What's the difference between Gold filled Jewelry and Gold Vermeil Jewelry

[alexmom]

Hello Everyone,

I have been researching jewelry companies for a while now and I wanted to know what is the difference between Gold Filled Jewelry and Gold Vermeil Jewelry? Is it really considered fine jewelry?

[AnneP]

Gold vermeil is sterling silver plated with gold and gold plated is metal plated with gold.

[emmacmc]

Gold Vermeil is sterling silver with 14 or 18k plated over it. Gold filled (GF) is usually 1/20 of the metal is filled with 12k gold. Gold filled is considered "costume" jewelry. Gold Vermeil is usually considered to be better quality since the base metal is sterling silver. If you went to sell your gold at a gold party or jewelers, the GF would be worthless, the vermeil may be worth a little more, but honestly, not much.

Hope this helps!

[cabimom]

I doubt if you would be able to sell Gold Vermeil at a Gold party because it is not solid gold. You might be able to sell it for the silver content, but that would be a stretch. 14K Gold filled jewelry usually holds its color longer than 12K. I have a pair of 14K gold filled hoop earrings that I have had for nearly 25 years and they are just as shiny gold as the day I bought them! I have some gold vermeil jewelry too that is still very shiny gold but the plating was 18K over sterling. Gold vermeil jewelry usually has a thicker coating of plating than just dipped/ plated costume jewelry. The only jewelry that I know of that is considered fine jewelry is .925 Sterling Silver, 14K-18K solid yellow or white gold jewelry or Platinum. Everything else falls into the "fashion jewelry" catagory. When a company says fine fashion jewelry, they simply mean their jewelry is of very high quality and is sometimes made with genuine gemstones, it doesn't mean it is solid gold or sterling silver.

[alexmom]

Thank you all..

I have been working with this new jewelry company and their jewelry is very nice, but the empasize that they do sell "fashion jewelry.

"We use a range of materials from .925 sterling silver, rose gold overlay, gold filled, vermeil, semi-precious stones & mother-of-pearl".

They also have white topaz in .925 Sterling silver.

Anyway, I am researching the different terminology. I want to make sure that the jewelry is actually what my customer is paying for. The prices range from $29 to over $300 dollars.

[tracybennett]

I am a Stylist w/Stella & Dot and here is our jewelry guidelines. I have been with them for almost a year and I have never had one customer complain about quality.

What is Sterling Silver?

Silver jewelry looks bright and gorgeous when new. We use .925 sterling silver, the same quality as the finest jeweler's in the world. This is pure silver mixed with copper to make the metal stronger and ideal for jewelry. Over time the jewelry changes in color and turns yellowish and even black. Tarnishing is a natural process and occurs on high quality jewelry. You just need to take good care of it to keep it looking Stella & Dot.


What Causes Silver to Tarnish?

The presence of Hydrogen Sulfide in any material that silver comes into contact with is one of the prime culprits. Touching jewelry after a meal causes tarnish. Wool, perfumes, lotions, hair spray and other cosmetics also cause tarnish. Humidity speeds tarnishing.
How Can I Treat My Jewelry Right?

* Last on, first off.
* Give it a little polish after each wear with your Stella & Dot polishing cloth, which has special micro-abrasives that will clean but not scratch your jewelry.
* Put your jewelry to bed in a sealed, air-tight plastic baggie. Don't store your jewelry in the bathroom- it's humid in there!
* Keep your Stella & Dot out of the shower and pool.

How Can I Clean Tarnish?

Ok- so you're the girl who forgets to take off her makeup before bedtime, not to mention your necklace and despite your love of the Stella & Dot swims in your jewels. Come on, your charm necklace looks good with a bikini! Read jewelry polishing instructions carefully and use ones made for jewelry (3M makes less abrasive types). Some will provide protection from future tarnish. No toothpaste or baking soda - too abrasive! Is Oxidized Silver Supposed to Look Blackened?

Yes, some silver is oxidized on purpose to turn it dark and give it a certain style. The darkness gives details more "depth".

What is 14kt Gold-filled?

