Understanding Gold Vermeil

A simple, factual description of gold vermeil is: a silver item that has been gold-plated. 

The term “gold vermeil” is increasingly used to describe the process by which a piece of sterling silver jewellery is electroplated with a layer of gold onto its surface to make the silver item look gold.

The term ‘gold vermeil’ has its origins in 18th century France, where artisans applied a heavy and durable gold plating to silverware and silver jewellery. In the UK, this process was know as ‘silver gilt’.

In the UK, precious metal jewellery descriptions are regulated under the Hallmarking Act of 1973. This ensures consumers are presented with clear and unambiguous descriptions of what they are buying at the point of sale. The term ‘Gold Vermeil’ is not sanctioned under the UK Hallmarking Act of 1973. The term leads with a gold description, which can mislead consumers. It isn’t clear that the gold on their jewellery is just a plating.

The British Hallmarking Council has published guidance on the use of this term—jewellery can be described as gold vermeil, but only if the description mentions the item is made of silver and uses the phrase ‘gold plated,’ i.e. 18ct gold plated vermeil silver ring. In reality, there are no regulations on gold plating thickness in the UK, so the consumer has no means of verifying these claims. Descriptions of items being sold as Gold vermeil often make claims that the gold plating is thicker or more durable than normal gold plating.