What is vermeil?
Vermeil is a precious metal, an alloy composed of solid silver and plated with a thickness of 5 microns of gold. This metal is very old and was invented by the Incas.
Due to its composition of precious metals, vermeil is itself considered a precious metal.
It is subject to the same regulations as gold and silver.
It meets strict regulations; the gilding must be composed of a layer of gold at least 5 microns thick, for a minimum purity of 18 carats. The silver makes up the base of the object and must be solid silver (825 silver).
What is the difference between gold plated and vermeil?
the difference lies in the thickness of gold applied, for gold plated it is 3 microns for vermeil 5 microns.
Vermeil therefore has a layer of gold 1.5 times thicker than gold plated.
The other difference is the base metal: for gold plating, no silver is needed, it can be done on brass.
For vermeil, it is essential that the base metal be solid silver.