What is Gold Vermeil?
Gold Vermeil means a thick layer of real gold over 925 sterling silver. In many countries for jewellers to be able to use that denomination, a few requirements should be met:
1. The base material should be sterling silver or other precious metals. 925 sterling silver is 92.5% of purest silver mixed with 7.5% other metals, usually copper.
2. Plating should be at least 2.5 microns thick. In comparison to, for example, regular gold plating which is between 0.5 and 2.5 microns, Gold vermeil can be thus at least 5 times thicker than normal gold plating
3. The caratage should be at least 10K, usually ranging from 14K to 24K.
And how thick is a micron?
We are talking about teeny tiny measures. One micron = 1/1000th of a millimeter (0.001 mm). Imagine a human is around 20-70 microns, depending on thickness. At such small amounts, you might be thinking plating won’t in itself give your gold jewelry durability. But it’s not only the amount of gold that matters but rather the tecnique, electroplating is a process which gives metals additional robust properties, it isn’t just like painting something with a brush, gold vermeil pieces are heavily plated thorugh an electroplating process which will make your pieces more durable and resistant to fading.
Does gold vermeil tarnish?
Typically gold vermeil won’t tarnish as fast as regular gold plating because of the thicker layer of gold, but it does tarnish, since the base metal is sterling silver, so the silver will react with the enviroment causing some tarnishing, but that is only on the surface of the metal and can be easily polished away. We recommend using a mild dish soap and warm water and gently cleanse or a polishing cloth.
How long does Vermeil jewelry last?
With proper care your vermeil jewelry should last for years, but for pieces are worn continoulsy, like rings, it can be even 6 months, because of the wear and tear, chemicals, soap, water, etc that your hands are exposed to.
Is vermeil gold hypoallergenic?
Yes, gold and sterling silver are both hypoallergenic metals. Particularly the alloy we use in our 925 sterling silver jewelry consists of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper, no nickel or other metals that would cause an allergic reaction, which make our jewelry ideal for people with sensitive skin.
by