Vermeil
Also called gold vermeil, silver gilt
Vermeil is sterling silver plated with a layer of real gold thick enough to meet a legal standard. In the United States the base must be sterling silver, the gold must be at least 10k, and the plating must be at least 2.5 microns thick, otherwise the piece is only gold plated.
In other words, it is gold over silver, held to a minimum thickness. Ordinary gold plating has no such floor, which is why the two are priced differently.
Vermeil against plain gold plating
The word is a legal claim, not a style. Plating a brass or steel base in gold gives you gold plated jewelry no matter how thick the layer is, because vermeil requires a sterling silver base.
That thickness floor is the reason vermeil holds up longer than flash plating, and the reason it costs more. Using the word on a piece that does not meet the standard is a labelling problem, so check the spec with your manufacturer before it goes in a listing.
- Base metal: sterling silver, nothing else.
- Gold purity: 10k or higher.
- Plating thickness: 2.5 microns or more.
Rendering vermeil
On screen, vermeil reads as gold. The silver underneath is not visible on a new piece, so a vermeil render and a solid gold render of the same design look the same.
That is useful if you are testing a design before you commit to solid gold stock. One CAD file gives you the yellow, rose, and white versions, and you can list the vermeil line from the same images your solid gold line uses.
Questions about Vermeil
Is vermeil real gold?
Yes, the outer layer is real gold of 10k or higher. The body of the piece underneath is sterling silver.
Can you render a vermeil piece?
Yes. Send the CAD file and we render it as gold, since that is the surface a customer sees.