You’ve probably heard the terms gold plated jewelry and vermeil jewelry but what’s actually the difference and which one is better?
As a jewelry manufacturer with 18 years of jewelry production experience, we would like to introduce the differences between them.
What is Gold Plated Jewelry?
Gold-plated jewelry, also referred to as fashion jewelry or costume jewelry, is made by adding a layer of gold on top of a base metal. The most common base metal in gold-plated jewelry is brass, You’ve probably heard the terms gold-plated jewelry and vermeil jewelry but what’s actually the difference, and which one is better?
As a jewelry unless steel and zinc. Since gold-plated jewelry doesn’t use precious metal as a base and has less gold content, it’s a much more affordable option.
What is Vermeil Jewelry?
Vermeil jewelry also referred to as semi-fine jewelry, is still plated but uses sterling silver as its base metal. Sterling silver is a precious metal and is more expensive than brass and zinc, but it’s also a bit more durable and less likely to cause any skin allergies (i.e. less likely to turn your finger green). For a piece to be considered vermeil, it must also have at least 2.5 microns of gold plating, meaning the plating is thicker than regular plated jewelry and will wear off less quickly. In short, vermeil is more expensive but more durable.
The Main Differences Between Gold-Plated Jewelry and Vermeil Jewelry
1. Base metal- whilst gold gold plated can take place on any metal like brass, stainless steel, to zinc, gold vermial has to be on sterling silver.
2. Gold thickness-whilst gold plated has a thin layer out of base metal, normally less than 0.5 microns vermaill has to be a thickness of at least 2.5 microns.
3. Durability- due to its added thickness gold vermeil is far more durable than gold plating.
4. Cost-We will take the below necklace as an example
- It can be made of a gold plated necklace but also can be made of a vermeil necklace with exactly the same look apparently
- The production cost is $4.00 for wholesale with gold plated and $40 for vermeil gold.
Both gold vermeil and gold-plated jewelry have their own unique advantages. For those wanting a higher quality, but still affordable piece that will endure frequent wear for years to come, gold vermeil is the ideal choice. Whereas, those who switch up their style more often, may wish to experiment with gold-plated jewelry due to its slightly lower price point.
