Gold-filled jewelry is more dependable than gold-plated or vermeil because, legally, gold must constitute 1/20 of the piece's total weight. Gold plated items contain less that 1/200 of the pieces total weight. It is also heat and mechanically bonded to enhance its strength. This means gold filled jewelry survives much longer than pieces subjected to other coating methods, lasting decades to a lifetime of wear before the base metal starts to show. Gold-filled jewelry is marked with a...