GOLD VERMEIL meaning
Gold vermeil jewelry has a sterling silver core and is plated with gold. To be considered gold vermeil, the plating must be at least 10 karat gold and 2.5 microns thick. How thick is 2.5 microns? A human hair is about 70 microns in thickness, so vermeil plating is about 28 times thinner than a single strand of hair.
Advantages of gold vermeil
The biggest draw of gold vermeil is the cost – it’s less expensive than solid gold jewelry. The plating is thicker than regular gold plating so it will last longer before wearing down to its sterling silver core.
When the gold plating does wear down, there’s sterling silver underneath, making it more hypoallergenic than gold filled or gold plated jewelry which use copper or brass as a core.
Disadvantages of gold vermeil
Like the other plated options, gold vermeil still only uses a thin outer layer of gold and will eventually wear down to metal underneath – it’s not suitable for everyday, long-term wear. Like the other gold plated options, gold vermeil can’t be recycled or reused – if sustainability is important to you, steer clear of anything plated.
Like all gold plated jewelry, you’ll want to avoid anything that can accelerate tarnishing – think sweat, humidity, water, pollution, lotions, and chemicals.
How long does vermeil gold last?
Gold vermeil can last up to several years if it’s cared for extremely carefully – think storing in an airtight container, only wearing it on special occasions, and removing it for showering, hand washing, and avoiding exposure to all chemicals, lotions, and sweat. With regular wear, the outer gold layer will wear down more quickly.
gold vermeil vs gold filled
Vermeil jewelry is made by painting or dipping a thin layer of gold over a sterling silver base, whereas gold filled jewelry is made by pressure or heat bonding a thin layer of gold over a base metal like brass. Gold filled jewelry usually has a slightly thicker layer of gold than gold vermeil, though still very thin at 5% of the total weight.
While the thin gold layer will eventually wear off both types, gold filled items will usually last longer than gold vermeil thanks to the manufacturing method.
gold vermeil vs gold plated
Both gold vermeil and gold plated pieces are made by applying a thin layer of gold over another metal. The difference: gold vermeil uses sterling silver as its base, whereas gold plated jewelry uses a base metal like brass or copper. As a result, vermeil is more hypoallergenic once the thin outer gold layer inevitably wears down.
Gold vermeil is also regulated in terms of thickness – it must be at least 2.5 microns in thickness, whereas gold plating can be any thickness. How thick is 2.5 microns? Like we shared above, it’s about 28 times thinner than a strand of your hair!
is gold vermeil or gold plated better?
Gold vermeil is the highest quality option as it has a slightly thicker layer of gold than gold plated, and will last longer before wearing down to the metal underneath.
Can i shower with gold vermeil jewelry?
We highly recommend removing your gold vermeil jewelry before showering – the water and shower products will cause the outer gold layer to wear off even quicker.