Difference Between Gold Vermeil And Gold Plated

By Author: Jennifer wise
Total Articles: 9
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Jewelry aficionados often get confused between the term gold plated and gold vermeil. Some may even think that these terms can be used interchangeably but these two categories vary in significant ways. Since both these types have a layer of gold, it could be easily confused with each other. As a jewelry lover, you would want to carefully consider the different qualities of both these types so that you could make an informed decision while buying jewelry.

Gold Vermeil Jewelry

Gold vermeil jewelry also termed as silver gilt is a high-quality pure silver or sterling silver jewelry plated with a thin layer of gold. Vermeil jewelry is created through a chemical process called electroplating which binds silver with gold.

In the US, to be considered as vermeil jewelry, the jewelry piece has to meet certain qualification standards. The gold on the jewelry piece needs to be made with 10 karat gold or higher and the gold layer should be at least 2.5 microns thick. It is available in both gold vermeil and rose gold vermeil ...
... options.

Gold Plated Jewelry

Gold plated jewelry is brass, copper, or any low-end metal jewelry electroplated with a thin layer of gold. Gold plated jewelry is quite less expensive than vermeil jewelry and it does not require any minimum thickness or karat weight.

Gold Vermeil Vs Gold Plated Jewelry

As vermeil jewelry is composed of gold and silver, two very precious metals, it is considered close to fine jewelry and is categorised as demi-fine jewelry (jewelry that blurs the line between costume jewelry and fine jewelry). The higher the thickness of the gold layer and karat weight, the more valuable the piece will be. Vermeil jewelry is considered the next best thing to fine jewelry but is an affordable version of fine jewelry. It lasts longer than gold plated jewelry but will tarnish in the longer run. If you want jewelry for special occasions or light daily wear on a medium budget, gold vermeil should be your pick.

Essentially, gold plated jewelry is almost the same as vermeil jewelry, just the base metal is less valuable than silver. Unlike vermeil, there are no specifications to be fulfilled for gold plating in gold plated jewelry. The gold could be of any quality and the electroplated gold layer could be of any thickness. Generally, the gold plating in gold plated jewelry is of lower quality and it has a very thin coating unless specified otherwise. It is very affordable but could also tarnish easily. If you need jewelry for temporary use for just some special occasions, you could choose gold plated jewelry.