Gold filled beads and gold plated beads are two separate kinds of beads.

Gold Filled (GF) is a layer of 10Kt or better gold mechanically bonded under heat & pressure to one or more surfaces of supporting base metal, then rolled or drawn to a given thickness. In the jewelry industry the quantity of gold must be at least 1/20th by weight of the total product. Under FTC (Federal Trade Commission) regulations, a product may be marked as 14, 12 or 10Kt Gold-Filled. Karat measurement of the gold content MUST be part of the marking or designation on larger beads & findings. The amount of real gold used is why GF items are always much more expensive than their gold plated counterparts (or items that say they are 'Gold Filled' that don't specifically tell you the karat rating!) Gold plated beads have a thinner layer of gold, and do not last as long as gold filled beads. Higher quality jewelry will have gold filled beads due to their longevity. All of our Gold Filled beads and findings are either 12k or 14k gold. We also offer some beautiful Vermeil-style options (Vermeil-style is sterling silver with a 22k gold electroplated finish) and some truly economical Gold Plated beads and findings.