February 13, 2023

Difference between Regular Gold Plated and Gold Vermeil

Gold plating and gold vermeil are two popular finishes used in jewelry making. While both finishes can offer a luxurious and eye-catching look, there are key differences between the two that are important to understand.

What is Regular Gold Plating?

Gold plating refers to a process where a thin layer of gold is electroplated onto a base metal such as copper or brass. The base metal is first cleaned and then a thin layer of gold is deposited onto the surface. The gold layer is usually between 0.5 and 2.5 microns thick, which is a relatively small amount of gold. This means that regular gold plating is not a solid gold piece and is significantly less expensive than solid gold jewelry.

Advantages of Regular Gold Plating:

Gold plated jewelry is a cost-effective way to get the look of gold jewelry without having to spend a lot of money.
Regular gold plating can be used to enhance the look of a piece of jewelry and make it appear more luxurious.

Disadvantages of Regular Gold Plating:

The gold layer in regular gold plating is very thin and therefore prone to wearing off over time. This means that the gold layer can start to look dull or tarnished after only a few months or years of wear.
Regular gold plated jewelry is not as durable as other finishes such as gold vermeil, and is therefore more susceptible to damage such as scratching or bending.

What is Gold Vermeil?

Gold vermeil is a term that is used to describe a type of gold plating that is more substantial than regular gold plating. In this process, a thicker layer of gold is deposited onto the base metal, usually between 2.5 and 5 microns thick. This means that the gold layer in gold vermeil is significantly thicker and more durable than regular gold plating.

Advantages of Gold Vermeil:

Gold vermeil jewelry is more durable than regular gold plated jewelry, as the thicker layer of gold is more resistant to wear and tear.
The thicker layer of gold in gold vermeil jewelry makes it look more luxurious and of higher quality than regular gold plated jewelry.

Disadvantages of Gold Vermeil:

Although gold vermeil jewelry is more durable than regular gold plated jewelry, it is still not as durable as solid gold jewelry. This means that it is still susceptible to damage such as scratching or bending.
Gold vermeil jewelry is more expensive than regular gold plated jewelry, as the thicker layer of gold requires more gold to be used.

Differences between Regular Gold Plating and Gold Vermeil:

Thickness of the Gold Layer: The main difference between regular gold plating and gold vermeil is the thickness of the gold layer. Regular gold plating has a gold layer that is between 0.5 and 2.5 microns thick, while gold vermeil has a gold layer that is between 2.5 and 5 microns thick.

Durability: Due to the thicker gold layer, gold vermeil jewelry is more durable and long-lasting than regular gold plated jewelry. However, it is still not as durable as solid gold jewelry.

Cost: Regular gold plated jewelry is significantly less expensive than gold vermeil jewelry due to the thinner layer of gold used. Gold vermeil jewelry is more expensive due to the thicker layer of gold used in the process.