Gold-filled jewelry has a thick surface layer of 14kt gold. There is 100 times more gold in 14kt gold filled (rolled gold) than in gold plate. This jewelry is created by taking a sheet of 14kt gold and bonding it through extreme heat and pressure to a core of metal alloy (usually a brass). This is a very sophisticated process and only a few mills in the world do it. The quantity of gold must be at least 1/20th of the weight of the total product, which is why it is called a 14/20 Gold Filled piece and is considered a lifetime piece of jewelry. The end result is a piece of jewelry that is resistant to tarnish because of its thick 14kt gold covering.

Care is easy. Just care for it as you would any other jewelry. It is quite durable. A simple inexpensive way to clean rolled gold jewelry is to soak it for a minute or two in a mild liquid jewelry cleaner. Rinse the jewelry thoroughly with water afterwards and let dry.
What is Vermeil?

It is a term that describes a coating of gold on sterling silver. Have you ever heard of gilded silver? That's vermeil. We use the process of electrolysis to attach 18-24kt gold to sterling silver. Electrolysis is also called electroplating or just "plating" for short. This process will stand up to normal wear. Gold-filled and vermeil products are a great, quality alternative to the much more expensive solid karat gold. Vermeil is a bit more delicate than gold-filled, but comparing them is a bit apples to oranges. Both are high in quality, but vermeil is often a bit more yellow in color due to the higher karat commonly used. Vermeil is a process used to turn charms and cast pieces into a gold tone since they can be made in silver and then dipped in gold. What is Stella & Dot Gold Plate or Goldtone? In our fashion line, we will offer gold plated pieces that offer a great look at a great price. Stella & Dot uses a THICK plating process to minimize the gold plating wearing off. Our electroplated process is a quality way to achieve a gold tone at a great price. Please note that over time gold plating may wear off and this is normal, not a manufacturing defect.

[alexmom]

I am sorry. I meant to say that the company said they do not sell fashion jewelry.

Originally Posted by alexmom

Thank you all..

I have been working with this new jewelry company and their jewelry is very nice, but the empasize that they do sell "fashion jewelry.

"We use a range of materials from .925 sterling silver, rose gold overlay, gold filled, vermeil, semi-precious stones & mother-of-pearl".

They also have white topaz in .925 Sterling silver.

Anyway, I am researching the different terminology. I want to make sure that the jewelry is actually what my customer is paying for. The prices range from $29 to over $300 dollars.

[rexrayenz]

Gold: Plated steel or brass as a base metal is dipped in a bath of electroplating solution, with a lump of solid gold. When an electric current is applied, a thin layer of gold deposited on metal. Since very thin plate, the plate (and therefore color) can get off on the findings.

: Vermeil (pronounced: Vermay) sterling silver is that gold-plated. Most of our vermeil is 22K-24K gold plated. The common allergic to, those with plated jewelry items is a good combination. Differences between vermeil, and gold filled, gold and base metal used in thickness. vermeil, the base is sterling silver.

The most common gold plated items 7 to 20 inches a coating that is subtle, and 14k (gold.Vermeil 'vermay to clear 10 can be) a much thicker layer of gold that at least 100 micro-inches thick is. Vermeil gold jewelry gold plated jewelry and more regularly, the crust is so thin that it easily gets worn more than is sustainable. Regular gold plated jewelry is usually low as metals in bronze. Vermeil gold jewelry 14k gold and sterling silver less than usual is over.

[Jewelry Dropshippers]

Originally Posted by alexmom

Hello Everyone,

I have been researching jewelry companies for a while now and I wanted to know what is the difference between Gold Filled Jewelry and Gold Vermeil Jewelry? Is it really considered fine jewelry?

Gold-filled jewelry, also known as "rolled gold" or "rolled gold plate" is composed of a solid layer of gold bonded with heat and pressure to a base metal such as brass. Some high quality gold-filled pieces have the same appearance as 14 karat (58%) gold and the gold vermeil jewelry commonly used as a component in jewelry. A typical example is sterling silver coated with 14 carat (58%) gold. To be considered vermeil, the gold must be at least 10 carat (42%) and be at least 2.5 micrometres thick. In the US, sterling silver covered with a base metal (such as nickel) and plated with gold cannot be sold as vermeil without disclosing that it contains base metal.