Carrots Jewellery sells only 9kt solid gold. We do not sell gold plated jewellery and we never will. This is not a compromise. It is a deliberate choice rooted in what we believe every buyer deserves: real gold that lasts, holds value, and never lets you down. This blog explains exactly what gold plating is, why it fails, and what we sell instead.

When we started Carrots Jewellery, we had one clear position. No plating. No mystery metals. No shortcuts.

This was not the easiest choice. Gold plated jewellery is cheaper to make, easier to price attractively, and much simpler to sell. The market is full of it. So why did we walk away from it entirely?

Because we believe you deserve better.

What Gold Plated Jewellery Actually Is

Gold plated jewellery is not gold jewellery. It is a base metal, usually copper, brass, stainless steel, or sterling silver, with a very thin layer of gold electroplated on top. That layer is measured in microns. It is thinner than a human hair.

This thin layer is what gives the piece its gold appearance. But it is only a surface coating. The gold is not throughout the piece. It is only on the outside.

This distinction matters more than most buyers realise.

What Happens to Gold Plated Jewellery Over Time

It Peels and Fades

The gold layer on plated jewellery is extremely thin. With daily wear, contact with skin, clothing, bags, and surfaces wears it away. Within weeks or months, you will start to see the base metal showing through. The piece looks patchy, dull, or discoloured. There is no fixing this without replating.

It Can Irritate Your Skin

Once the gold layer wears away, the base metal underneath sits directly on your skin. Many base metals, especially those containing nickel or copper alloys, can cause skin irritation, rashes, and discolouration. This is especially common in India where humidity and sweat accelerate wear.

It Holds No Resale Value

Gold plated jewellery has no gold value. The amount of actual gold in the plating is so small that it cannot be recovered or exchanged at any meaningful rate. The moment you buy it, its financial value drops to near zero. You are paying for the appearance of gold, not gold itself.

It Ends Up in a Drawer or a Bin

Most people who buy gold plated jewellery stop wearing it within a few months. It looks worn, it irritates the skin, and it reminds them of money not well spent. It ends up forgotten in a drawer or thrown away. That is not what jewellery should be.

The Problem We Saw in the Indian Market

When we looked at what was available for everyday gold jewellery in India, we saw two options and a gap between them.

On one side, there was 22kt and 18kt gold jewellery. Beautiful, real, hallmarked gold. But with gold prices at record highs, a single piece costs tens of thousands of rupees. Most people cannot buy it without thinking of it as an investment rather than something to wear every day.

On the other side, there was gold plated fashion jewellery. Affordable and attractive at first. But fake, fragile, and worthless within months.

Nobody was filling the gap between these two extremes. Nobody was offering real, solid, hallmarked gold at a price that made daily wear feel accessible.

That gap is exactly where Carrots Jewellery was built.

What We Sell Instead: 9kt Solid Gold

We are an exclusively 9kt solid gold brand. Every piece we make is real gold all the way through. Not coated. Not plated. Not layered.

9kt gold contains 9 parts pure gold out of 24 parts. The remaining 15 parts are strong alloys like copper, silver, and zinc. This mix is not a compromise. It is the point.

The Strong Alloys Make It More Durable

Pure gold, which is 24kt, is actually very soft. It bends, scratches, and loses its shape easily. The strong alloys in 9kt gold make it significantly more durable and scratch resistant than higher purity gold. This is why 9kt gold is the best choice for jewellery you want to wear every single day.

It Will Never Peel

Because 9kt gold is solid gold all the way through, there is no surface layer to wear away. The colour you see on day one is the same colour you will see in ten years. It does not peel. It does not fade. It does not reveal a different metal underneath.

It Holds Real Value

9kt gold is real gold. It has genuine gold value that can be verified, exchanged, and bought back. At Carrots Jewellery, we offer a lifetime gold buyback on every piece. This means your purchase holds real monetary value from the day you buy it to the day you decide to part with it.

It Is BIS Hallmarked

Every piece from Carrots Jewellery is BIS hallmarked, even those under 2 grams. Government guidelines do not always require hallmarking for lightweight pieces. We do it anyway. Every piece carries a HUID number that you can verify on the BIS Care app before or after purchase. You always know exactly what you are buying.

Solid Gold vs Gold Plated: The Full Comparison

The Three-Step Quality Promise Behind Every Piece

Before any piece leaves our hands and reaches yours, it goes through three rounds of internal quality inspection. If it is not flawless, it does not ship. This is not a marketing claim. It is the standard we hold ourselves to because we come from a background in legacy jewellery, where quality is not optional and customer trust is everything.

What This Means for You as a Buyer

When you buy from Carrots Jewellery, you are not buying the appearance of gold. You are buying real, solid, hallmarked gold made with strong alloys that is durable, scratch resistant, and built for daily Indian life.

You are paying a fair, transparent price that is broken down on every product page: gold rate per gram, net fine weight, gross weight, making charges, and GST shown separately. No hidden costs. No guesswork.

