What is the ruling on buying and using a box plated with gold leaf that contains perfumes?

A jewelry box plated with gold leaf falls under the ruling of vessels [made of precious metals], and its purchase and use enter into the ruling of vessels gilded with gold, which is a matter of scholarly disagreement among jurists.

The majority of jurists hold that the determining factor is the quantity of gold used in the plating: if it is abundant, such that it can be separated upon smelting or exposure to fire, then its use is forbidden; otherwise, it is not. However, it is more cautious to avoid it.

Some researchers have favored the permissibility of buying and selling items gilded with gold and silver. This is the view of the Hanafis, Shafi'is, and Malikis, and one opinion among the Hanbalis, who argue that the reason for the prohibition is not met in gilded items due to the small amount of gold present.

Others hold that the issue is a matter of ijtihad (definition) (independent juristic reasoning). Those who believe that the wisdom behind the prohibition is to avoid breaking the hearts of the poor, and that gilding with gold provides an adornment that entices the poor, rule it forbidden. Those who believe that the dominant content of the item is not gold, and that the quantity of gold is very small, rule it permissible, based on the principle: "That which is impermissible independently may be permissible as a subsidiary."

If the plating is merely a color and not real gold, then there is no harm in purchasing or using it.