Gold Fill
Gold fill wire is a tube of karat gold (usually 12K or 14K) that is filled with a base metal (usually brass). This is not gold plate. The gold layer on gold fill is much thicker and more durable. The lifetime of gold fill items is measured in decades, not in months. Care and Feeding of Gold Fill Gold fill rings won't tarnish. To remove everyday dirt and oils, soak in soapy water then rub briskly with fingers or palms. Rinse and air dry. Inch Sizes I started out making rings wrapped on inch-sized mandrels, and this is still what I personally use most of the time. The first number is the mandrel size in 64ths of an inch, the second number is the wire gauge in the AWG system. I have a more detailed explanation of my ring names posted on the FAQ page. I've been using these ring sizes for a long time, and I have amassed a pretty good collection of sample pictures for various weaves in various sizes. Millimeter Sizes After years of making rings in inch sizes, I finally yielded to customer requests and expanded to millimeter sizes as well. The first number is the mandrel size in millimeters, the second number is the wire gauge in the AWG system. I have a more detailed explanation of my ring names posted on the FAQ page. I hope to have some sample pictures posted for millimeter rings one of these days, but it hasn't made it to the top of the list yet Why two systems? You can definitely stay with just inch sizes or just millimeter sizes and do perfectly fine. But some customers are more comfortable with one or the other, so I offer both. Besides, I'm a complete ring size lunatic, and I find it very comforting to know that 5.75mm is available if I need something bigger than 7/32" yet smaller than 15/64". You never know when that might just be important! I put together a comparison ruler to help you see how the inch and millimeter sizes work together. Choosing the perfect ring size If you aren't certain which size(s) to get, I recommend that you take a look through my ring size recommendations, especially the chart. If you still can't make up your mind between a couple different sizes, then you may want to test your gold fill designs with the less expensive copper rings and come back to gold fill once you've found the perfect size. My copper is a pretty good size match for my gold fill, though the copper runs just a teeny bit smaller (especially with really open, airy rings).