You see it on almost every piece of jewellery: gold plated, verguld, Gold vermeil, gold filled, doublé. Five terms that all mean something like "there is gold around it", but that sit far apart in practice. It comes down to the thickness of the gold layer and to what sits underneath. That decides whether your jewellery stays beautiful for six months or for ten years. Each term is explained below, with what you can actually expect from it.
- Verguld is simply the Dutch word for gold plated. Same thing, different language.
- Gold vermeil is gold plated with two extra requirements: a base of Sterling silver and a gold layer of at least 2.5 microns.
- Gold filled has the thickest layer of all the plated variants and lasts the longest.
- Only solid gold is gold all the way through. With the rest, another metal sits underneath.
- In the Netherlands, none of these terms is legally protected. So check the carat and the microns a brand states itself.
The five terms side by side
A micron is a thousandth of a millimetre. That sounds like nothing, but the difference between half a micron and 2.5 microns is exactly the difference between jewellery that turns dull after one summer and jewellery that lasts for years.
| Term | What sits underneath | Gold layer | How long it lasts | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold plated or verguld | Can be anything: silver, brass, steel | Usually 0.5 to 1 micron | Months to a few years | Lowest |
| Gold vermeil | Always Sterling silver (925) | At least 2.5 microns, at least 10 carat | A few years | Middle |
| Gold filled | Usually brass | The thickest of all, bonded under pressure | Often more than ten years | Middle |
| Doublé | Base metal, often brass | Thicker than gold plated, comparable to gold filled | Years | Middle |
| Solid gold (14k) | Nothing, it is gold all the way through | Not applicable | A lifetime | Highest |
What does verguld mean?
Verguld means a thin layer of gold has been applied to another metal. Nothing more. The word says nothing about how thick that layer is, and nothing about what sits underneath. That is exactly why it tells you so little when it is the only thing on a label.
Verguld and gold plated are the same thing. One term is Dutch, the other English, and brands use them interchangeably. If you see "goud verguld", "verguld zilver" or "gold plated", it is the same technique every time: the piece goes into a bath where a current deposits a layer of gold on the metal.
What is gold plated?
With gold plated, two questions decide everything: how thick is the layer, and what sits underneath. A cheap gold plated piece often has a layer of 0.25 microns on brass or steel. It looks fine in the shop, but after a few months of daily wear the base metal comes through, usually first where the jewellery rubs against your skin.
When the layer sits around half a micron to a full micron, and there is Sterling silver underneath, it is a different story. Silver is a precious metal in its own right, so when the gold layer wears thinner over the years you reach silver, not brass. That makes a real difference if you are sensitive to nickel.
A second thing to watch is the e-coating: a clear protective layer over the gold. It slows wear and discolouration considerably, and not every brand applies it. The gold plated earrings from Eline Rosina have that coating.
What is Gold vermeil?
Gold vermeil is gold plated, with two strict requirements added. The base has to be Sterling silver, and the gold layer has to be at least 2.5 microns thick. There is also a minimum of 10 carat for the gold itself. Those three requirements sit in the American FTC Jewelry Guides, the rules American jewellery brands have to follow.
In practice it comes down to this: a Gold vermeil piece has a gold layer that is often two to five times as thick as ordinary gold plated, on a base that is itself a precious metal. That is why it costs more and lasts longer.
Now the catch. In the Netherlands and the rest of the EU, that legal definition does not exist. A brand here can put "vermeil" on a piece without anyone checking that it meets those three requirements. You will see Gold vermeil marked 18 carat, 14 carat, and with a thickness that is stated nowhere. Always look for the two numbers that actually matter: the carat of the gold and the number of microns. If they are not there, you simply do not know.
What is gold filled?
Gold filled works in a completely different way from gold plated. Instead of a layer deposited by a current, a sheet of gold is bonded under heat and pressure onto a core, usually brass. The gold layer is many times thicker than with gold plated, and it is held on mechanically rather than chemically.
You only notice the result after years. Where a gold plated piece can turn dull after a season or two, gold filled often stays good for more than ten years with normal wear. You can wear it in the shower too, though you would rather not do that with any jewellery.
One thing to know: the term gold filled also comes from American regulation, where it means that at least one twentieth of the weight of the piece is gold. In Europe that requirement is not written into law.
What is doublé?
Doublé is the term you mainly come across on older Dutch jewellery. It is the same technique as gold filled: a layer of gold applied under pressure to a base metal, so it is considerably thicker than gold plated. Pieces passed down from the 1960s and 1970s are often doublé, and that is exactly why they still look good after all this time.
On older pieces there is sometimes a stamp that reads "doublé" or a similar mark, but the way that was marked differs by country and by period. If you want to be sure of what you have in your hands, have a jeweller check it with a gold tester. From the outside, doublé is barely distinguishable from solid gold, and that is exactly the point of the technique.
And solid gold?
Solid gold is the only variant without a layer. There is no other metal underneath, so nothing can come through. A piece of 14 carat gold is 58.5 per cent pure gold, with other metals added to make it hard enough to live with every day. Pure 24 carat gold is too soft for jewellery you actually wear.
Solid gold does not discolour, does not oxidise, and in principle you can wear it your whole life. The price that comes with it sits considerably higher, which makes it the sensible choice above all for jewellery you never take off. At Eline Rosina that is the ear piercings and the huggies, exactly the pieces that stay in day and night. The full selection is at 14 carat gold.
And 925 Sterling silver?
