Artisanplating.com Gold Plate Thickness Chart

[crystalcranium]

This company is one of only a few companies who will do small run consumer plating of jewelry and watches. I had a long talk with their owner several months ago about the realities of gold electroplating watches and it didn't instill confidence in me about the quality of Asian GP. Putting a 10 to 20 micron coat on a watch is very expensive ($300+) and they consider a 2.5 micron plating a heavy plating. I have serious doubts about dealer claims about 5 micron GP. Acording to this company, such a coating would not be cheap and would be of very high quality, qualifying as a specialty gold plate.

I wouldn't be surprised if most Asian GP falls in the costume jewelry range of 0.5 to 1.5 microns.

[Corgi]

I don't care how many charts you throw in my face... I bought a 18K full gold president from Joshua in early Sep '06 and wear it quite frequently... there is no wear. I also purchased a two-toned 18K turn-o-graph a while ago, again, gold sticks on well....

Whether it is exactly "5mil" or not is certainly a question I cannot answer, but, I can tell you honestly its a good looking and good quality product....

[richard_uk]

[crystalcranium]

I don't care how many charts you throw in my face... I bought a 18K full gold president from Joshua in early Sep '06 and wear it quite frequently... there is no wear. I also purchased a two-toned 18K turn-o-graph a while ago, again, gold sticks on well....

Whether it is exactly "5mil" or not is certainly a question I cannot answer, but, I can tell you honestly its a good looking and good quality product....

What is it my wife says to me all the time?......oh yeah..."It's not about you!" Sorry you took my post as a personal afront about your most recent purchases.

My reality check came in talking to this guy. I told him I wanted a heavy gold plating,...something on the order of 10 to 15 microns and was informed that was a very special amount of deposited plating, and that a 2.5 micron plating was the most practical thickness. It slowly dawned on me that he was providing truth in advertising and that 5 micron claims from China were dubious at best.

Low level light and putting a slightly worn plated watch next to a new plated watch provides a reality check as well.

[longshot]

i'm reasonably sure that artisan is the company that re-plated a rare seiko 6138 chrono for one friend and a bulova accutron for another and i can say the results were stunning

the seiko in particular came out awesome.

[trinsic]

When crystalcranium speaks, people listen.

[Torques]

This company is one of only a few companies who will do small run consumer plating of jewelry and watches. I had a long talk with their owner several months ago about the realities of gold electroplating watches and it didn't instill confidence in me about the quality of Asian GP. Putting a 10 to 20 micron coat on a watch is very expensive ($300+) and they consider a 2.5 micron plating a heavy plating. I have serious doubts about dealer claims about 5 micron GP. Acording to this company, such a coating would not be cheap and would be of very high quality, qualifying as a specialty gold plate.

I wouldn't be surprised if most Asian GP falls in the costume jewelry range of 0.5 to 1.5 microns.

Wow, very interesting and helpful, thanks for the post. I have a new all-gold 18k Sub from Josh. I am wearing every day for the last 2 1/2 weeks. I will find out how it holds up. I don't do sports with it or get it wet.

[coolfire]

When crystalcranium speaks, people listen.

AMEN...... :hands:

[Raijor]

What is it my wife says to me all the time?......oh yeah..."It's not about you!" Sorry you took my post as a personal afront about your most recent purchases.

My reality check came in talking to this guy. I told him I wanted a heavy gold plating,...something on the order of 10 to 15 microns and was informed that was a very special amount of deposited plating, and that a 2.5 micron plating was the most practical thickness. It slowly dawned on me that he was providing truth in advertising and that 5 micron claims from China were dubious at best.

Low level light and putting a slightly worn plated watch next to a new plated watch provides a reality check as well.

Hi- Great post and timely. Is this company willing to do one off jobs or do require some minimum? Thanks

[crystalcranium]

Hi- Great post and timely. Is this company willing to do one off jobs or do require some minimum? Thanks

There's a $35 minimum but most watch plating, if they have to disassemble the watch, is going to run about $100. I sent them one disassembled watch case and bracelet and a 2.5 um plating was $60.

Oh....they have a reputation for refusing work on replicas so sending them a non descript watch case or bracelet is probably the best way to go.

[Raijor]

This company is one of only a few companies who will do small run consumer plating of jewelry and watches. I had a long talk with their owner several months ago about the realities of gold electroplating watches and it didn't instill confidence in me about the quality of Asian GP. Putting a 10 to 20 micron coat on a watch is very expensive ($300+) and they consider a 2.5 micron plating a heavy plating. I have serious doubts about dealer claims about 5 micron GP. Acording to this company, such a coating would not be cheap and would be of very high quality, qualifying as a specialty gold plate.

I wouldn't be surprised if most Asian GP falls in the costume jewelry range of 0.5 to 1.5 microns.

Before I contact Artisan I should ask you if they are willing to plate reps or are they anti-rep?

[crystalcranium]

Before I contact Artisan I should ask you if they are willing to plate reps or are they anti-rep?

I would send them the watch case and bracelet without the identifying works. Ask them for a quote for just the plating. Tell them you heve, or you will have someone remove the mechanicals. I believe part of the watch plating expense is them having to involve a watch person to disassemble and re-assemble the watch...and sending them an annonymous case would help matters.