Vermeil
Also: silver-gilt, gilded silver
Vermeil is gold-plated sterling silver with a minimum gold layer of 2.5 microns, positioned as a distinct jewellery category between solid gold and simple gold plating.
Vermeil (pronounced ver-may, from the French for "gilded") is a specific jewellery material: a sterling silver base (fineness >= 925/1000) whose surface is finished by electroplating with a defined gold layer. The result combines the look of solid gold with the more affordable material value of silver.
Statutory minimum standards
The requirements for vermeil are not uniformly regulated internationally:
| Region | Base metal | Minimum gold thickness | Gold content of layer |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA (FTC) | Sterling (925) | 2.5 microns | >= 10 carat (417/1000) |
| UK / EU (trade) | Sterling (925) | 0.5 - 2.5 microns | varies by supplier |
| France (traditional) | Sterling (925) | no set standard | often 18 carat |
There is no single statutory definition of vermeil in the UK or the EU; many manufacturers follow the stricter US standard of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Distinction from similar products
Vermeil should be clearly separated from related terms:
- Rolled gold / gold doublé: a mechanically rolled gold layer on a base-metal carrier (brass, copper) - no silver substrate.
- Gold plating: an electroplated gold layer on any carrier, often under 0.5 microns - with no requirement as to the base material.
- Rhodium plating: a rhodium layer on white or silver jewellery for greater hardness and shine - not gold.
What sets vermeil apart is the precious-metal substrate: anyone melting a vermeil piece down or valuing it with the melt value calculator receives the full silver material value of the carrier; the thin gold layer contributes almost nothing by quantity.
Manufacture
Vermeil is produced by electrodeposition: the cleaned sterling-silver blank is immersed in a gold-bearing electrolyte bath; a direct current deposits gold ions onto the surface. The layer thickness - measured in microns - determines durability and cost. The FTC minimum requirement is 2.5 microns; pieces with 3 microns or more are sometimes marketed as "heavy vermeil".
Material value and buying
When buying or using the silver calculator, what counts is primarily the weight of the silver carrier multiplied by the current silver price. The gold layer is so thin (a few milligrams per gram of jewellery) that it is practically negligible in the melt value. A buyer will therefore usually calculate vermeil as 925 silver. (Not tax or investment advice.)
In brief
Vermeil means gold-plated sterling silver with defined minimum standards - visually on a par with gold, but a silver product in material value. Anyone wanting to know the true material value should use the melt value calculator and calculate with the silver content.