5–10 times more gold than standard plating, creating a layer thick enough to withstand the daily abrasion that rings, watch cases, and bracelets experience. Where standard plating might wear through on a ring within months, heavy plating is engineered to last for years under the same conditions.

The process takes longer and uses significantly more gold than thinner deposits, which is reflected in the price. However, for items that will be worn daily, the investment in heavy plating is far more economical than re-plating standard or flash items every few months.

Heavy plating is the preferred choice for watch restoration — cases, bracelets, bezels, and crowns all benefit from the thick deposit. It is also widely used for wedding bands, signet rings, and any jewellery that will be worn continuously.

We apply heavy plating over a copper or nickel base coat, and for premium applications we offer a palladium undercoat which provides superior adhesion and acts as a barrier against base metal migration. The palladium upgrade is particularly recommended for watch cases and fine jewellery intended to last a decade or more.

At 10 µm, heavy plating approaches the thickness of gold-filled items (which typically have 10–50 µm of gold). While not equivalent to solid gold, a well-applied heavy deposit on quality base metal is a practical and beautiful alternative at a fraction of the cost.