Description
About Gold Vermeil
In the U.S., any jewelry marked as gold vermeil must consist of a sterling silver base layer with solid gold electroplated on top and meet the following requirements:
- Sterling silver (925), a metal alloy made of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, must be the base material.
- The gold-plated layer must be at least 10K gold but can be anything from 14K to 24K gold. Amata Jewelry uses solid 18K gold in all vermeil pieces.
- The gold-plated layer must be at least 2.5 microns thick (micron = 1/1000th of a millimeter).
Is gold vermeil waterproof? In short, no. No metal is truly “waterproof” as minerals and deposits in tap water, salt water, or chlorinated water – as well as ingredients in soaps and hair products – can dull or damage your jewelry over time. It’s best to refrain from swimming, showering, or bathing when wearing gold vermeil jewelry.
Is gold vermeil hypoallergenic? One of the great features of gold vermeil jewelry is that it’s hypoallergenic! As it is made up of only precious metals, most people will have no reaction or issues.
Is gold vermeil good quality? Gold vermeil is the highest quality jewelry you can buy that isn’t solid gold. In the rankings of demi-fine jewelry, gold vermeil ranks as the highest quality affordable option.
Does gold vermeil tarnish or turn green? Over time, all gold pieces will begin to tarnish, a natural process that happens when metal alloys react with oxygen; however, the tarnishing can usually be polished off or shined away. Gold vermeil does not turn your finger green. The green hue that cheap jewelry can leave on your finger is usually from an abundance of copper in a metal alloy, but gold vermeil jewelry does not typically create this reaction because solid gold does not cause a green hue.