What vermeil means

Three terms, and three amounts of gold

Turn over an old piece and you may find a small stamp. A clasp might say GF. A ring might say GP. Another might carry just 925. These stamps are shorthand for what the piece is made of and how much real gold it has. Behind many of them are three categories: gold filled, gold plated and vermeil. They can look almost the same, but they are made differently, and the amount of gold varies a lot.

From most gold to least:

Gold filled

Gold filled is not plated and it is not filled with gold. The name describes a way of making a piece, in which a substantial layer of real gold is bonded to a base metal. The gold layer is much thicker than on a plated piece. If plating is a coat of paint, gold filled is closer to a veneer, a real layer of gold fixed to the surface. That thickness makes it far more durable, so many gold filled pieces still look good decades later.

The term began in the United States, where gold filled must have a gold layer of at least 5 per cent of the item's weight. Standards differ between countries, but that benchmark is widely known in the trade.

Gold filled is usually marked GF, or with a fraction such as 1/20 12K GF, which means the gold layer is a twentieth of the total weight and the gold is 12 carat. RGP, rolled gold plate, is an older marking for the same bonding method, but usually with less gold than true gold filled.

Because the gold is bonded and not coated, gold filled wears far better than plating.

Gold plated

Gold plating is the thin coating most of us picture on costume or fashion jewellery. A very fine film of gold is laid over a cheaper metal, usually by electroplating, in which an electric current draws gold from a special solution and deposits it evenly. The result looks gold but holds little gold.

The film is often thinner than a human hair. It can wear through where a piece is touched most, such as ring bands, clasps and bracelet links.

Common marks are GP (gold plated), HGE (heavy gold electroplate) and the words gold plated. HGE suggests a thicker coating than standard plating, but the term is not tightly controlled and should not be read as a guarantee of value.

There is nothing wrong with gold plated jewellery. Many attractive, well-made pieces are plated. There is simply much less gold in them.

Gold vermeil

Vermeil is a step up from ordinary plating, with two conditions. The base must be solid sterling silver and not a cheap base metal, and the gold layer must be thicker than standard plating, usually at least 2.5 microns (a micron is a thousandth of a millimetre). It is still a coating and not solid gold, but a more generous one, over a more valuable base. It is common in modern jewellery, especially pieces from the last ten to fifteen years.

Vermeil does not have its own letter stamp, as gold filled (GF) and gold plated (GP) do. The base is sterling silver, so you will usually see a 925 mark, sometimes beside a gold mark. If a piece looks gold but carries a 925 stamp, it may well be vermeil.

Does this matter when you are deciding what to sell?

Up to a point. Knowing the difference helps you see what is in your jewellery box, but it does not tell you everything about value. A stamp tells you what a piece is made from. It does not tell you whether it is rare, collectable or in demand.

Solid gold is common in rings, chains and bracelets. The gold runs all the way through, so these pieces are often valued for weight and purity, though maker, age and design also count.

Gold filled was used widely through the twentieth century for jewellery, watches, spectacles and accessories. It holds a real layer of gold, and many older pieces are still attractive and collectable.

Gold plated is common in fashion jewellery, cufflinks, compacts, watches and decorative accessories. There is usually very little gold in it, but that does not mean it has no value. Some plated items are wanted for their age, maker or design.

Vermeil is often found in modern designer and boutique jewellery. It holds less gold than a gold filled or solid gold piece, but some pieces are still desirable, especially if well made or from a recognised brand.

A hallmark tells you what a piece is made from, not what it is worth. A gold filled item from a respected maker may be worth more than its metal alone, depending on rarity, how many were made, collectability and demand.