Gold plated v Gold vermeil: What is the difference?
Hello pals! Today I want to share an important post with you; Gold plated v Gold vermeil: What is the difference? why is it important?! because when it comes to gold, it can be easy to get ripped off and it’s important to know what you are buying because some gold plating is sold at the same price as gold vermeil, which essentially ‘tricks’ the customer into thinking it’s better quality and more valuable than it is. In short. This post could save you a lot of money and disappointment! Let’s chat!
What is gold vermeil compared to gold plating?
OK! so first of all, gold plating can be plated onto any base metal, this could be brass, steel or silver. Where as gold vermeil is always gold plated onto silver. So if you are buying gold vermeil, you are essentially buying a piece of gold plated silver jewellery. In short, it’s 100% precious metals.
Where as gold plating could be plated onto brass or steel, so only the plating part is special and valuable. So if you are buying gold plated jewellery, it’s essential costume jewellery with a fancy plating. This is why you see ASOS selling gold plated rings for £9, compared to Monica vinader Gold Vermeil rings for £45 upwards. ASOS aren’t doing you a favour, they are just selling it at a reasonable price for costume jewellery.
That being said, I’ve seen certain ‘Designer’ jewellery brands selling gold plated brass rings for the same price as gold vermeil rings and this makes me mad, as they are marketing it as much more special than it really is.
FURTHER to this… Gold vermeil has a thicker gold plating than gold plating. It’s usually at least 5 times thicker than regular gold plating so the layer of gold is a lot more solid, long lasting and hardwearing. In short, the gold won’t rub off and you are getting a much better piece of jewellery for the money.
As an example, my £9 ASOS gold plated brass ring was very cute, but I wore it every day and after 9 days the plating had rubbed off extensively. Where as my £45 Monica Vinader gold vermeil ring is still going strong after 4-5 years of pretty consist wear. Gold vermeil has strict rules around the thickness of the plating and it must be at least 2.5 microns of plating to qualify as gold vermeil rather than gold plating.
Finally, you can get gold plated silver, pieces which are not classed or sold as gold vermeil, This is because they have made the jewellery out of 925 silver and plated it in gold, so it’s made from precious metals. However, the gold might rub off fast. So if you are ever buying gold plated silver, check if it’s gold vermeil.
Also, if a company is selling gold plated jewellery, they must declare what the base metal is and if it’s brass or steel, you should be very careful not to overspend on it. As it’s not as good quality as it might appear. Always check, never assume! you will usually find out the base metal in the description, although it’s not always obvious, so do check!
Is gold vermeil REAL gold?!
Yes, gold vermeil is real gold, and the gold is plated onto 925 silver. So it’s not 100% gold throughout, it’s just the plating that is the gold. And remember, the plating of gold vermeil is usually around 5 times thicker than non-vermeil plating. The reason people love gold vermeil is because it’s 100% precious metals, which last really well and is closer to the price of a silver necklace than it is to the price of a solid necklace. Gold vermeil is often around 1/10 of the price you would pay for the solid gold version!
How long does gold vermeil last? Is gold vermeil hardwearing?
Gold vermeil Is a really durable option when it comes to jewellery. Generally, it can be worn daily and will look good for years. Plus, if the gold plating does start to wear off after heavy use and a long period of time, then the metal which is revealed is sterling silver, which can often look quite nice! On the flip side, if you are buying gold plated brass, when the gold plating wears off (which it will do faster, as the layer of gold is not as thick) then you will find the brass is often quite unsightly and the jewellery is uncomfortable against the skin and usually no longer wearable. To keep the life span of your gold vermeil jewellery nice and long, there are a few things you can do!
How to care for gold vermeil jewellery?
To clean gold vermeil jewellery, you simply need to wipe the jewellery with a soft polishing cloth and that will remove and dirt and stains. It is also advisable never to spray perfume directly on it and keep it away from any face masks and tonics you use – especially acid based ones. Jewellery doesn’t love humid climates so if you are off to Bali, you might want to consider if you want to take your favourite bags and jewellery as the humidity and salty sea air can often effect the lifespan of jewellery too. It’s also worth removing it before you go into a swimming pool or sea too.
-Keep away from skin products
-Don’t spray perfume on it
-Avoid wearing in the sea, swimming pools and humid climates
-Store in it’s bag when you are not wearing it
-Make sure when you store your jewellery it is clean and dry
How to clean gold vermeil jewellery
Simple, just get a soft, clean cloth and wipe the jewellery. You don’t need any harsh chemicals, just wipe the piece of jewellery with a gentle polishing cloth and you are done!
is gold vermeil worth the money?!
Yes! Gold vermeil is great quality and will last well! Is it worth the money! Would real solid gold be better?! Yes! But it would also cost a LOT more! So for the price and quality, you can’t beat gold vermeil!
As for Gold plated jewellery… what you need to know!
What is Gold Plated Jewellery?
Gold plated jewellery is real gold plated onto a metal, this could be brass, steel, silver or a compound metal. The plating can be thicker or thinner. To my knowledge, there is no legislation on how thick plating needs to be to count as plating, where as gold vermeil must be a certain thickness of gold onto silver to count ar gold vermeil,
How long does gold plating last? Is gold plating hardwearing?
Gold plating is impossible to predict as to how hardwearing it is or how long it will last, as there is no way of knowing the thickness of the plating. Some companies will give a generous coating of gold so it lasts well, other brands will give the minimum coating so it can be sold as ‘gold plated’ even though it is made of a cheap base metal with a flash plating of low quality gold.
If a brand gives you a good warranty for your jewellery, that is a good indicator of the quality of the gold plating. However, there is no way of knowing the quality of the jewellery until you start wearing it.
Again, gold vermeil needs to be a certain thickness of gold to count of GV. Which is a good assurance it will last well.
Is gold plated jewellery real gold?
Yes! Gold plated jewellery is real gold. However, I can’t stress enough how important it is to find out what it is plated onto. As once the gold wears off, it might not be comfortable to wear or look good. Some brands will sell gold plated silver, others gold plate brass or steel.
How to clean gold plated jewellery?
Much like cleaning gold Vermeil jewellery, just wipe it with a soft, clean polishing cloth. try to avoid using chemicals on it or wearing it near chemicals to prolong the length of its life.
How to care for gold plated jewellery?
Gold plated jewellery must be treated carefully. Try to keep it away from chemicals, including cleaning fluids and skincare which includes acids. Also try to keep it away from saunas, swimming pools and the sea. If it gets dirty, just wipe it with a clean polishing cloth.
ASOS gold plated ring review
I recently bought a really super ring from asos which was gold plated on to brass. It was really pretty and only cost £8, so I treated myself to it. I wore it every day for around 9 days and wore it in the shower and to bed. Admittedly, I didn’t look after it as well as I should have done, but after 9 days most of the gold had rubbed off and it was very tarnished brass underneath. Which didn’t look good and I never wore it again. It was pretty for 9 days, but not a good investment!
monica vinader gold vermeil ring review
On the flip side, I bought a Monica Vinader gold vermeil ring and I have worn it loads over the past 5 years and it still looks great! The gold is still gold, it’s not tarnished and it’s in generally great shape! It cost around £45, so it was a fair bit more but it’s been a much better fashion investment! Speaking of which, use my link to get 20% off everything at Monica vinader!
my favourite places to buy gold vermeil or high quality gold plated silver jewellery
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Thank you for reading my post on Gold plated v Gold vermeil: What is the difference? I hope it was of help and interest. let me know if you have any questions. This post contains affiliate links.