Sterling silver is not a gold term, but it turns up in everything above, because it is the base metal used most. The mark 925 means that 92.5 per cent of it is pure silver. The rest is usually copper, and that is needed because pure silver is far too soft to make jewellery from.
So is Sterling silver real silver? Yes. It is the standard silver jewellery has to meet worldwide, and you find the 925 stamp on the inside or on the clasp. Sterling silver does tarnish over time, which makes it darker. That is a reaction with sulphur in the air, not a sign of poor quality, and a silver cloth polishes it straight off again.
When a gold layer sits over it, you notice none of that tarnish as long as the layer is intact. That is one reason silver is a more pleasant base than brass.
How long does a gold layer last, and does it discolour?
Honest answer: it depends almost entirely on how you wear it. A ring goes through your hands and along everything else. An earring does not. The same piece, in the same quality, can turn dull after six months for one person and still look good after five years for another.
What wears a gold layer down faster is simple to name: perfume, hairspray, chlorine, soap and salty sweat. They attack the layer chemically or rub it away. Take your jewellery off before sport and swimming, and spray perfume before you put it on.
Discolouration is not the gold changing colour. It is the base metal showing through because the layer has become too thin. With brass you then see a greenish or reddish tint, with silver a greyish one. And on skin that is irritated or has turned green: that rarely comes from the gold itself, and usually from the metal underneath.
What Eline Rosina works with
For clarity, because this is exactly where most of the questions land. Eline Rosina works with four materials, and Gold vermeil is no longer one of them.
- 14 carat gold. Recycled and solid. It never discolours or oxidises. This is the material of the piercings and a large part of the Hoops.
- Gold plated sterling silver. A base of 100 per cent recycled 925 silver with a plating of 0.5 to 1 micron, finished with a protective e-coating. See the gold plated earrings.
- Gold plated brass. For the statement jewellery, with an 18 carat plating of 1 micron and the same e-coating.
- Lab-grown Diamond. Chemically, optically and physically identical to a mined Diamond, and graded on the same four Cs. You will find it with the Diamond piercings.
All current details for each material are on the page materials and product care. If you want to know exactly what is in a piercing and why that matters with a fresh piercing, read what piercings are made of.
How to keep gold plated jewellery beautiful for longer
It makes a clear difference if you pay it a little attention. Three things do most of the work.
Put them on last and take them off first. So after moisturiser, after hairspray and after perfume. And off before the shower, sport and swimming. Chlorine is the fastest way to ruin a gold layer.
Never polish with a silver cloth. Those cloths are made to take a layer off, and that is exactly what you do not want with gold plated. A soft dry cloth is enough. More on what works and what does not is in cleaning jewellery.
Store them separately. Jewellery lying against other pieces in a box rubs the layer off each other. The box you received them in is not there for show.
If you wear something every single day and you never want to think about it again, solid gold is in the end the calmest choice. For pieces you rotate, gold plated is a good fit, especially with a silver base underneath. If you want to wear gold and silver together, we have tips for combining gold and silver jewellery.
Frequently asked questions about gold plated jewellery
What does verguld mean?
Verguld means a thin layer of gold has been applied to another metal. It is the Dutch word for gold plated, and on its own it says nothing about the thickness of that layer or about the metal underneath. For the quality, look at two numbers: the carat of the gold and the number of microns.
What is the difference between gold plated and Gold vermeil?
The difference between gold plated and Gold vermeil sits in two requirements that apply only to vermeil: the base has to be Sterling silver and the gold layer at least 2.5 microns. Gold plated can sit on any metal and usually has a layer of 0.5 to 1 micron. Gold vermeil therefore lasts longer and costs more, but the technique is otherwise the same.
Is Gold vermeil real gold?
Yes, the gold layer on Gold vermeil is real gold of at least 10 carat. The piece is just not gold all the way through: underneath sits Sterling silver. That places Gold vermeil between gold plated and solid gold, both in price and in how long it lasts.
What does 18k Gold vermeil mean?
18k Gold vermeil means the gold layer is 18 carat and that the piece otherwise meets the vermeil requirements: a base of Sterling silver and a layer of at least 2.5 microns. You also come across 14k and 24k Gold vermeil, because the standard only sets a lower limit of 10 carat. A higher carat gives a warmer gold colour, but says nothing about the thickness of the layer.
Is gold plated jewellery worth anything?
The trade-in value of gold plated jewellery is almost zero, because the amount of gold in the layer is too small to recover. If there is Sterling silver underneath, that silver still has a small material value. With solid gold it is different: a buyer pays by weight and carat. Buy gold plated because you like it, not as an investment.
How long does gold plated jewellery last?
With daily wear, gold plated jewellery usually lasts from a number of months to a few years, depending on the thickness of the layer and on where you wear it. Earrings hold up much longer than rings, because rings rub against everything all day. A protective e-coating and a silver base extend the lifespan considerably.
Can gold plated jewellery discolour?
Yes, gold plated jewellery can discolour. What you see is not the gold changing colour, but the base metal showing through because the gold layer has become thinner. With brass that gives a greenish or reddish tint, with silver a greyish one. Perfume, hairspray, chlorine and salty sweat speed that process up, so take your jewellery off before sport and swimming.
What is 925 Sterling silver?
925 Sterling silver is silver that is 92.5 per cent pure silver, with copper usually added for strength. Pure silver is too soft for jewellery. It is real silver, and you recognise it by the 925 stamp on the inside or on the clasp. Sterling silver tarnishes over time and turns darker, which is a normal reaction and not a quality problem.