I have inherited Stetson 22 karat gold dinnerware from my mother.  It
is white with a gold geometric design.  The gold is a pattern which is
baked into the dinnerware, not raised at all. My guess is that it is
safe to put it in the dishwasher, but want to be reassured.

I couldn't find a website that says for sure, but generally it is
recommended NOT to put porcelain with metal decoration in the
dishwasher.

While I also can't claim any degree of expertise in this area, I'd
also advise caution.  Dishwashers will eventually scour pretty much
any design away - my parents have a set of paltes which now look bear
white, but that used to have a pattern on them.  The idea of hardening
the designs so that thery could resist dishwashers happened after they
were invented - hence the "dishwasher safe" concept.

They may be some mileage in looking for dishwasher powders that don't
go for the "We'll get your baked-on food off your dishes at an
cost..." type of marketing, but more the "Protects your delicate
china..."

HI,
I have done a little homework.  Stetson stopped producing in 1966, so
it is extremely unlikely that the gold decoration is dishwasher-proof 
(if any is).
http://www.epier.com/Pottery&Glass/Pottery/Dinnerware/259600.asp

Hmmm, I wanted to access another site with information about Stetson,
but my software seems to have frozen.
Sorry, Myoarin

No! Stop! Don't do it! No matter whether it is baked into the glazing
or not, 22kt gold is not going to stand up to the corrosiveness of the
dishwasher detergent or the intense, extended exposure to heat of the
machine. A good dinnerset, particularly one with gold, should be hand
washed. Fill the sink with warm water and you'll find that the time it
takes to swish them clean and put them in the rack is not much more
that it takes to scrape and stack them in the dishwasher.