DEFINITION 14K GOLD FILLED

What does 14k gold filled mean? 14 karat gold filled jewelry is not actually filled, but is made of base metal (usually brass or copper) covered by sheets of gold in a mechanical bonding process, and by law has a 1/20th (by weight) layer of 14 karat gold bonded over the base metal. Gold filled jewelry has a hundred or more times gold than the few microns of gold in gold plate. Under normal wear and reasonable care that you would give any precious metal jewelry, 14k gold filled jewelry will not peel or flake and can be treasured as heirloom pieces.