And you are buying something that will still be worth something years from now, not something that will end up in a drawer.

Our Live Collection: Real Gold You Can Wear Every Day

Here are some of our most loved pieces, all confirmed live, all 9kt solid gold, all BIS hallmarked.

Pendant Chains
Opaline Pendant Chain is a clean and minimal everyday chain that goes with everything.
Farasha Bleu Pendant Chain is a delicate and feminine pendant chain for someone who wants something a little more personal.
Silk Road Pendant Chain is a versatile and elegant chain designed to become your everyday signature piece.
Eterna Oval Pendant Chain has a modern oval design that is refined and wearable every single day.
Amalfi Heart is a meaningful heart pendant for someone who wants real gold with a personal touch.

Earrings
Noverna Studs are clean, refined studs you can wear every day without thinking twice.
Valentina Aura Earrings are light, effortless, and made for daily wear.
Madrid Bloom adds a soft floral touch to everyday dressing.
Taormina Bloom Earrings bring a detailed floral design into solid 9kt gold.
Rosetta Vento Earrings are an intricate, elevated pair for when you want to make a real impression.

Pendants
Little Chirpie is a playful and charming pendant with real personality.
Isabella Knot is an intricate knot pendant that makes a confident and lasting impression.

Chains
Silk Snake Chain is a sleek, timeless chain you will reach for every single day. It layers beautifully and works just as well on its own.

Prices change with daily gold rates. Always check the product page before buying.

Why Carrots Jewellery Will Never Sell Gold Plated Pieces

This is not a price point decision. It is a values decision.

We believe that anyone who spends money on jewellery deserves to own something real. Not a coating. Not an illusion. Real, hallmarked gold made with strong alloys that is durable, scratch resistant, and honest about what it is.

Gold plated jewellery fails the person wearing it. It fails faster than expected, costs more in replacements over time, and holds no value when it is gone. That is not the experience we want to be part of.

So we made a choice. No plating. No mystery metals. Only 9kt solid gold made with strong alloys, hallmarked on every piece, made for daily Indian life.

That is what we sell. That is all we will ever sell.

Conclusion

Gold plated jewellery looks like gold but is not gold. It peels, fades, irritates the skin, and holds no resale value. It is a short term solution that costs you more over time than a single piece of real gold ever would.

At Carrots Jewellery, we chose to build something different. Every piece is 9kt solid gold made with strong alloys. Durable. Scratch resistant. BIS hallmarked. Honestly priced. And built to stay with you for years.

Browse the full collection and find your first real gold piece today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is gold plated jewellery?
Gold plated jewellery is a base metal like copper, brass, or silver with a very thin layer of gold electroplated on the surface. It is not solid gold. The gold is only a coating and will wear away over time.

Why does gold plated jewellery peel?
The gold layer on plated jewellery is extremely thin, often just a few microns. Daily wear, sweat, and contact with surfaces gradually wear this layer away, revealing the base metal underneath.

Is gold plated jewellery bad for skin?
Once the gold plating wears off, the base metal sits directly on your skin. Many base metals contain nickel or other alloys that can cause irritation, rashes, and skin discolouration, especially in humid conditions.

Does gold plated jewellery have resale value?
No. The amount of gold in the plating is too small to have any meaningful value. Gold plated jewellery cannot be sold or exchanged at the gold rate. It holds no buyback value.

What does Carrots Jewellery sell instead of gold plated jewellery?
Carrots Jewellery sells only 9kt solid gold made with strong alloys. Every piece is real gold all the way through, not a coating on a base metal. Every piece is BIS hallmarked, even those under 2 grams.

What is 9kt solid gold?
9kt solid gold contains 9 parts pure gold out of 24 parts. The remaining parts are strong alloys like copper, silver, and zinc. It is real, hallmarked gold made with strong alloys that is more durable and scratch resistant than higher purity gold.

Why is 9kt gold better than gold plated for daily wear?
9kt solid gold never peels, holds real value, is BIS hallmarked, and lasts for years with simple care. Gold plated jewellery wears away quickly and needs replacing. Over time, solid gold is the smarter and more economical choice.

Is 9kt gold BIS hallmarked in India?
Yes. From July 2025, 9kt gold is officially part of India's mandatory BIS hallmarking system at a fineness of 375. Every piece from Carrots Jewellery is BIS hallmarked, even those under 2 grams, and carries a HUID number you can verify on the BIS Care app.

Does Carrots Jewellery offer a gold buyback?
Yes. Carrots Jewellery offers a lifetime gold buyback on every piece. This means your purchase always holds real monetary value. Gold plated jewellery offers no such option because it contains no meaningful gold value.

How is Carrots Jewellery priced?
Every product page shows a full price breakup: the gold rate per gram, net fine weight, gross weight, making charges, and GST are all shown separately. You always know exactly what you are paying for and why.