Vermeil gold

HISTORY

Already known at the time of the Greeks and Romans which used different gilding techniques, such as “superposition”, folding or hammering on gold or silver leaf, Vermeil developed in France starting in the 18th century and many kings of France wore crowns made of this precious metal. Vermeil was then obtained from a mercury gilding technique, now banned due to its toxicity. In the Victorian era, In the 19th century, vermeil was used for jewellery but also for various objects such as vases, trays, silverware , etc. During this period, mercury gilding was replaced by galvanic plating, a particular treatment which consisted of covering the silver with a gold plating deposited by electrolysis.
Today, vermeil is often used for sports awards that are supposed to be gold, such as the gold medals at the Olympics since 1912. Primarily used in gold and silversmithing, vermeil is making a strong comeback in the jewelry world, with more and more designers using it.

CHARACTERISTICS

Vermeil is made of solid silver covered in gold. (14, 18 or 24 carats). Obtained through a galvanic process, vermeil is not a simple alloy or gold plated. Vermeil is silver covered with a thickness ranging from 2.5 to 5 microns of gold . It differs significantly from gold plating because the base is exclusively silver, while plating provides a gold plating that is less than 3 microns thick. Because this plating is relatively thin, the gold tint will tend to fade much faster than vermeil.

To determine if a piece of jewelry is vermeil, three factors must be taken into consideration:
• The type of metal used for the base
• The thickness of gold
• The purity of gold
The standards governing the quality of a Vermeil object vary slightly from country to country. In France, a vermeil object must have a silver base of 800 millimetres (minimum title) and its gold plating must have a minimum thickness of 5 microns, with at least 18 carats (750 thousandths). In the United Kingdom, Vermeil requires a 925 silver base with an external layer of gold of at least 10 carats and a thickness of at least 2.5 microns. In the United States, the standards define Vermeil as a sterling silver base covered with gold of at least 10 carats and with a minimum thickness of 2½ microns (FTC regulations).
In Canada, a “vermeil” product has a base of sterling silver plated with 10-karat gold of at least 1 carat thickness (Competition Bureau Canada).
The carats that characterize the gold content are respectively 24k = 99.9%, 18k = 75%, 14k = 58.3% and 10k = 41.7%.

ADVANTAGES

When you are looking for a piece of jewelry or other valuable item, vermeil is a good choice for several reasons. First of all, it is a precious metal that is particularly resistant to the wear and tear of time and external aggressions and will be able to offer you a certain durability over time.
From an aesthetic point of view, vermeil is very similar to gold and is therefore an excellent alternative in terms of price and quality when you cannot afford to buy jewelry in this metal.
Finally, vermeil is ideal for people with allergic reactions to metals since it is composed of silver and gold, therefore hypoallergenic.
It should also be noted that vermeil is also lighter than gold, a significant advantage for example for earrings, which will be more comfortable to wear.

VERMEIL JEWELRY CARE

Each Isotta jewel is a unique piece and for this reason I recommend treating it with care and delicacy, keeping it in the packaging provided.
Vermeil jewelry requires little maintenance to enhance their brilliance.
Although vermeil is particularly resistant to time, when you are not wearing your jewelry, it is best to store it in a jewelry box to prevent natural oxidation and impacts from pins, diamonds and other metal objects. Never use chemical agents, such as detergents and makeup removers, or rough fabrics to clean jewelry. Simply clean the jewelry with a soft cloth and place the item in its case.