When the Jewellery is Gold Vermeil

1. The base material must be silver
2. The gold plated layer must be at least 10k gold but can be anything from 14k to 24k gold
3. The plating of gold must be at least 2.5 microns thick. (micron = 1/1000th of a millimetre)

When the Jewellery is Gold Plated

1. The gold plating can be done on most metals, such as nickel, brass, stainless steel, silver and copper
2. The purity of the gold used in gold plating has the same range as Gold Vermeil, between 10k as the lowest to 24k as the highest
3. Gold plating can range in thickness between 0.17 to >2.5 microns. Plating with a thickness of around 0.17 is called gold wash/flashed
   
   

Gold Vermeil: Durable and Hypoallergenic

So the key difference between gold vermeil and gold plating is the thickness of the gold layer. While gold plating only has a thin layer, gold vermeil has a thicker layer on a silver core, which makes it more durable and longer-lasting but also hypoallergenic as it is made up of only precious metals.

Does gold vermeil tarnish? Gold vermeil is more tarnish resistant than a thin layer of gold plating but as any other gold and silver jewellery it will lose its lustre and shine over time.

Fortunately, tarnishing does not mean it’s damaged but it is a natural process that happens when metal alloys react with oxygen. The tarnishing can easily be cleaned with a few supplies or you can get a professional jeweller to deep clean your gold jewellery for you.

With gold vermeil jewellery you know you are getting a high quality piece and is the best quality you can buy that isn’t solid gold. Demi-fine jewellery as it is also called, is a wonderful alternative and more affordable option for gold.

Taking good care of your gold vermeil jewellery will ensure it will last. If your gold vermeil jewellery is in need of some TLC read how to care and clean your pieces here.