Jewelry Gilding

At Ydale, we offer professional jewelry gilding – a process that breathes new life into your jewelry and combines craftsmanship, chemistry, and aesthetics. Many choose to have an existing piece gilded to restore its original shine, create a more exclusive look, or to match other gold jewelry. Whatever the reason, gilding is an effective way to extend the life of a piece and give it a personal touch.

What Does Gilding Mean?

Gilding is a process where a thin layer of gold is applied to the surface of another metal — typically silver, bronze, or brass. The result is a piece of jewelry that looks like gold but retains the strength and character of the original material. Gilded jewelry has long been popular because it combines aesthetics and affordability: you get a warm, golden appearance without the price of solid gold.

But at Ydale, we see gilding as more than just a cosmetic treatment. It is a craft that requires precision, knowledge, and respect for the material.

The Process – Electroplating

We gild our jewelry using an electroplating process, also called electrolytic gilding. This means the jewelry is immersed in a bath containing gold ions. When an electric current passes through the solution, the gold bonds to the surface of the jewelry.

At Ydale, we use 14 karat gold in our gilding, which provides a beautiful and natural golden tone that perfectly suits Nordic jewelry designs. The layer we apply is typically about 1.5–2 microns thick, which is significantly thicker than many standard gildings. This means better durability and a more beautiful finish that won’t wear off at the first touch.

Before the gilding itself, the jewelry is thoroughly cleaned and polished to ensure the surface is completely free of grease, dirt, and oxidation. Any impurities can prevent the gold from adhering properly. The process ends with gentle drying and a thorough quality check to ensure the result meets our standards.

What Can Be Gilded – and What You Should Know

Most silver and bronze jewelry can be gilded, but it is important to note that the gilding covers the entire surface. This means any oxidized details – the dark contrasts that highlight patterns and engravings – will disappear under the gold.

If you have a piece where the dark areas are an important part of the design, its character may change after gilding. It won’t be ruined, but the look will become softer and more uniform in color. For some designs, this is perfect, while others lose some of their visual depth.

We are happy to advise you on this before we begin, so you can make a decision based on how you want the piece to look.

Care for Gilded Jewelry

Although our gildings are done with a relatively thick layer of gold, they will still be affected by wear over time. Gilding is a surface treatment, and frequent use, friction, and contact with sweat, perfume, and cosmetics can shorten its lifespan.

• Remove your jewelry when showering, washing hands, exercising, or sleeping.
• Avoid contact with perfume, lotion, and cleaning products.
• Store your jewelry dry and separately, preferably in a soft pouch or box.

If the gold wears off over time, the piece can always be re-gilded. Many of our customers choose to have their jewelry re-gilded once every year or two, depending on how much it is worn.

Price for Gilding

We have chosen to keep our prices as simple and transparent as possible. The price mainly depends on the size of the piece:

• Gilding of small and medium-sized jewelry: 200 kr.
  (e.g., pendants, rings, small brooches, and earrings)
• Gilding of large jewelry: 400 kr.
  (e.g., bracelets, large brooches, or heavy necklaces)

The price covers the entire process – from cleaning and preparation to the gilding itself and the subsequent quality control.

If you are unsure which category your piece falls into, you are always welcome to send us a photo, and we will provide a non-binding price estimate.

A Personal Customization – No Returns or Exchanges

Gilding is an individual customization of a piece. When we gild a piece for you, we permanently alter it and cannot restore the exact original surface. Therefore, we consider gilding a personal customization done specifically according to your wishes.

This means there is no right of return or exchange on gilded jewelry. Once the work has started, the process cannot be undone.

We always review the task with you before we begin and ensure you fully understand how the result will look. This way, we avoid misunderstandings, and you can confidently entrust your jewelry to us.

A Craft with Respect for the Material

At Ydale, we work daily with jewelry inspired by Nordic craftsmanship tradition – and for us, gilding is about respect for the material. Every piece that passes through our hands has its own story, and our task is to highlight it with care and precision.

Gilding can transform a worn piece into something that feels new and valuable again. It can also create harmony in a jewelry collection where you want a consistent look in golden tones. Whatever the occasion, we ensure the work is done with care and an eye for aesthetics and durability.

Contact Us

Would you like to learn more about gilding, or do you want to send a piece in for treatment? You are welcome to contact us by email or visit our showroom in Roskilde. We take the time to assess the piece and advise on how it can best be gilded.

A gilded piece from Ydale is not just jewelry that shines – it is jewelry that tells a story.