More than two and a half centuries ago, the first precious metal clad was invented and immediately found its use in making ornaments and jewelry (now known, for example, as gold-filled jewelry). A century later, the improvements in precious metal electroplating technology raised serious competition to clad metal. Today, both precious metal clad and electroplating are still being used for making jewelry, each offering different features and benefits, and each serving different purposes. Equating clad and electroplate appears to be misleading to a consumer. This paper presents the work on developing the recommendations to the Federal Trade Commission that LeachGarner carried out on behalf of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee. It clearly identifies the fundamental practical differences between clad and electroplate using mechanical wear tests.

Author: Grigory Raykhtsaum