Discover the difference between gold plated and vermeil offered in my store.
At Tempérance bijoux all jewelry is made of precious metals!
What is a precious metal?
First of all, you should know that a so-called “precious” metal designates a metallic chemical element that is rare and has a certain monetary value.
What are the so-called precious metals?
First of all we find:
- Gold which is undoubtedly the best known of all
- Silver just as well known for its more modest price
- Platinum which is the purest and noblest
- Rhodium is the most expensive metal today
- Palladium for its lightness
I only site those which are most used in jewelry, many other metals exist, whether for creation or for the manufacture of machines etc...
What’s more, their value is extremely fluctuating. This instability of the prices at which they trade depends on several factors, including stock market movements, demand for jewelry or goldsmithing (especially valid for gold and silver), those of the electronics industry, etc.
In my store you will only discover silver jewelry with different gold plating.
What are the different gold platings?
I offer you the possibility of choosing between 3 micron gold plated or 5 micron vermeil.
What is the micron?
The micron is a unit of measurement attributed to the thickness of the layer of gold covering the jewel.
A micron corresponds to one thousandth of a millimeter. It is during galvanization that the thickness of the gold layer will be defined.
What is gold plated in my store?
In France, a piece of jewelry must be covered with a thickness of 3 microns to have the designation “gold plated”.
In my shop "gold plated" is a piece of jewelry that is made entirely of solid silver. The definition of solid silver: 925 silver (92.5% pure silver)
This jewelry will be covered with a 3 micron thick layer of 24 carat gold in 18 carat yellow color.
Gold-plated jewelry is worth more than jewelry called “gilded with fine gold” which only contains 0.1 to 1 micron
What is the carat?
The carat in jewelry is a unit of measurement for the purity of precious metals such as gold. 24 carat represents pure gold, i.e. 100% (exactly 99.9%)
Given that 24 carat is yellow/orange in color and too malleable, it is 18 carat that will be most used in jewelry. In addition, its color being much less orange, we discover it with a very beautiful yellow gold color.
What is vermilion?
In jewelry, vermeil is a guarantee!
This name means that under this layer of gold there must automatically be at least 925 silver and not brass or other.
On the other hand, to be able to name a vermeil jewelry it must have a minimum plating of 5 microns.
At Tempérance jewelry, vermeil jewelry is covered with a minimum of 5 microns of 24-carat gold with the beautiful 18-carat color.
Since vermeil jewelry is an alloy made of silver coated with gold, it is considered a precious metal and, as such, is subject to customs regulations.
Hence the fact of marking the jewelry with a V hallmark to certify this guarantee!
Therefore, vermeil is more expensive than gold plated.
All the platings are made by myself in my workshop! This way I can really guarantee the microns that cover the jewelry.
How long does the tackle last?
As a general rule, 3 or 5 micron plating will have a lifespan of several years.
I cannot define this duration with accuracy given the use of each one and the acidity of the skins.
On the other hand, veneer is not afraid of water! but chemicals should be kept as far away as possible from your new gold-plated or vermeil jewelry.
To preserve everything's shine for as long as possible; Always store your jewelry in a safe place after removing it.