Ah, the big question.
Are Solid 14kt Yellow Gold Watches worth buying? Is there any reason to purchase a Solid Gold Watch verses a normal Watch that's not Gold?
Yes, there are lots of reasons why... And yes, I highly recommend them. Here's why...
First and foremost, No Allergies! That's right! Most people can wear 14kt Gold without breaking out in a rash. (If you do, Read: Are You Allergic To Gold?) Generally people break out from Gold Plated Jewelry. Electro-plating and Gold Filled Jewelry tends to react with people's skin and causes redness, puffiness and irritations to develop. It's rare to find anyone who's allergic to 14kt. Now 10kt is a different story. 10kt Yellow Gold actually contains more Nickel than 14kt and a lot of people are allergic to that Nickel. So my advice, buy 14kt Gold and NOT 10kt Gold! That way you won't have to worry about those ugly, itchy rashes!
The next big reason: Life Expectancy! Solid Gold Watches will last you a lifetime. Solid Gold Watches are the Watches that get passed down from generation to generation. They make great keepsakes. You don't get that with Plated Watches. A $2.00 Watch just doesn't get the same attention or reaction as a Gold Watch does!
It's a fact, the Plating on cheap Watches will wear off, rub off, and scratch off. It could last 7 years, it could start to wear off in 7 days. It all depends on the quality of the Watch and the thickness of the Gold Plating. Usually after about 5 years, Gold Plated Watches will start to look like crap and most people will just buy new ones anyway.
You'll know when the Plating starts to wear off, because the Watch will start to turn White. You'll notice this around the clasp area and the edges of the links. That's normally where it starts to turn first. Eventually your pretty little Yellow Watch will look dull, faded and White. Yeck! Solid Yellow Gold will look like Yellow Gold the entire time you own it! (And that's worth the price right there!)
The next reason: Investment! While it's true that Jewelry doesn't hold it's value and you'd be lucky to get 30% of what it's worth when you sell it, it's also a fact that Gold is Gold and still worth something. If it comes down to it, you can still sell your Gold Watch for money, where as Plated Watches are Plated and Worthless! You couldn't get a penny for them even if you tried. Gold Watches are a better investment no matter how you slice it!
And don't forget about: Repairs! That's the nice thing about a Solid Gold Watch. If you break a link, or bend the band, it can be fixed and repaired. It can be worked on just like every other piece of Gold Jewelry you own. Plated Watches can't be fixed! You can't put a Jeweler's torch to it. They won't take heat! Heat will just make your Plated Watch peel like a Banana. The plating will burn off and ruin the Watch.
So when it comes to Plated Watches, if you break the band, the only way to fix it is to replace the entire band! Or more accurately, throw it away and buy a new Watch!
And then you have the problem with Watch Links and Availability! Read on...
