Gold vermeil is a favoured option for many jewelry designers and consumers. The lower costs involved in its manufacture are appealing, but more importantly, it allows designers to be bolder in their choices when creating high-quality jewelry. Pieces of exquisite design that may typically cost hundreds or even thousands are made readily available to those of us who appreciate craftsmanship while remaining fiscally responsible. Let's take a closer look at gold vermeil below.
In simple terms, vermeil is a more adept form of gold plating exceeding traditional filling. In cheaper productions, the base metals are steel, brass and copper, and these metals can react to many skin types and provide a poor surface for adhesion. This is particularly annoying since the plating can often be rubbed off over time, causing even more irritation to the skin and damage to the jewelry. Vermeil, on the other hand, is the only alternative that provides a non-reactive base and so allows for the use of a thicker layer of high-quality gold (usually between 14k-24k) at a minimum of 2.5 microns.
What Are The Advantages Of Gold Vermeil?
The thicker layer of gold allows for a more robust finish which can be polished to a shine or left to tarnish for a more classic look. We also see a lot of vermeil designs which utilise both hamilton and pink gold as an alternative to classic yellow gold. Once again, the lower price tag is allowing for a more freeform approach to finishes, allowing consumers to build a diverse collection of quality gold jewelry without the traditional expense.
What Are The Difference Between Gold Vermeil And Traditional Gold Plating?
It is important to note, however, that gold vermeil is not gold. The high-quality finish produces wonderful pieces, but since they are still a form of plating, they can, on occasion, be mixed in with lower quality jewelry.
The difference is down to the production and a process called micron plating. This process is superior to traditional flash plating. In flash plating, a piece is dipped in an electroplating solution and removed without checking. Micron plating measures the thickness of the gold precisely before and after application to ensure a quality finish.
Why Is Gold Vermeil So Popular?
As always, it is important to maintain jewelry and vermeil is easily cleaned and very durable. The thicker layer of gold means that it is very difficult to rub off, and as long as a piece is cared for properly, it should last a very long time. The non-reactive core means that swimming pool chlorine and perfumes should not affect vermeil, but in truth, this is not why vermeil became popular. Beyond karats and manufacturing processes, the real reason gold vermeil has propagated the market so well is that it is beautiful.
It is no coincidence that renaissance painters all started creating wonderful frescoes when they did. The base pigments of paints, the steel of chisels and the adoption of new technology in optics all spurred creativity and facilitated the creation of art we now regard with wonder. All art is a consequence of talent and technology, with the adoption of gold vermeil artists, designers and craftspeople around the world are empowered by accessible materials to create jewelry that we all crave. This opening of the market is exhilarating since the quality produced is getting better and better all the time, and we can all look forward to the happy results.
