By Reema Savla · 14 May 2026 · 5 min read
Gold-Plated vs Solid Gold Jewellery: What's the Difference?
Gold-plated jewellery isn't a cheaper imitation of solid gold — it's a different way of making a piece. Here's what the plating actually is, and why we build our Kundan and Meenakari sets this way.
"Is this real gold?" is one of the first questions every shopper asks about a piece of fashion jewellery — and it deserves a straight answer. Sirini's jewellery is gold-plated, not solid gold, and we say so plainly on every product page. Here's what that actually means, and why it's a deliberate choice rather than a compromise.
What does "gold-plated" actually mean?
A gold-plated piece has a base of brass or copper — the same metals used in solid costume and temple jewellery for centuries — with a layer of 18–22K gold bonded onto the surface. The stones are hand-set Kundan (uncut glass or stone held in a fine gold-plated bezel, no prongs or glue), and the colour work is hand-painted Meenakari enamel, fired onto the metal at high heat. None of it is solid gold underneath, and none of the stones are natural gemstones or diamonds — Sirini is fashion jewellery, built to look and feel like the real craft it borrows its techniques from.
Why does Sirini use gold-plating instead of solid gold?
Gold prices have climbed to a point where a solid-gold bridal set is out of reach for most families, even for a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. Plating lets us build the same intricate designs — the same Kundan settings, the same hand-painted Meenakari, the same weight of detail — at a price where you don't have to choose between the look you want and what you can spend. It's not a lesser version of solid gold jewellery; it's a different, more accessible way to get the craftsmanship.
How do Kundan and Meenakari work on a gold-plated base?
Both crafts are setting and finishing techniques, not stone types — which is exactly why they translate so well onto a plated base. Kundan is a gold-foil setting method that holds a stone in place by hand, without prongs or adhesive; Meenakari is enamel, fused onto metal at high heat and hand-painted in jewel tones. Both were originally developed on gold, but the technique itself doesn't require the base metal to be solid gold — it requires a fine, workable metal surface, which brass and copper provide just as well underneath the plating.
Cared for the right way — see our jewellery care guide for the specifics — a gold-plated piece keeps its shine for years of regular wear. If you're deciding between a plated piece and saving for solid gold, the honest answer is that they're not really the same category of purchase: one is an everyday-to-occasional wardrobe piece, the other is an investment. Sirini is built for the first.