Gold plating, vermeil, or solid gold? The differences at a glance
Anyone who deals with jewelry will sooner or later come across terms like "gold-plated," "vermeil," or "solid gold." But what exactly do these terms mean—and how do they differ specifically? In this article, we'll explain the key differences so you know exactly what you're buying or commissioning.
1. Gold-plated jewelry – the decorative option
Gold-plated jewelry typically consists of a base or semi-precious material (e.g., brass, stainless steel, or copper) coated with a fine layer of gold. This gold layer is often very thin—usually less than 0.1 microns —and serves primarily decorative purposes.
Such gold plating is primarily known from the fashion jewelry sector . It offers a sophisticated look at an affordable price, but it's not particularly wear-resistant and wears off quickly with regular wear. Those who are price-conscious and only wear the jewelry occasionally will find this a solid option for short periods of wear.
2. Vermeil – high-quality gold-plated jewelry
"Vermeil" (French for "gold-plated") is a special form of gold plating that meets certain quality standards. The base material is always genuine sterling silver (925) , which is coated with a significantly thicker layer of gold—by definition, the minimum layer thickness is 2.5 microns .
Vermeil jewelry is therefore not only much higher quality than costume jewelry, but also more robust and durable.
Especially when worn regularly, vermeil offers a good balance of appearance, quality and value for money.
However, the gold layer can wear off over time, especially in areas subject to heavy wear such as rings or bracelets.
3. Modern hard gold plating: Over 3 to 5 microns for maximum longevity
At LAFFARTS, we offer exclusively modern hard gold plating – with layer thicknesses of 3 to 5 microns . This ensures durability that is significantly greater than vermeil quality and is specifically designed for maximum durability.
Gold plating with 3 microns is somewhat more robust than classic vermeil. It's ideal for jewelry that isn't necessarily worn daily—such as engagement rings, watch cases, or belt buckles.
With a layer thickness of 5 microns, we achieve an exceptionally abrasion-resistant quality that, with proper care, will last for several years, even with frequent skin contact or mechanical stress.
For further information on the durability of gold plating and what you should pay attention to, see our article: 👉 Notes on the durability of gold plating
The advantages of our hard gold plating at a glance:
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Extremely abrasion-resistant – ideal for regularly worn jewelry
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Available in 14K, 18K or 24K gold
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Particularly noble, even shine
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On request also in rose or red gold
Through the elaborate polishing and professional preparation, the gold plating adheres optimally and ensures long-term value retention and aesthetics .
4. Solid gold – the original
Solid gold jewelry is made entirely of gold alloys (e.g., 14K or 18K) and is correspondingly expensive. It is extremely durable, valuable, and can easily be remelted or resized. For daily wear or as an investment, solid gold is the highest quality—but also the most expensive—option.
Which type of gold is right for your purpose?
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Decorative gold-plated: Usually 0.1 microns or less, inexpensive, decorative, often used for costume jewelry.
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Vermeil: From 2.5 microns on a silver base, high quality, very durable with good care
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Hard gold plating over 3Micron: Optimal durability & quality for everyday use
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Solid gold: highest quality, never loses more value than the current melting price – but very expensive
If you want to have jewelry refurbished and re-gilded, this is especially worthwhile for high-quality base materials such as silver, brass, or copper. These metals are ideal for long-lasting and consistent real gold plating.
For costume jewelry, an inspection is necessary beforehand, as not every material is suitable or of sufficient quality for gold plating.
Request your individual, non-binding offer now – we will advise you honestly, transparently and professionally.
Note: Of course, there are other forms of gold plating besides the variants mentioned here - such as rolled gold plating, fire gilding, filled gold, doublé, dubleé or PVD and plasma coating (gold look without real gold).
Since these processes are mostly used industrially, in handicrafts or only in very special cases, they were deliberately not discussed in depth in this article but only the galvanic processes were discussed.
