Do You Know the Difference Between Gold Plated Silver and Gold Vermeil Plated Silver Jewelry?
Jewelry is a very important part of our whole ensemble of clothes when we are dressing up to go out. A wedding function, a formal party, or otherwise, we always try to pair our outfits with suitable jewelry. Lighter shades of colours, like white or pink, can be complemented very well with golden coloured earrings and/or necklaces. At the same time, brighter and bolder colours like black and dark blue or navy blue can be paired with a little more subtle jewelry pieces of silver. Gold jewelry has been given a lot of importance in Indian culture as the culture itself dates back to eons ago when India was considered to be one of the richest countries, particularly in gold. India is also one of the biggest markets of gold, with an increase in demand because of the auspiciousness of the transition metal, especially to the Hindu and Jain cultures. It can be seen being used in the most inauspicious and important events like marriages, poojas, and other religious practices.
Because of the demand for this transition metal, the cost of buying one karat gold also exceeds the price of buying a piece of jewelry made from any other metal, including silver. Even if not as much as gold, silver still has its level of auspiciousness and value. It is important in the market and is popular in a lot of different uses. Just like gold, silver also plays an important role in different cultural practices like weddings and poojas during festivals like Diwali and Holi. Owning silver is considered a sign of wealth and prosperity. A lot of times you will see people gifting a piece of silver to someone at their housewarming party, as a sign of wealth and prosperity.
But unlike gold, silver does not have its prices going through the roof. Thus, a wave of manufacturing and selling gold-plated silver jewelry and gold vermeil plated jewelry is hitting the markets. The important thing to know about this is that it is, in no way, a golden coloured piece of silver jewelry. The piece of silver jewelry is coated with a thin layer of real gold. The main point of doing so is that it makes buying these jewelry pieces more affordable than buying silver or gold individually. These jewelry pieces are of two different types – gold-plated silver jewelry and gold vermeil-plated jewelry. Let’s find out how these two are different from each other.
Gold Plated Silver Jewellery
This type of jewelry is a silver piece of jewelry that is covered with a thin layer of real gold. Usually, gold-plated jewelry is originally made of different metals, like even copper. But in comparison, silver jewelry plated with gold has more value to it, since it is a mixture of two very valuable metals. Gold plated jewelry is a fantastic option to expand the variety of your jewelry box. A bonus to that is that it’ll do the job, without burning a hole in your pocket! This type of jewelry adds a touch of sophistication and grace to your look. Pairing it with perfect outfits like a saree or a lehenga, or even an evening dress, will give you that classy and graceful look. This jewelry is made by using electricity or chemicals to deposit and bond a very thin layer of gold over the silver. This process creates a layer as thin as 1/1000 to 3/1000 of an inch of gold over a more affordable metal, like silver. Gold-plated jewelry is the best option for wearers who are jewelry obsessed but need to stay on a budget. It gives the impression of luxury while not causing you to break the bank every time you see a cute, trendy necklace or bracelet. It is also wildly available on many websites and physical and online shops. But gold-plated jewelry also has its downsides. Like the fact that even though it stops the silver inside from oxidising, it also tarnishes in a way that fades over time. As and how it is used and based on how extensively it is used, the gold on the gold-plated jewelry will eventually fade. The molecules of silver slowly transfer into the thin layer of gold causing it to break down. Not just that, all types of water can also make a gold-plated piece of jewelry fade. Including bodily fluids like sweat and skin, oil can cause the gold to not only fade but also start chipping away, over time.
Gold Vermeil Plated Jewellery
Vermeil refers to high-quality silver that is plated with a thin layer of gold. This includes pure or sterling. The process of making this jewelry is very similar to that of gold-plated jewelry. It is made by electroplating the gold on the silver or with the use of chemicals that bind the two metals together. Vermeil jewelry is one of the hottest trends right now as it strikes the perfect balance between quality and value. Many people tend to confuse vermeil with gold plating, and even though they do share a few aspects, there is a big difference in quality, durability, and desirability. When shopping for jewelry, it helps to differentiate between these two options. Ideally, there are several factors, including composition, thickness, and base metal, that contribute to determining if a piece of jewelry is vermeil. As vermeil jewelry is composed of two precious metals, that are gold and silver, it’s usually thought of as being closer to fine jewelry and tends to fall under the category “demi-fine”. Just like gold-plated jewelry, gold vermeil jewelry also gets damaged after a certain use. Gold vermeil is a thick coating of 18ct gold over sterling silver. Although gold vermeil will not tarnish like silver, it may become dirty and fade slightly with wear. Even though vermeil has a lot of gold than gold-plated pieces, it is important to understand that it is not gold. So, simply put, it is sterling silver with a layer of gold. You need to be careful when purchasing vermeil pieces as they almost look like gold.
What Is the Difference Between Gold-Plated and Gold-Vermeil Plated Silver Jewellery?
Even though the making of these two types of jewelry is very similar to one another, the composition and constituents of these two are very different. Gold-plated jewelry is a thin layer of gold plated on metals like silver, copper, or brass. But vermeil plated jewelry is a layer of gold on a pure or sterling silver piece of jewelry. When it comes to the cost of it, even though gold plated jewelry, vermeil or not, is cheaper than real gold jewelry, vermeil jewelry is more expensive than gold plated jewelry as it uses another precious metal, that is silver. In contrast to vermeil, there are no specific requirements for gold-plated jewelry. The gold can be of any quality, and the electroplated layer can be as thick as you want. In general, unless specified otherwise, gold-plated jewelry is usually going to have lower-quality gold and a thinner gold layer. Because of this, as a consumer, it’s important to pay close attention to the jewelry’s quality if it’s listed as gold plated. While it does have a layer of gold, this doesn’t necessarily mean the jewelry is of high quality and is durable. While it is more durable as compared to gold-plated jewelry, gold vermeil will last longer than gold-plated jewelry, but can still tarnish if exposed to water, sweat, or perfume, or the gold may eventually scratch and rub off with wear. The durability of vermeil and gold-plated jewelry depends mainly on the karat of the gold plating, its thickness, and the composition of the alloy used to make the core. Finding gold vermeil jewelry is harder than gold-plated, though. Whereas, according to what was mentioned before, gold-plated jewelry can be found easily on websites and online and offline (physical) shops.
If you are looking for something to spice up your look for the night and make you look classier than ever, gold vermeil plated jewelry and gold-plated jewelry are your saviors! They complement every look with their sophistication, classiness, and shine! Being coated with a metal like gold will add a shine to your already shiny and sparkly personality. Wear it with any outfit of your choice and take part in this trend of sporting this gold-plated and gold vermeil jewelry. Make a style statement by indulging in fashion in a more affordable and long-lasting way!
