What Is Gold Vermeil Jewellery?
Gold Vermeil Vs. Gold Plated – What’s The Difference?
Both processes refer to a type of gold-plating - the coating of a base metal in gold. The three key differences between the two are:
The base metal used
The thickness of the gold layer applied
The quality of the gold (measured in carats)
Gold Vermeil jewellery is always made with Sterling Silver as the base metal, compared to traditional gold-plated jewellery where the base metal could be anything. It’s often cheaper metals such as brass or copper – which is why it might sometimes turn your skin green! For jewellery to be considered as Gold Vermeil (in the UK), the gold layer applied must be at least 2.5 microns thick, and a minimum of 10 carats.
Quality Guaranteed
At Black Octopus, every Gold Vermeil jewellery piece is plated with 3 microns of 18 carat gold. This guarantees exceptional quality and durability, offering the perfect blend of both luxury and affordability.
Is Gold Vermeil Jewellery Waterproof?
The short answer is no.
Although gold won’t change colour when it comes into contact with water, even pure gold will lose its shine over time. For gold-plated jewellery, exposure to water (and particularly chemicals like chlorine and soaps) will eventually wear out the gold and can expose the base metal over time. Check out my jewellery care guide for my top tips for looking after your Gold Vermeil jewellery.
Waterproof jewellery seems to have been one of the biggest jewellery trends of 2024, but is it all it’s cracked up to be?
A lot of these pieces will be made from tarnish-proof materials such as stainless steel or even plastics, often coated with a protective coating such as PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition). The reality is that these pieces will lack the quality, craftsmanship and longevity of handmade Gold Vermeil jewellery, and are unlikely to hold their value over time. The large majority of ‘Waterproof Jewellery’ is currently mass produced, often in China or other countries outside of Europe. My mission is to make long-lasting jewellery which is created through sustainable practices which reduce the impact on our planet. Find out more about my environmental commitments here.
My Commitment to Sustainability
I am committed to ensuring that your Gold Vermeil jewellery lasts, and even with lots of love & care it will always be subject to some degree of wear. If you have any issues with the plating of your Black Octopus Jewellery pieces, please get in touch to discuss if I can help with getting it back to looking like new.
Check out my jewellery care guide for my top tips for looking after your Gold Vermeil jewellery