Types of Gold Jewellery: Gold Plated VS Gold Filled VS Gold Vermeil VS Solid Gold Jewellery

Types of Gold Jewellery: Gold Plated VS Gold Filled VS Gold Vermeil VS Solid Gold Jewellery

Gold Plated VS Gold Filled VS Gold Vermeil VS Solid Gold Jewellery

Gold plated, filled, vermeil and solid gold may look similar but have differences which affect the quality, durability and value of the jewellery. Understanding the differences between these different metal types is helpful when choosing a gold necklace, bracelet or earrings. Let us guide you through the different metal types to help choose your next piece of jewellery.

gold locket necklaces

What is Gold Vermeil:

Gold vermeil involves layering a thick coating of gold onto a base metal. Unlike gold filled jewellery, the base metal for gold vermeil can only be sterling silver. Vermeil is an ancient French technique which consists of a very thick quantity of gold – more than 7 to 10 times the thickness of regular gold plating being applied to sterling silver.

At Lily Blanche, our gold vermeil jewellery is crafted in 18 carat gold vermeil. We only use precious metals in our jewellery. The base metal used is sterling silver meaning it is 92.5% pure silver. Our gold vermeil pieces are also hallmarked with a full UK Hallmark in the Edinburgh Assay office to guarantee your peace of mind.

Will Vermeil Tarnish?

When cared for properly, gold vermeil can stand the test of time. How you treat your jewellery, can impact how well it wears. We recommend storing our 18 carat gold vermeil jewellery in our intercept storage pouches which contains technology to keep your jewellery clean and shining.

What is Solid Gold Jewellery?

Solid gold jewellery refers to gold jewellery which has no base metal, only gold, as opposed to ‘gold plated’ or ‘gold filled jewellery’. Solid gold is more valuable and durable than other types of gold jewellery. Solid gold is also thicker than gold plated or gold filled and is usually higher quality, due to being made of only gold alloy.

At Lily Blanche, our gold diamond lockets are crafted in 9 carat gold and solid gold in the UK by master goldsmiths. Our solid gold pieces are also hallmarked by the official Assay office with a full UK Hallmark to guarantee authenticity. 

gold diamond lockets

What is The Difference between Gold Plated Jewellery and Solid Gold Jewellery?

Solid gold is made of only the gold alloy whereas gold plated jewellery includes other metals. At Lily Blanche, we don't use any gold plated jewellery. At a first glance, gold filled and gold plated jewellery can look quite similar. However, the quality of the two metals are very different. Solid gold has a higher value than gold plating due to the higher percentage of gold used. Solid gold is also less prone to tarnishing that gold plated or gold filled jewellery.

What is Gold Plated Jewellery?

Gold plated jewellery is made by applying a thin layer of gold over lower-end metal, usually copper. Gold plating has a thickness of 0.5 microns, whereas gold vermeil has to have a thickness of at least 2.5 microns. Gold-plating occurs through an electroplating process and while it can look similar to solid gold jewellery, it is not as valuable or as durable. Gold plating can wear off over time which can leave the base metal underneath exposed, leading to tarnishing. 

What is Gold Filled Jewellery?

Gold Filled jewellery refers to jewellery that bonds a thin layer of gold to a lower-end base metal such as brass or copper using heat and pressure. The layer of gold used in gold-filled jewellery is typically 5% of the total weight of the piece. In contrast, gold vermeil requires a thickness of 2.5 microns making it more durable. Due to containing brass, copper or other base metals, gold filled jewellery is not as long lasting as solid gold jewellery.

Gold Vermeil or Gold Filled?

Both gold vermeil and gold filled have different advantages. However, if you are looking for high-quality jewellery at an affordable price, gold vermeil is the best option. At Lily Blanche, we don't sell gold filled jewellery. Instead, we use 18 carat gold vermeil to ensure the best quality for the best price. 

How to Clean Gold Jewellery

Cleaning and caring for your gold jewellery is simple. Looking after your jewellery can make a big difference to how long it lasts. You can clean your jewellery from the comfort of your own home.

  1. Clean your jewellery with a dry polish cloth. You can purchase our jewellery care kit which contains a polish cloth made by Town Talk Polish. The polish cloth includes a special formula to remove tarnish. It is also reusable and designed to last. Top tip – don’t worry if your cloth turns black, this is a chemical reaction when cleaning jewellery and means it is working well.
  2. Store your jewellery well. Keep your solid gold jewellery separate from pieces which contain other metals. We recommend keeping all Lily Blanche gold jewellery in our intercept pouches which contain special technology developed in the USA to keep your jewellery sparkling.
  3. Avoid submerging in water: precious metals should never be worn in water as water can contain chemicals which can damage the jewellery. Remove your gold rings and necklaces when showering or washing your hands to keep them shining.

lily blanche jewellery care kit

Discover Gold Jewellery with Lily Blanche 

At Lily Blanche, when we use gold in our jewellery it is only 18 carat gold vermeil or solid gold, we don't use gold plated or filled jewellery to ensure the best quality and price for our customers. 

Discover our collection of gold lockets for some inspiration. 

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