Gold plated, vermeil or solid gold: what is the difference?

Gold plated, vermeil and solid gold are not three grades of the same finish. They are three different objects, and French law defines each one precisely. Gold plated means a base metal under at least 3 microns of gold, vermeil means solid silver under at least 5 microns of 18 karat gold, and solid gold means a gold alloy all the way through.

The three terms are used loosely on product pages. Here is what they actually mean, and how to check them on the piece itself.

What is gold plated jewelry?

Gold plated jewelry is made of a base metal, usually brass, covered with a layer of gold. In France the word is protected. Article 551 of the General Tax Code reserves the term plated for pieces coated with a precious metal of at least 500 parts per thousand that carry a special maker’s mark. Annex III of the same code sets the minimum thickness at 3 microns, with no tolerance.

Three microns is three thousandths of a millimeter. It is enough to give a piece the glow of gold, not enough to make it a gold object. Under the layer the metal is still brass, and brass is what shows once the gilding wears off.

A piece with a thinner layer is not allowed to be called plated. It is then sold as gilded, gold finish or gold tone, terms that guarantee no thickness at all.

What is vermeil?

Vermeil is solid silver coated with gold. The same article 551 states that only silver pieces of legal fineness, coated with gold of 750 parts per thousand or more, may use the name. Annex III adds that the gold layer must reach 5 microns.

So vermeil differs from gold plating in two ways:

• the body of the piece is solid silver, not a base metal;
• the gold layer is thicker (5 microns versus 3) and must be 18 karat gold.

That is why vermeil is so common among independent jewelry designers. It allows generous volumes and a genuine precious metal in the piece, at a price nowhere near solid gold. And when the gilding eventually wears, silver shows through, and a jeweler can re-gild the piece.

What is solid gold?

Solid gold is a gold alloy throughout the entire piece. Pure gold is too soft for jewelry, so it is alloyed with other metals (silver, copper, palladium) that give it hardness and its yellow, rose or white color.

The share of fine gold is expressed in parts per thousand. In France, a piece must be at least 375 parts per thousand to be sold as gold, according to French customs. Three finenesses dominate:

• 750 (18 karat), 75 percent fine gold, the benchmark of French fine jewelry;
• 585 (14 karat), 58.5 percent fine gold;
• 375 (9 karat), 37.5 percent fine gold, the most affordable.

A 9 karat piece is still a gold piece, simply with less fine gold than 18 karat.

Side-by-side comparison

How to check it on the piece

The hallmark is still the best clue. On French solid gold you look for two marks:

1. the fineness hallmark, applied by the state or an approved body. The eagle’s head means 750 gold, the scallop shell 585, the clover 375;
2. the maker’s mark, diamond-shaped, which identifies the manufacturer.

Gold plated pieces carry their maker’s special mark but no gold fineness hallmark, since the piece is not gold. Vermeil carries silver hallmarks.

Do not jump to conclusions, though. A missing hallmark is not always suspicious. State control only applies above certain weights, 3 grams for gold and 30 grams for silver. Below that, a piece can be entirely solid without any guarantee hallmark. For a small earring or a very fine chain, the invoice and the seller’s written description are what count.

What to look for on a product page

Before buying online, three questions clear up most doubts:

• Is the body metal named? “925 silver” or “brass” already tells you most of the story.
• Is the plating thickness stated? Designers working in vermeil or compliant gold plating almost always state it, 3 or 5 microns.
• Is the gold fineness given? For solid gold it should appear in parts per thousand or in karats.

If none of this is listed, ask. A serious seller answers without hesitation.

Where to find designer jewelry in all three materials

French jewelry designers work with all three materials, often within a single collection. Some made their name in solid gold, like Gigi Clozeau, known for pieces in 18 karat gold and resin. Others favor vermeil for their most voluminous designs.

Designer concept stores are a good place to compare materials side by side, piece in hand, with staff who can explain the specifications. One example is the jewelry selection at Lulli sur la Toile, a concept store from Marseille and the south of France that carries several French jewelry designers.

To understand what makes a concept store, read our guide what is a concept store. If you are curious about how designers work beyond jewelry, our piece on designer ready-to-wear is the natural next read. All our jewelry stories live in the Jewelry section.