Reaction of [Au(C₆F₅)(tht)] (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) with 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (terpy) leads to complex [Au(C₆F₅)(η¹-terpy)] (1). The chemical oxidation of complex (1) with 2 equiv of [N(C₆H₄Br-4)₃](PF₆) or using electrosynthetic techniques affords the Au(III) complex [Au(C₆F₅)(η³-terpy)](PF₆)₂ (2). The X-ray diffraction study of complex 2 reveals that the terpyridine acts as tridentate chelate ligand, which leads to a slightly distorted square-planar geometry. Complex 1 displays fluorescence in the solid state at 77 K due to a metal (gold) to ligand (terpy) charge transfer transition, whereas complex 2 displays fluorescence in acetonitrile due to excimer or exciplex formation. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations match the experimental absorption spectra of the synthesized complexes. In order to further probe the frontier orbitals of both complexes and study their redox behavior, each compound was separately characterized using cyclic voltammetry. The bulk electrolysis of a solution of complex 1 was analyzed by spectroscopic methods confirming the electrochemical synthesis of complex 2.