What Is Gold Vermeil?

Buying gold jewelry can be confusing. At the end of the day, all you want is a quality piece that you won't have to replace. When you're buying rings, pendants, and other gold essentials, you want to ensure you're investing in pieces that are worth your time and money. How can you find affordable pieces that won't wear down quickly?

While shopping for gold jewelry online, you may have seen pieces described as “gold vermeil.” To someone unfamiliar with gold jewelry categories, it's hard to know the difference between gold vermeil and its alternatives. Is this option the right one for you? Let's learn more and find out. 

It's All in the Composition 

How is gold vermeil made? At its core, vermeil jewelry is a gold-plating style that's also known by the name “silver-gilt.” A few constituents determine whether a piece of jewelry can be classified as vermeil:

1. It must have a sterling silver base at its core with a layer of gold on top.
2. The gold in question must be at least 10 Karat gold.
3. That gold overlay has to be at least 2.5 microns thick.

How Gold Vermeil Compares to Other Options 

You may already be wondering how vermeil is different from other gold options in your jewelry. Though it can be a bit complex, it's worth understanding so you can know which metal option is the best for you. Let's see how vermeil compares to solid gold, gold-filled jewelry, and gold-plated pieces. 

Solid Gold

You'd choose solid gold if you could, right? It seems like the obvious option since it's the purest. Even within solid gold, a few varying factors can affect your piece of jewelry's purity and durability. The most important thing to consider is the parts of gold in your jewelry known as karats. Let's review the pros and cons of each karat weight.

10K:  10 Karat gold is an alloy comprising ten parts gold and fourteen parts of other metals. Usually, this alloy is combined with either zinc, silver, or nickel. On average, a 10 Karat piece of jewelry will be harder than its counterparts because it contains less pure gold, but it's also less valuable. 

14K: 14 Karat gold has its benefits. Its makeup is similar to 10 Karat gold, with the alloy metals being the primary difference. This alloy is made up of fourteen parts pure gold and ten parts of other metals. It has better color than 10 Karat gold but is still not as pure as 18 Karat or 24 Karat gold.

18K: 18 Karat gold is eighteen parts pure gold and eight parts of other metals. To break it down, this means that 18 karat gold contains 75% pure gold and 25% alloy. This composition makes it the most valuable gold while still being durable. It's an excellent alloy to use in pieces of jewelry.

24K: 24 Karat gold is best known for being the purest gold. It contains no additional metals, making it the softest gold as well. Its color is the warmest tone compared to its gold alloy counterparts.

Gold-Filled Jewelry 

Gold-filled jewelry refers to jewelry with a thicker gold outer layer than gold-plated or vermeil jewelry. The core metal under the gold layer can be low-quality, which contrasts with vermeil, requiring that sterling silver be the base metal. However, with both gold vermeil and gold-filled jewelry, you’re not getting any bonuses that you wouldn’t also get with gold-plated jewelry, minus the steep price tag.

Gold-Plated Jewelry 

Gold-plated jewelry is what its name implies. There are no restrictions for the core metal used as the jewelry's base layer, similar to gold-filled jewelry. There are also no restrictions on the amount of gold content within the gold-plating. That said, a high-quality piece of gold-plated jewelry is going to give you all the benefits of gold vermeil (or even solid gold) without the hefty price. You just have to make sure that you’re purchasing it from a reliable source, like CRAFTD. 

Where You Can Find Durable 18K Gold Jewelry 

Now that we've reviewed gold-plated, gold-filled, and solid gold jewelry, you might have realized that as long as you are buying quality 18K plated jewelry, you’re getting all of the benefits for a reasonable price. If you're looking for jewelry that's the highest quality for the best price, you might want to consider our CRAFTD durable 18 Karat gold-plated jewelry.

Our All Gold Collection 

Make it easy in yourself. You can effortlessly browse our "All Gold" collection to find pieces you love at desirable prices. This collection features bracelets, pendants, and chains that will last you for years. Buy your first piece of gold jewelry or add a new piece to compliment your other gold staples. When it's CRAFTD, you know your gold jewelry will endure.

Trending Pieces 

Maybe you're someone who likes to be in-the-know. You enjoy wearing styles as soon as you know they're what's trending. We proudly offer you access to see the styles of jewelry people love the most lately. The trending page on our website can update you on what's in style and inspire you with your next favorite Rope chain. 

Meaningful Pendants

There's more for you to love about CRAFTD. In addition to high-quality jewelry essentials, we offer pendants that represent who you are. If you've never worn pendants, they're an easy way to make your jewelry more complex. They make a fantastic addition to your usual chains and can represent your personality and values.

Are you someone who takes charge of your own life? Do you forge your own way? Our Compass pendant is perfect for you. It serves as a reminder that you know the path for your own life better than anyone else could. Do you carry faith with you and often feel a sense of protection over your life? Our Angel Wing pendant may be the perfect emblem of the ideals you hold dear. 

Statement Rings 

In keeping with the gold theme, our statement rings in gold can help you tie the rest of your jewelry together. Keep it simple with our Avia minimalist statement ring, if that's your style. If you prefer jewelry with personality, commit to your statement piece with a Crown Ring in gold. Statement rings are an excellent way to accent your gold chains or pendants.

Classic Chains 

Our gold CRAFTD chains come in twenty-six styles, so you have options. Whether you're looking for a simple, everyday Connell chain or trying to find the perfect bulky Toggle chain, this collection has something for everyone. You can try out essentials chains or make a statement – the choice is yours.

Choose CRAFTD High-Quality Gold Jewelry 

When you buy CRAFTD gold jewelry, you can feel especially confident about the pieces you buy. We don't offer pieces that will break immediately or turn your skin colors. Our pieces are CRAFTD in high-quality materials to last you for years. Skip the cheap piece you saw online for $2.99 and try a chain, pendant, or bracelet today in our 18 Karat gold.

Always Durable 

It's happened to all of us. You take a chance on an unbelievably cheap necklace just to see if this piece will be different. As much as you wish and hope for it not to break or discolor your skin, there's no stopping a cheap piece of jewelry from breaking down. CRAFTD jewelry is always durable, so your pieces won't break after the first or second wear.

Sweat-Proof and Tarnish-Resistant 

It keeps getting better. In addition to being quite durable, our CRAFTD jewelry is also sweat-proof and tarnish-resistant. You can wear your chains even through hard manual labor, summer days, and anything else life may throw your way. Wear our chains with confidence, knowing they'll keep their color and brilliance over time.

To Sum it Up 

If you're interested in sticking with your budget, but you prefer jewelry that will last a long time, gold vermeil could be the right option for you. If you'd prefer 18K gold jewelry, CRAFTD has the best essential pieces for you. Go with all gold or our premium sterling silver. If your piece is CRAFTD, it will last.

Sources:

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/vermeil-jewelry-meaning-2043641 

https://www.jewelrynotes.com/vermeil-vs-gold-plating-difference/ 

https://www.jewelrynotes.com/10-karat-vs-14-karat-gold-which-should-you-buy/