Your gold jewelry is an investment, and we get that. 

There’s something about wearing gold – its colour reminiscent of the sun’s setting rays – that feels luxurious. Timeless. Feminine. Warm. 

We know that you care about having your pieces stand the test of time, and we don’t take that notion lightly. We want your jewelry to be with you for the big and small joys in this life, which is why we create our pieces with gold vermeil (fun fact: it’s pronounced ver-may).

Gold vermeil is the highest quality next to solid gold and, with proper care, your pieces can remain a wardrobe staple—for good. Not only does this ensure that your pieces last for years to come, but it also minimizes your environmental footprint. Win, win!

Life can feel complicated, but navigating which jewelry to romance yourself with doesn’t have to be. Here, we’re answering some of your most common q’s about gold vermeil to make choosing your new, fave items as simple as possible. 

First of all, what is vermeil?

All the word 'vermeil' references is a specific gold plating method and standard. Each of our gold vermeil products adhere to global standards, like:

• The base metal is 925 sterling silver – a solid, precious metal. This is why you’ll see all of our gold vermeil products stamped with the same 925 stamp as our silver products, since that’s the base material of our jewelry. 
• The plating material must be a minimum of 14 karat gold 
• The plating is also a minimum of 2.5 microns thick; this ensures 10x thicker plating than that of gold-plated jewelry, meaning that with proper care, gold vermeil can be worn for years. 

And since we love fun facts, here’s another: In Canada, gold vermeil is only required to be 1.0 microns thick to be considered gold vermeil (a pity, we know!). That means if you’ve ever bought a gold vermeil piece from a Canadian brand that seems to wear down to silver quickly, they may not be adhering to the global standard, and only the Canadian standard. This makes it difficult to trust gold standards in Canada compared to anywhere else in the world, which is why we adhere to the global gold vermeil standards instead. 

What makes OJOIE gold vermeil pieces unique?

All OJOIE products — earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings – are ethically & sustainably made on the island of Bali, Indonesia with a rigorous process to purify only high quality recycled sterling silver (our base metal). Our gold jewelry then goes through the vermeil process of using 2.5 microns (or more) of 24 karat gold, with a 14 or 18 karat flash plating on top to reach our desired colour per piece. Plus, our jewelry is finished with an anti-tarnish coat to prolong the life of your pieces even further.

So how does gold vermeil differ from other gold?

Here’s a run-down of each type of gold jewelry on the market to show you how gold vermeil stands out from the rest:

Gold-plated

This type of jewelry is the least expensive gold you can find on the market, and makes up the bulk of fast-fashion jewelry at places like Zara and H&M. Gold-plated jewelry has no standards for base metal material, so it can have any combination of nickel, brass, and copper – common materials that can often discolour and irritate your skin. Plus, most gold plating is done using a flash plating process. This process has no standard for the exterior gold material, is less than 0.25 microns thick, and usually only looks good for 1-2 wears before tarnishing and fading. 

Gold-fill

While gold-filled jewelry is a slight step-up from gold-plating, it still doesn’t guarantee a decent life expectancy. Similar to gold plating, the base metal of gold-filled jewelry has no standards for base metal material. This means that, like gold-plated jewelry, makers use brass, copper, nickel, and occasionally silver (but rarely high-quality 925 silver, as it's pricey) as the base material. The gold layer over top – if it's mechanically-bonded to the base metal – is only required to be 5% of the item’s total weight. 

Gold Vermeil

As mentioned, gold vermeil is the highest quality of gold jewelry before solid gold. By Canadian standards, gold vermeil will be 4x the thickness of typical gold plating with a minimum of a 14 karat gold and a base of 925 sterling silver. To improve your piece’s life expectancy, we adhere to global standards, requiring 2.5 microns in thickness to ensure a 10x thicker plating than that of gold-plated jewelry. Plus, with a base metal of 925 sterling silver, you’ll be able to re-plate in the future – if you wish.

Solid Gold

The highest quality gold on the market, it ranges from 9 to 24 karats – which indicates the level of the gold’s purity. The most common range you’ll see is 10 to 18 karats. The more pure the gold, the more rich and deep the colour becomes. 24 karat gold is considered 100% pure gold, however it’s rarely used in jewelry-making because of the softness of the metal, which runs the risk of scratches and warping. If you’re someone who has sensitive skin, you may still see a harmless skin reaction (discolouration) to 10 karat solid gold, since it’s technically only 41.7% gold mixed with 58.3% of an alloy metal like sterling silver. Depending on your budget and preference on the brilliance of the colour, 14 to 18 karat gold is the most popular. Although with a steep price increase when moving to solid gold, these are usually reserved for heirloom & lifetime pieces. 

-xo, Your Joy (and Gold!) Guru's