There is a new coated metal floating around that you may have spotted during your online perusals of your favorite jewellery retailers. It’s called “gold vermeil” and despite popping up on the scene from out of seemingly nowhere, it is the talk of all the high street markets right now. So, what’s the big deal? Could gold vermeil – whatever it is – be better than the gold plating we’re used to?
How is Gold-Plated Jewellery Made?
Let’s start with the classic: gold-plating.
Standard gold-plated jewellery is a common site on the modern market. It is jewellery consisting of a thin layer of >0.5 microns of gold that coats the top of less expensive metals like brass. That more affordable metal is placed in a chemical solution with electrical current running through it, encouraging the gold to bond to the metal, creating the gold-plated jewellery we know and love.
The ingenuity of this practical process brings more affordable gold jewellery to a wider market.
What is Gold Vermeil?
On the other side of the coin, we have gold vermeil, which is the more expensive, higher-quality counterpart to typical gold-plated jewellery. The distinguishing differences between gold vermeil and gold plating start in the technique that produces vermeil: silver is gilt in gold using a practice first implemented in the 19th century.
Impress your colleagues by pronouncing it with its original French intonation like vehr-may!
Using an electrically charged chemical solution similar to the gold plating process, the distinction comes from the gold layer itself. Gold vermeil necessitates the application of a thicker layer (at least 2.5 microns) of a minimum 10K gold over a sterling silver core. Since a 10K gold covering or better is in use, gold vermeil jewellery boasts a gold content of more than 41.7%, vastly exceeding that of gold-plated jewellery.
When kept clean and properly cared for, the result of the gold vermeil process is more durable jewellery that is made to last without the risk of tarnishing that’s common in gold-plated jewellery.
Gold Plated vs. Gold Vermeil – Which is Better?
Gold vermeil strikes the ideal balance between durability and affordability. While it offers a longer-lasting beauty that gold-plated jewellery can’t quite promise, it is still a budget-friendly alternative to investment in a genuine gold jewellery set that can be passed through generations.
However, if you’re looking for to make a sustainable purchase with lasting value and dependable strength, real gold and silver jewellery are still your best bets. Alternatives like gold-plated and gold vermeil jewellery are merely cheaper metals in comparatively thin disguises; they will tarnish over time even with the best-intentioned care routines.
As you build up to your real gold investment, though, gold vermeil presents a world of gold-gilt choices to you at an affordable price point that’s a step up to traditional gold plating.
