Quick Answer
A gold plated Vacheron Constantin replica uses a brass or 316L stainless steel case with a gold layer on top. The layer measures 0.5 to 5 microns on most examples. A genuine Vacheron Constantin case holds 18k gold at 750 parts per 1000, and that metal runs through the whole case. A plated copy has no gold content of value and no melt value.
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Plating Methods and Thickness
Electroplating
Electroplating puts the case in a bath of dissolved gold salts and passes current through it. Decorative plating runs 0.5 to 1 micron. Heavy gold electroplate, under United States Federal Trade Commission jewelry rules, requires at least 2.5 microns (100 microinches). Few replica cases reach that number.
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PVD Coating
Physical vapor deposition deposits titanium nitride or zirconium nitride in a vacuum. The coat measures 1 to 5 microns. Titanium nitride hardness sits near 2000 HV on the Vickers scale, so the surface resists scratches better than electroplated gold. The color is a fixed yellow tone. Rose and white tones need different alloys.
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Gold Filled (United States Definition)
Gold filled means a gold layer bonded to a base metal, with gold at 1/20 or more of the total weight. That is a United States jewelry trade rule. Some sellers use the term for a 3 micron plate. That use is wrong.
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Base Metal Under the Plating
- Brass (copper and zinc). Density near 8.5 g/cm3. Machines well, takes plating well, pits if moisture reaches the base.
- 316L stainless steel. Density near 8.0 g/cm3. More corrosion resistance. Harder to bring to a mirror finish.
- Nickel barrier layer. Many cases add nickel between the base and the gold to stop color bleed. Nickel release is capped in the European Union at 0.2 micrograms per square centimeter per week for items that touch skin.
Weight and Feel
18k yellow gold has a density near 15.5 g/cm3. A solid gold Vacheron Constantin Patrimony or Overseas weighs far more than a plated copy of the same size. An Overseas at 41 mm in steel weighs about 170 g on a bracelet. The 18k gold version runs above 240 g. A plated brass case lands close to the steel figure, and the bracelet is the giveaway on a wrist check.
Color by Gold Tone
- Yellow gold. 18k yellow gold is 750 gold, about 125 silver, about 125 copper per 1000. Plating baths add cobalt or nickel to darken the tone.
- Rose gold. Copper raises the red. Vacheron Constantin uses 5N rose gold on several references.
- White gold. 18k white gold gets rhodium plating at the factory, so the surface is rhodium, not gold. A replica sold as white gold is rhodium or palladium over steel.
Wear Points
- Lugs and end links. Contact with a desk or keyboard strips plating here first.
- Crown and caseback edge. Thin plating rubs off with winding and setting.
- Bracelet clasp. Friction removes the layer in months of daily wear.
- Caseback engraving. Laser marks lose contrast as the layer thins.
A plated case cannot be polished the way solid gold can. Polishing removes the layer and shows the base metal. A shop can strip and re-plate a watch, and the cost often passes the price of the replica.
Legal Status
Vacheron Constantin holds trademarks on its name and on case designs. The Trademark Counterfeiting Act of 1984 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime in the United States. Customs and Border Protection seizes shipments. Selling a plated copy as a genuine gold watch adds fraud counts.
What to Ask a Seller
- Plating method: electroplate or PVD
- Plating thickness in microns
- Base metal: brass or 316L steel
- Gold tone and alloy reference
- Case diameter in mm
- Weight in grams
A seller who cannot state plating thickness in microns does not hold the spec sheet. Ask another seller.