Differences; gold plated vs. gold filled

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi Everyone

Can anyone tell me the differences between gold plated, gold
filled, and vermeil? I can’t seen to find a detailed
explanation of each item.

Also, can anyone tell me of a supplier of 10k tennis bracelets
set with CZs or unmounted?

Thanks
Claudia

2

Gold Plated
Electrolytically depositing gold on a base metal (silver). Must
be at least .000007 of an inch of gold. Less than this can be
labeled gold washed or gold colored.

Gold filled
A process of bonding gold alloy not less than 10 KT and at least
5% of the weight of the item

Vermeil
A bonded layer of gold alloy. Requirements???

Bob B

3

Gold filled refers to a plating which in which at least 1/20 of
the thickness is at least 10k gold (the rest is usually nickle or
another base metal). There is no real stardard for gold plated,
it can refer to anything that is gold plated (usually it will be
base metal that is very very thinly electroplated with gold).
Vermeil is Sterling Silver that is plated with gold…this lends
the most true-to-gold color and is also appealing because it is
precious metal throughout…hope this helps…

Susan Waldes

4

Claudia

Gold plate is electroplating gold over a base metal in a
solution with a gold anode, usually meaured in microns
(millionths of an inch) of thickness, vermeil is gold plate over
sterling. Gold filled is a laminated material- karat gold sheet
layered onto a base metal (or sterling!) at a small % of the
total thickness.

Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton

Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography

http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

5 
Can anyone tell me the differences between gold plated, gold
filled, and vermeil?  I can't seen to find a detailed
explanation of each item

Claudia, gold plated indicates a piece of jewelry, etc that has
been plated most oftem with a very thin layer of gold. The base
material can be almost anything. Gold filled indicates a very
thin gold plate that has been bonded to another metal base. The
gold layer is thicker than plating and lasts much longer. It is
stamped with the percentage of gold content and the karat, ie
“1/20th 14k gold filled”. Vermeil is gold plating over a
sterling base. The gold plating may have to be a specific
thickness (not quite sure). Steve Brixner

6

Vermeil is gold plating on sterling. I think a heavy plate of
.000093" is required.

Dick Caverly
rcaverly@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/rcaverly/home.htm

7

Also, can anyone tell me of a supplier of 10k tennis bracelets
set with CZs or unmounted?

Claudia,

Try Kim’s manufacturing (800) 255-9554 they have a big selection
of CZ tennis bracelets at good prices. Wendy Newman