Product Care

Like all beautiful things, our jewellery changes with time and wear. The shine of your silver will soften, gold plating will wear into an antiqued look, and textures will mellow and develop a subtle shine. These changes are a natural characteristic of the materials and are not considered faulty.

The rate at which these changes occur depend on the care they are given and the frequency they are worn. Treat your jewellery with love by following the below instructions to keep your piece in premium condition.

• Remove your jewellery before showering, sleeping, swimming, cleaning or working with your hands. There are many reasons for this - to prevent scratches, to avoid damage to your silver or gold plating from chemicals, and also to keep your jewellery and gem stones free from soap residue and build up.
• Clean your jewellery regularly. To do this, dilute a small amount of mild dishwashing detergent in warm water and gently wash your jewellery. A soft bristled toothbrush can be used to gently clean the piece, though do not use a brush on Gold plated or gold vermeil items as it will damage the gold surface. Soak for up to 10 minutes, rinse and then pat dry with a clean, soft cloth. We don’t recommend using silver polishing liquids or chemical cleaners to clean our jewellery and they should never be used on gold plated/gold vermeil pieces as it will remove the plating.
• Do not expose your jewellery to perfumes, hairsprays, or creams. They can tarnish your silver and damage gold plating.
• Do not expose your jewellery to household bleaches, cleaners, chlorinated water or salt water. These chemicals will damage your silver and remove gold plating. This is why it is important to take your jewellery off before cleaning or swimming.
• Do not clean textured pieces with silver polishing cloths. The polishing compound in the cloths will blacken the texture.

Vermeil refers to a variety of gold-coated metal. For metal to be considered vermeil, it needs to meet three main trade criteria:

• The base of the metal must be of sterling (92.5%) or fine (99.9%) silver. This is why vermeil is also known by its other names: Silver Gilt or Gilded Silver
• The purity of the gold must be of at least 10 karats
• The thickness of the gold coat should consist of a minimum of 2.5 microns (0.0025 millimeters)

If these three criteria are not met, then the metal becomes gold-filled or gold-plated.

While gold vermeil is popularly used in jewellery, it is a versatile metal and has its other uses as well. A good example is the Vermeil Room of The White House. This famous room contains a wine cooler and tableware all made of vermeil. You will find vermeil being used in fixtures and furniture among other things. Also, many sports trophies and all Olympic gold medals are all made of gold vermeil.

Gold vermeil was a popular Victorian Era feature and was used heavily in jewellery, tableware and other items.

To create gold vermeil, the item is first crafted in fine or sterling silver and is then covered in gold using the process known as electrolysis. In the past, vermeil was crafted using the process of fire-gilding, but this was later banned due to the dangers inherent in this process, especially the issue of mercury causing blindness. Electrolysis, if done correctly, results in a consistent thickness and quality that is capable of lasting for a very long time, and can last for many years.

The durability of your gold vermeil actually depends on the thickness of the gold plating. In other words, gold is the primary factor when determining whether or not the gold vermeil will last. As a general rule of thumb, the thicker the gold plating, the longer the life of the piece.

Another factor to consider is the purity of the vermeil. As you may know, the higher the purity of gold, the softer it is and more susceptible to scratches and damage. If you would want gold vermeil that will last for a long time, buying 14 k or 18 k gold vermeil is recommended. Anything higher will be too soft and lower would not have the colour of gold you may be after.

Another question we get asked a lot is whether gold vermeil tarnishes.

Because vermeil is made with a silver base, and because silver is known for oxidising, it is only a matter of time before gold vermeil starts to tarnish. However, this does not have to be a permanent issue. With regular cleaning and maintaining, the tarnish can be removed and the vermeil restored to sparkle.

Gold vermeil, gold-plated and gold-filled jewellery are very similar in concept. Only slight differences in execution and materials distinguish these three methods.

1. Gold-plated jewellery
   There is no standard metal or gold thickness when it comes to gold-plate. You can find gold plate in a variety of thicknesses and on a range of varying metals and alloys. With gold-plating, there is the high likelihood of the gold finish wearing out and chipping over time as the gold coating is very thin.

2. Gold-filled jewellery
   Gold-filled jewellery is more valuable than gold-plate. It contains more gold as the gold coating is quite thick. Also, the base metal used for gold-filled items is often a gold alloy. This is hypoallergenic and also does not tarnish. Gold-filled is the next best thing to solid gold. This is why it is costlier than gold-plate or even vermeil.

Gold vermeil is similar to gold-plate in terms of affordability and amount of gold used. The main difference between the two is that vermeil has its strict standards and is made entirely of precious metals (both silver and gold are considered precious metals) while gold plate has different levels of gold thickness and is made with any base metal. If the same criteria is met for both, gold plate and gold vermeil can be one and the same!

You can find gold vermeil in many jewellery stores online and in-store, however it is essential to be a vigilant buyer. Here are some things to look for before you buy:

• If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Notice the prices. Gold vermeil is typically more expensive than sterling silver and gold-plated jewellery. If the price of the gold vermeil is very similar to these, chances are the quality of the vermeil you are looking at is low.
• Check the coloration and the weight of the vermeil item. Ask about the level of purity as well as the thickness.
• Check for the mark ‘925’ on the item as this is used to signify silver jewellery covered in a layer of gold. This is a standard hallmark for vermeil.
• Buy from a reputable seller. When selling gold vermeil, sellers need to disclose any deviations from the minimum standards in the three above mentioned criteria as vermeil is a regulated metal. It is a good idea to request all specifications of the vermeil before you buy.

Certain metals such as nickel, copper, chromium and cobalt have been known to cause allergic reactions in individuals. This is not a concern with gold vermeil, as it only generally contains gold and silver.

However, if there are materials mixed in the vermeil such as nickel, sellers are required to disclose them. Be extra vigilant in inquiring about the composition of the gold vermeil.

With proper care and maintenance, gold vermeil jewellery can keep sparkling through the years. Here are our top tips for cleaning and storing your gold vermeil jewellery.

• When you aren’t wearing your gold vermeil jewellery, store it in a fabric-lined box, or a soft cloth away from dust and dirt. An airtight box is ideal as it can minimise the oxidisation of the silver base.
• Avoid placing your gold vermeil near heat as this can cause discolouration and deformation. Also, don’t place any weight on top of gold vermeil jewellery as this can cause damage.
• To prevent tarnishing, wipe gold vermeil jewellery after use. The accumulation of body oils, cosmetics and grime can cause the jewellery to lose its sparkle and to fade.
• Avoid wiping gold vermeil items with coarse fabrics or chemicals as this can strip the gold off. Only use a 100% cotton or microfibre cloth to very softly wipe the item and warm soapy water.
• Never use chemicals to clean gold vermeil jewellery. This refers to makeup, washing liquid and even chlorine from swimming pools. These can discolour the jewellery and strip the gold off.